The Department has received from Minister Squiers, of Habana, under date of October 24, 1902, translation of the law for the reorganization of the rural guard. Mr. Squiers states that the new organization contemplates a strength of 3,800 officers and men, as compared with 3,426 in the former proposed scheme of reorganization and 1,500 at present.

The provisions of the law are, in part:

The rural guard is a body with a military organization, whose functions shall be civil and which has for its object the preservation of public order. The corps shall consist of 3,800 individuals, organized as follows: A general directorate and 3 regiments; each regiment shall consist of 8 squadrons of cavalry and 2 companies of infantry. The general directorate shall be composed of 1 brigadier (chief), I lieutenant colonel (quartermaster), I major (chief of the office), I captain (judgeadvocate), I captain (aid-de-camp), 3 sublieutenants for the office (Executive). The officers and staff of each regiment shall be I colonel, I lieutenant colonel, I major (quartermaster), I captain (chief of the office), I captain (physician), I lieutenant (paymaster), I lieutenant (veterinary), I sublieutenant (adjutant), 2 sergeants (copyists), I corporal (orderly), I corporal (armorer). Each cavalry squadron shall be composed of 80 guardsmen, with 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, I sublieutenant, 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, 2 trumpeters, I farrier. Each company of infantry shall be composed of 80 guardsmen, I captain, 2 lieutenants, I sublieutenant (quartermaster), 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, 2 cornets. The chiefs and officers of the rural guard shall be mounted officers and shall acquire on their own account their horses, uniforms, and equipment. Two dollars a month shall be deducted from the salary of a noncommissioned officer or guardsman until the cost of his horse is covered. Enlistments shall be for four years. The following qualifications shall be required: (1) To be a Cuban; (2) to know how to read and write the Spanish language; (3) to have good habits and a good record; (4) to be over 21 years of age and under 45; (5) minimum weight, 120 pounds, maximum, 170 pounds; (6) height, at least 5 feet 4 inches; (7) not to have been convicted for any criminal cause, nor to have been discharged dishonorably from any civil or military office. The positions of officers shall be filled by examination, the appointment being made by the President of the Republic, in accordance with the classification obtained. The appointments of chiefs are made by the President. Quartermasters and paymasters shall give sufficient bonds to the State; the latter shall be elected by the officers of the respective regiments.

FOREIGN TRADE OF CUBA.

Under date of October 31, 1902, Minister Squiers, of Habana, transmits the official report of the foreign commerce of Cuba for May and June, 1902, together with a statement of the trade with the United States in June, 1902, as compared with other countries. Mr. Squiers notes that the sugar trade for the first six months of 1902, as compared with a like period of 1901, shows a falling off of 143,000 tons, but there is an increase of 318,000 tons held in storage, probably for better prices. From the statement it will be seen that the United States had 44 per cent of the import trade and 74 per cent of Cuba's export trade; that practically all Cuba's sugar and fruits found a market in the United States in June last, while of the tobacco exported in that month over 50 per cent went to the United States. In the import trade, the United States almost entirely supplied the wheat flour, corn, crude oil, coal, and meats, with the exception of jerked beef. Spain and Canada supplied large quantities of potatoes, onions, hams, and butter, says Mr. Squiers, which should come from the United States or be supplied by the home market. In live stock, the trade of the United States ought to be largely increased. The tariff provisions are favorable, and cattle men prefer American stock. The iron and steel trade with the United States is not what it might be, and there seem to be great opportunities in lumber and soap. The following table shows the total exports and imports, by semesters (six months), for the years 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1902:

The first six months of 1902, compared with the same period of 1901, show a decrease in imports of 5 per cent and in exports of 28 per cent. Compared with the same period of 1900, a decrease is shown in imports of 15 per cent and an increase in exports of 2 per

cent.

The commerce with the United States, compared with that of other countries for the first six months of 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1902, was as follows:

In the first six months of 1902, the customs receipts are greater than for the corresponding period of 1899, but are 4 per cent less

than in the first six months of 1900 and 1901. situation explains the falling off of the receipts.

The bad economic

Statement of trade, by countries, for the month of June, 1902.

* The imports from England under this head include those from Canada.

NOTE.-Cuba imported jerked and dressed beef from Argentina to the amount of $83,845, and from Uruguay $122,991; Italy sent mutton and beef products to the amount of $528.

The imports of live stock during the month of June, 1902, were:

UNITED STATES CAPITAL IN CANADA.

The people of the United States are aiding largely in the development of Canada. Within the past year, millions of dollars have been invested here in agricultural and timber lands and mining and manufacturing industries.

Mr. Louis B. Jennings, of No. 62 Wall street, New York, has recently organized the Canadian Steel and Coal Company, capitalized

at $6,000,000. His properties consist of 4,000 acres of iron ore— said to be the most remarkable deposit known-and 3,000 acres of coal lands. He has already made contracts to deliver thousands of tons of iron ore in the United States and Great Britain.

Claus A. Spreckles and W. W. Cook, of New York, have recently made application for the incorporation of the Federal Sugar Refining Company, Limited. This organization is to be affiliated with the United States company of the same name. The capital of the Canadian company is $6,000,000. Mr. Spreckles claims to have made at discovery in methods of refining which reduces the cost of producing refined sugar $5 per ton. The refinery will be located in Montreal.

Theodore P. Burgess, president and general manager of the Burgess Sulphite Pulp Company, of Berlin Falls, N. H., a few weeks ago closed a deal with the Quebec department of lands, forests, and fisheries for the purchase of 600 square miles of timber on the Upper St. Maurice River. The sale is an exceptionally good one for the Province of Quebec. Not only will the government be richer by several hundreds of thousands of dollars, but, as the purchasers intend to start lumbering immediately, it will offer work to a large number of men. The Burgess company intends to bring the pulp wood down the St. Maurice to the St. Lawrence River, opposite Three Rivers, where it has secured 2 miles of deep-water beach, and will ship to its mills in Berlin Falls over the Grand Trunk Railway.

Another large American industry has decided to evade the duty of 25 per cent on agricultural machinery and establish itself in Toronto. It will produce thrashing machines and traction engines. The new firm will be known as the American Abell Engine Thrasher Company; it has taken over the Toronto Abell Works. Behind it are two of the largest thrashing-machine manufacturers in the worldthe Advance Thrasher Company, of Battle Creek, Mich., and the Minnesota Engine and Thrasher Company, of West Minneapolis-and several wealthy men of the northwestern States. Their agents have already placed orders for 1,000,000 feet of hard-wood lumber. The new company is to have $1,000,000 of capital stock; it will employ about 400 men, and next fall will make extensive additions to the present works. The output of the company per annum will be $1,500,000. This same company will erect a large warehouse and machine shop at Winnipeg, from which point much of its business will be done. The managing director of the company says:

In a comparatively few years, western Canada will be an immense purchaser of agricultural machinery of all kinds. It will not be long before western Canada will buy more agricultural machinery than the western part of the United States. There is more arable land in Canada, west of a line drawn north and south through Winnipeg, than there is west of the Mississippi River, in the United States. This immense section will be developed rapidly, and it will grow good crops.