Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1091

 SHIPPING A^D COMMUNICATIONS — MONEY, ETC. 9G1)

For fiscal year 1911 (ending September 30) the quantities of the principal exports, and for 1910 and 1911 the value of imports., were : —

Exports.

1911 Imports.

1910

1911

Coffee lbs. . Cocoa „ Logwood ,,. Cotton ,, Orange peel ,, Hides, skins ,,

54,223,707 United States. 3,335,805 France 850,066,000 United Kingdom 5,228,541 Germany. 463,705 Other countries. 361,731

Total

5,702,065 805,924 301,770 398,848 473,139

Dollars.

5,790,203 331,849 886,517 439,732 499,816

7,681,746

7,f48,117

Other articles exported are logwood root, fustic, various timbers, resin, honey, zinc, copper (old metal), wax, and tortoise shell. Coffee and cocoa are shipped to Havre, log-Avood to the United States. The chief imports are cottons, sacks, machinery, and iron-work.

The staple article of British produce exported to Haiti and Santo Domingo consists of cotton manufactures, valued at 276,728Z, ; linens, 9,419Z. ; iron, wrought and unwrought, '60,9171. in 1911.

Total trade between Haiti and the U.K. for 5 years: Imports, 1907, 299,127/.; 1908, 193,742^.; 1909, 335,152/.; 1910, 1,183,918/.; 1911, 576,377/. Exports, 1907. 252.129/. ; 1908, 311,316/. ; 1909, 282,461/. ; 1910, 391,388/. ; 1911, 418,722/.

Shipping and Communications.

In 1911 the registered shipping consisted of about 5 steamers of 1,410 tons (net), and 8 sailing vessels of 1,392 tons. At Port-au-Prince in 1909 there entered 192 steam vessels of 320,392 tons, and cleared 200 of 334,910 tons. Several lines of steamers (German, French, and Dutch) connect the ports of Haiti with New York and Hamburg and other European ports The Hamburg- America Line has the largest share in the shipping.

A light railway has been constructed from Port-au-Prince to Lake Assuei (28 miles), and toLeogane (22 miles), but the traffic is small. Construction of a railway from Gonaives to Hincha, and thence to Port-au-Prince was begun and 14 miles executed, but not opened to traffic. A concession has been granted the " National Railroad Company of Hayti " for a railroad from Cape Haiti to Port-an-Prinee, now in construction. Total length of line, G4 miles. Port-au-Prince has 5 miles of tramway.

The principal toAsiis are connected by the Government telegraph system. A cable runs from the Mole St. Nicholas to Santiago de Cuba and from the Mole to Port-au-Prince, and also to Cape Haiti, whence it runs to Puerto Plata (Santo Domingo) and to South America.

There are 31 post offices. Haiti joined the Postal Union in 1880. Length of Telegraph lines, 124 miles.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The Banque Nationale de la Eepublique d'Haiti, established October 21, 1910, with a capital of 10,000,000 francs, undertakes to render ser- vices to the Government in respect of loans and other matters. It has its headquarters in Paris and its principal office in Port-au-Prince.

The Goiirde, or dollar, nominal value, 45. Nickel coins are 50-, 20-, 10- and 5-centime pieces, and bronze 3-, 2-, and 1 -centime pieces. The money in circulation (1912) consists of paper money, 8,289,812 gourdes;