Evening star., 1900-08-18
COMM ERCE OF CUBA
IMPORTS LARGELY EXCEEDED THE
vlLUE OF EXPORTS LAST YEAR.
The Deduction. From This state of
Things Made by the British
Consul.

The commerce OF Cuba in 1922 I. de-
scribed by the British consul at Havana in
a report which has just reached the treas
ury bureau OF statistics. 1t specially calls
attention TO the fact that the imports OF
1899 largely exceed the value of the ex-
ports. and that more than 10 per cent Of
these imports were food products, much Of
which might have been produced in the
island and produced with a proportionate-
ly less investment of capital than that re-
quired for the chief producing industry
sugar. The following is an extract from
the report:
Judging from the more detailed returns
which are available as to the nature OF
the imports at Havana. which constitute IS
per cent OF the total merchandise imported
into the whole island. II does not appear
that any large amount of tools. industrial
machinery or material for public works
were introduced. which might represent the
investment OF foreign capital to be en-
ploycd in opening up new enterprises the
great bulk Of the imports being rather for
food, clothing, liquors and other articles Of
ical replenishing.
The greater part of this excess Importa-
ton was covered by the amount realized by
the sale last year of certain RAILWAYS and
cigar factories to foreign (princpally Brit
ISM companies, but of course. the perma-
nent alienation OF properties TO meet cur
rent necessities cGEnot be indefinitely re-
peated, and unless there Is a lgrge increase
in the exports OF the current year a Rr,at
tailing on must be expected IN the import
trade.
The following statistics OF the trade OF
the whole Island in 1912 tas compared
with 1890. though not very recent are
not without value affording a basis for
| comparing the movement today with that
Spanish regime:''
Year. In,orfs F,ror+,
issd -.---..----...--.--.f .f106l6sI7 FIG .tSS.IaI
1882 ..-.......--....... 13, Io2 Gg5 lqusq 2ss
1879 .......--..---..... l3.22l,6l7 a.Oi6. 500
Further on, in the same report The com
sui general writes:
The Island of Cuba presents the anomaly
! OF a purely agricultural and exceptionally
fertile country. dependent very largely on
foreign countries for its food supply. The
limits of this report do not permit OF ex-
amining at length the causes which have
led to this state of things 1t is sufficient
TO point out its existence and the important
bearing II has on its foreign commerce
The value of the food produces. dnclud-
ing liquors and two-thirds of the live stock,
which must be reckoned as food imported
into Havana in 1899 amounts 10 over
f5~",~o, or II per cent of the total i'm
ports into that port, without taking into
account the undervaluation to which | have
called attention in the paragraph on I'M
ports and exports. If the same proper
tion be applied to the total Imports into
the whole island, find that ii, G,7I0.Up0 rep
resented imports of food alone Gn other
words, absolute necessitles). in which II is
hard TO see how any economies could be
effected except perhaps in quality and that
only limited extent. If We deduct this
amount from the value of the exports We
find surplus of only f2.272 900. with which
TO provide for clothing and all the other
necessities of a country containing a popu-
lation of 1.5n,Goo. and without any manu-
featuring industries whatever a sum which
is manifestly inadequate.
The deduction to be drawn ia sufficiently
obvious The island must either produce
more articles for export, or II must raise
more food products at home and import
less from abroad. The most practical So
luton is undoubtedly the latter, as far less
capital is required for cultivating maize
brans. rice and vegetables than for produc-
Ing sugar. which has hitherto been consid-
cred as the staple export.
Whatever solution may he ultimately
found. there can he no doubt that the island
will. in the immediate future have to pass
through period of poverty. during which
the lmportations will fall considerably be-
low last years figures. and will be restrict
ed TO absolute necessities OF life and to the
cheaper grades Of other commodities"