The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-01
FUTURE OF CUBA.
Interesting Report on Islands Conn
mercial and Industrial Condition.

Washington, April 30.-Acti ng Secre-
tary OF War Meiklejohn made public to-
day a very interesting report on the COM
meroial and Industrial conditions of
Cuba, showing that the future of the
island under stable government
promises wonderful development Of
wealth. The beneficial effects OF an eco
nomical administration OF the islands af-
airs.such as is now being given under the
direction of the war department, are al
ready apparent. A good deal of the capital
which was removed or which went into
hiding prior to and during the Spanish
war, has returned and nav capital is be-
ing attracted by the safer and more stable
conditions. The increase In the business
of the custom house demonstrated better
than anything else the revival Of general
trade. Tobacco which will continue to
be one of the most important crops of the
island is already being cultivated In Sec
tions Of the island where it has never
been grown hitherto. The crop, estimated
at the beginning of the present year at
200, 900 tons, based upon actual production
at the end of March, it is estimated. will
reach SOC, 600 tons this year despite the
lack of facilities, the confusion and hurry
with which the crops were plants that
the fact that much Of the machinery was
totally or partially destroyed. The scarcity
of domestic exen due to the wholesale
slaughter of stock by both Cubans and
Spanish for food purposes during the W ar
is greatly retarding the operation of sugar
estates During March, 1880 bales of
leaf tobacco $40 cigars, 5sl ZOO package 6
of cigarettes and 1900 kilos of cut to-
bacco were exported from Havana. The
expectation of various kinds of merchan-
n ca which Cn mt dlltY. nrlnClDaily
sugar, old iron. pine apples, preserved
fruits. honeys, sponges etc., reached 4, :
091, 600 kiIos from Havana. The total
collections during March we're SS96, 925, a
collection exceeded only twice at Havana
during the past ten years (1S05 and 1898.
For the first three months of American
ruIs the total receipts for all the ports of
Cuba were as follows: January, 81 .oSl,-
22S; February, s976. .91S; March, 81 26l,-
S45, while the cost of collection for these
months were exceedingly low as follows !:
January 2.01 per cent; February, 4.63
per cent. March, 3.43 per cent.
The money transferred from the customs
funds during these three months of
American rule to the other administra-
tive bodies total 81 1868, 400, divided main
ly as follows: $40, $50 for barracks and
quarters;" $942, 925 for sanitation; $685.,
$40 for rural police and administration; !;
Sl97, 9S4 for public works, ports and har
bors; SI03, 900 for charities and hospitals
and 1851, $50 for civil government.
During March 200 vessels of 213, 265 tons
entered the port of Havana. OF these 107
were American, SO English, 26 Spanish
and 35 of other countries. OF the 43i9
passengers landed, 1924 came from ths
United States; $3.50 passengers left Ha-
vana. total of Go, 3i1, ,972 were imported
into Havana during the past three
months and total of 50, 10, $50 exported,
of which 81, 009 059 went to Spain and
only $1,000 to the United States.