FOREIGN COMMERCE OF THE SPANISH WEST INDIES.

The impossibility of obtaining any reliable or comprehensive statistics from either colonial or consular sources concerning the foreign commerce of Cuba renders it impossible to present more than an approximation of the value thereof, through the medium of the official returns of the principal countries having commercial relations with the Spanish West Indies.

The following statement, taken principally from the latest official returns of the several countries mentioned, it is thought presents a very close exhibit of the value of the foreign trade of the islands under review:

The principal articles entering into the trade of the Spanish West Indies will be understood from the following statements:

Imports into Great Britain from the Spanish West Indies.

Exports from Great Britain to the Spanish West Indies-Continued.

Imports into France from the Spanish American Colonies, 1880.

Exports from France to the Spanish American Colonies, 1×80.

The imports into the United States from the Spanish West Indies dur; ing the fiscal year 1881 were as follows: Sugar, from Cuba, $51,283,000from Porto Rico, $2,128,000; tobacco, unmanufactured, $3,596,000; man; ufactured, $2,171,000, all from Cuba; coffee, $483,000, from Porto Ricofruits and nuts, $314,000; vegetable oil, fixed, $64,000, &c.

Principal exports from the United States to the Spanish West Indies, 1881.

It will be noted that our imports from the Spanish West Indies greatly exceed the imports of all other countries therefrom, while our exports thereto are only a little more than one-fourth of the total exports thither. It is true that we sell more goods than any other country to the Spanish West Indies, almost twice as much as the exports of British merchandise thereto nearly $4,000,000 of British exports to the islands being composed of foreign produce, rice, fish, cheese, &c.; yet in certain lines of manufactures we do not compare favorably with either France or England, as the following short statement will show:

Exports of principal manufactures to the Spanish West Indies.

*It is more than likely that our exports of hardware to the Spanish West Indies equal those of Great Britain.

In the articles embraced under the heading of cotton "manufactures" we are inexcusably behind Great Btitain, viz, British cottons, piece goods, 31,989,600 yards, valued at $2,702,000, against American piece goods, 1,556,461 yards, valued at $142,000.

Large as the trade in British cotton goods is with the Spanish West Indies, as above given, it is only about one-half in value of what it was in 1876, viz, In 1876 the exports of British cottons to Cuba and Porto Rico amounted to 49,802,200 yards, and in value to $5,215,000, against, in 1880, 31,989,600 yards, and $2,828,000-a decrease in five years of 17,812,600 yards and of $2,387,000 in value. As this lost British trade has not been taken up by any other country, it would appear that the

consumption of cotton goods on the islands has decreased to that extent in five years. The average price of British piece goods exported to the islands in 1876, plain and printed, was 9.80 cents per yard; in 1850 the average price was 8.45 cents per yard.

The average price of American cottons exported to the Spanish West Indies during the year 1881 was 12.29 cents per yard, nearly once and a half the price of the British goods.

It is clear from this showing that American cotton manufacturers have made no serious effort to secure a portion of the general cotton-goods trade of the Spanish West Indies, being, it would seem, content to supply a few fancy high-priced articles to please a very narrow circle of consumers.

FOREIGN COMMERCE OF HAYTI AND SAN DOMINGO.

Being unable to present any special statistics, either from American or foreign consular sources, covering the foreign trade of San Domingo, an approximation of the value thereof can only be reached by deduction. Thanks, however, to the very comprehensive report of Consul-General Langston, covering the foreign relations of Hayti, a very close estimate of the trade of the Dominican Republic can be reached. The official returns of England and France make no distinction between Haytian and Dominican trade, which adds to the difficulty of arriving at definite results in regard to the latter.

According to Consul-General Langston's report, the foreign trade of Hayti was as follows for the fiscal year 1881: Imports, $7,980,000; exports, $11,607,000.

According to their official returns, the trade of Great Britain and France for the calendar year 1880, and the United States for the fiscal year 1881, with Hayti and San Domingo was as follows: Imports from Hayti and San Domingo, $14,187,000; exports to San Domingo, $10,280,000. Deducting the trade of Hayti herefrom leaves an ostensible Dominican trade to the following extent: Exports, $2,581,000; imports, $2,300,000. Adding thereto the trade of San Domingo, with all other countries, the following statement shows the present annual trade of both republics:

The particulars of the trade of England, France, and the United States with Hayti and San Domingo are herewith given.

10, 780, 000

14, 987, 000