ARECIBO.

Statement showing the imports at Arecibo, P. R., for the year ending September 30, 1882.

Statement showing the exports from Arecibo, P. R., for the year ending September 30, 1882.

Statement showing the navigation at the port of Arecibo, P. R., for the year ending Septem

ber 30, 1882.

Statement showing the navigation at the port of Arecibo, P. R., &c.—Continued.

Statement showing the imports and exports between Arecibo, P. R., and the United States for the year ending September 30, 1882.

HAYTI.

Report by Consul-General Langston on the commerce of Hayti for the year 1883.

SOIL AND CLIMATE.

To a climate, genial and friendly to the inhabitants beyond the general belief; to a soil whose spontaneous productiveness is only equaled by its richness; to a confluence of circumstances which has brought into the country a large amount of foreign capital, with foreign brains, purpose, and hands to operate it; and to the election, occasionally, of a man to the Presidency, who, in the cultivation of genuine patriotism, intelligent effort, and manly purpose, as in the case of Geffrard years ago, and Salomon at present, advances the welfare, material and moral, of the country, are to be attributed the present tolerable condition only of the industry and trade of Hayti. With coffee, sugar, and cotton so prolific, cultivated with the least possible labor, in the rudest manner; with logwood, mahogany, and fustic growing in the past, if not now, without culture, in the largest quantities; with sheep, cattle, hogs, horses, bourriques found in sufficient numbers for every use without special attention; with all the fruits and vegetables peculiar to such a tropical country proffered, as it were, from the hand of Nature herself (among the products named there being some of the most desirable and valuable), it is not difficult for me to understand that with the revolutionary condition mentioned, existing from the very foundation of the Government, the country might be found in what may be characterized as a tolerable, though declining, state as to its agriculture and general industry.

HAYTIAN AGRICULTURE.

Depending upon its agriculture for its wealth and progress in every essential industrial development, the efforts of the present administration, whether they concern the improved growth and cultivation of coffee, sugar-cane, cotton, or other valuable product of the island, cannot be regarded with indifference by the citizens whose interests are advanced thereby, nor the resident foreign merchants of the country whose business relations thereto and to the Government are largely also improved and conserved thereby. Hence these two classes would naturally unite in common applause of such efforts, and are equally hopeful and desirous of their success. And herein is to be found very much of the real sympathy which President Salomon is receiving in his endeav ors to subdue the present revolutionary movement which hinders so utterly the general good and advancement of the country.

TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES.

Such views, correct as stated generally, find at once illustration and confirmation, as regards trade with the United States and the most prominent port of Hayti, in the fact connected with the importations therefrom at the port of Port-au-Prince, that while the value of such importations for the year 1881-82 amount to $3,020,626.11, those of 1882-83 amount only to $1,972,379.68, making a difference of $1,048,246.43 as matter of decline, a little more than one-third of the total amount.

So, too, as regards the exportations of logwood from the ports of Hayti to Havre, like confirmation is gathered. If one take, for instance, the shipments thereof for the years, 1880 and 1883, including the twelve months of each year, he will find that the amount of such wood shipped for the first year was 63,477,000 pounds, while for the second it was 49,133,000 pounds, showing a difference of decline of 14,344,000 pounds as to such shipments.

It cannot be otherwise. Revolutions have been, are to-day, and always will be the bane and ruin of this country, whose rude methods of agriculture and unsatisfactory habits of ordinary industry, undisturbed, would yield valuable results through the generous conditions of the climate and the soil, making it possible for the industrious classes to create and maintain an internal and foreign trade really profitable.

But with peace established, justice and order duly maintained, and reasonable improvement made in agricultural methods and industrial habits generally, Hayti would yield a fabulous wealth in products which, by reason of their tropical character, would find constant demand in American and European markets. Her exports, as at present described, would then appear to be, in comparison, entirely insignificant.

