310 



humboldt's cuba. 



Havana alone, in 1823, was 113,506 barrels, which, 

 at the average price of $16 50, inclusive of the 

 duties, amounts to $1,864,500. The first direct im- 

 portation of flour from the United States is due to 

 the wise administration of Don Luis de las Casas. 

 Before his time, it could only be imported after 

 having been carried to a port in Europe. Mr. Rob- 

 inson (Mem. on the Mexican Revolution, vol. 2, p. 

 330) estimates the importation of flour into Cuba, 

 through licit and illicit channels, at 120,000 barrels. 

 He adds, which seems to me less certain, "that the 

 island of Cuba, in consequence of the evil distribu- 

 tion of slave labor there, could barely sustain a 

 blockade of five months." In 1822, there were 

 imported from the United States 144,980 barrels, 

 valued in Havana, inclusive of the duties, at 

 $2,391,000. 



[In 1852, the total importation of flour into Cuba 

 was 327,950 barrels, of which but 7,610 were from 

 the United States ; total value, at the mean selling 

 price of $16 50, $5,411,175.] 



Notwithstanding that the flour of the United 

 States is burdened with an impost of se ven dollars 

 a barrel, yet that of Spain — Santander, for instance 



