Show CUBAS FOREIGN TRADE preliminary figures of cubas foreign commerce tor the calendar year 1904 have just reached the department of commerce and labor through its bureau of statistics As the reciprocity agreement with the united states went into effect december the figures below give some idea of the relative position of american commerce with cuba in comparison with that of the principal competing european countries as affected by the preferential tariff treatment accorded by the cuban fiscal authorities to american products the following tables are based in part upon provisional data tor the calendar year 1904 furnished by tho statistical office of the cuban treasury department part ment to minister squires of habana and are exclusive of the movement of specie A comparison of the figures of imports into cuba by countries for the two most recent years shows that while the total imports increased from in 1903 to in 1901 or per cent the share of the united states in these imports increased from to or per the imports from other nations show uniform increases their relative shares in supplying the cuban markets are in most cases leas for the year 1904 than for the preceding year owing to the substantial gain made by the united states imports during the period in question an analysis of the cuban import figures by articles discloses the fact that the gain in cuban imports from this country has been distributed in a fairly equable manner benefiting thus a largo number of american export in teresta represented in the cuban mar teet thus the imports of cotton goods show a eatn of over 87 per cent from in 1903 to in 1904 although it should bo said that even after such an increase the relative share of the united states la the total foreign supply of cottons does not exceed per cent as against 54 per cent supplied by the united kingdom and per cent by spain almost one halt of the manufactures of iron and steel per cent in 1904 as against per cent in 1903 la now being furnished by the united states the gain in 1904 of about half a million dollars being tar in excess of gabins made by other countries during flie earno period of time in boots and shoes tho share 0 the united states in the total imports has risen from per cent in 1903 to per cent in 1904 the value of ameri can shoes imported in 1904 being as against in 1903 spanish boota and shoes which as late ae 1900 supplied almost 80 per cent of the total demand for the foreign article constituted per cent of the total shoe imports in 1903 and per cent in 1904 tho change of taste and habits illustrated by thesa figures is after all the product of slow growth and no sudden changes in tho import figures could be expected the total import figures of machinery exclusive of machinery for sugar mills and distilleries show a larger relative growth than those credited to the united states notwithstanding the 20 per cent differential in favor of the america article the progress made by american machinery for use in bugar and distilleries is more satisfactory is the import figures for the year 1904 showing substantial gains over those for 1903 and tho relative share in the total imports for the year 1904 being per cent as against per cent during the preceding |