Adverting only in passing to the plans and projects of special rewards promised by the Government during the previous year to any who may add to the number of coffee trees, the increased cultivation of cotton, cacao, sugar-cane, and tobacco, heretofore dwelt upon in former annual reports, it may be stated that some interest had been discovered in that regard when the revolution broke out, and calling the laborers away from the plantations to military duty stopped, at least temporarily, any efforts that were being made in that respect.

But really no great or permanent results can be expected as the fruits of such system of rewards in any event. It is only as the owner of the lands of the country and his lessees or laborers discover that new methods of agriculture and increased production of any one or all of the articles named is profitable, that the Government may hope for improvement, real and profitable, in its industry. In this regard, too, the owner of the land and the laborer must have and maintain a common interest. Their mutual improved condition, apparent and possible, must be identical. Thus real advancement would be made and the general welfare wisely supported.

HAYTIAN EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.

As regards the exports of Hayti for the year ending June 30, 1883, from nine open ports, they have consisted, as formerly, of coffee, log. wood, cotton, sugar, cacao, hides, and goat-skins, mainly, the real products of the country; and in their value, as invoiced, amount to $7,344,172.96.

There has been, since our last annual report, a decrease of exports, as shown in the difference of the value thereof for the past year and that of 1881-82 of $231,585.99.

The imports of Hayti come mainly from the United States, England, France, and Germany, as the exports therefrom find their destination chiefly in such countries.

AMERICAN PRODUCTS IN HAYTI.

Miscellaneous.-The imports from the United States have consisted, for the most part, of provisions, such as pork, beef, hams, flour, sugar, rice, codfish, herrings, mackerel, butter, lard, cheese, canned meats, and

fruits, and soap, drugs and medicines, paints, hardware, agricultural implements, hoes, shovels, spades, axes, furniture and lumber, shoes and carriages.

Cotton goods. For many years past, too, denims have been imported and used in Hayti. In fact they have constituted for some time the chief article of that special manufacture held in greatest demand in this country, and it is now conceded that they do and will continue hereafter to hold the mastery in the Haytian market. They will also prove, as many of the most intelligent merchants of the country predict, the forerunners of the early and general introduction of American cotton goods not only into Hayti, but into the West India Islands. And this result will be produced upon the real merits of the goods referred to, in spite of efforts made by competing manufacturers in other countries, even where more convenient terms of credit are given merchants, and special endeavor is made to accommodate what is falsely supposed to be the circumstances of the Haytian customer, with a cheap, inferior article.

Steadily, for the past year, has the attention of merchants here been directed to the advantage of buying cotton goods in the United States, where, as stated, the principal provisions for the country are purchased, and as steadily have the opinion and judgment of such merchants inclined toward a decision favorable to American trade.

Denims have not only held their own, but improved on the market, as their purchase and sale have shown. As illustrating this statement, the following single fact is submitted: One of the first merchants of Port-au-Prince stated not long since that a few weeks before he had ordered a thousand pieces of denims from New York, supposing that they would last him at least for several weeks; but, on their arrival, he immediately passed them through the custom-house, took them to his store and opened them, and by the next day at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the whole lot had been sold at remunerative prices. This is not an isolated case. American denims, as compared with all others, are at a premium in the markets of this country. Imitated false trade-marks do not deceive in this matter either, for the texture and quality of the goods constitute a guarantee appreciated by the buyer. It is not strange, therefore, that the Haytian mountaineer, in describing his desire for such article, with other words failing him, calls it the cloth in which the Haytian is not cheated.

The improving importation of other American cotton goods is demonstrated, first, in the increased number of wholesale houses giving their attention thereto; secondly, in the increased importations thereof made by certain houses of the class named, heretofore dealing somewhat in such goods. No special comment need be made further here as to the conduct of the first class of houses mentioned. The facts, however, as to the importations of the second show that, in addition to denims, white and printed duck, prints, printed drills, printed corded goods, and sheeting (called calico here), have been imported during the year in large quantities, all things considered, and have been received in such manner as to give ample proof of their appreciation and their prospective growing demand.

One of the prominent houses of this city reports the amount and character of its importation of such goods as follows: