Supplement to Commerce reports

\


SUPPLEMENT TO

COMMERCE REPORTS
DAILY CONSULAR AND TRADE REPORTS
ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMM1LRCE- T---
DEPARTM.ENT OF COMMERCE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Annual Series No. 35a (ctober 13, 1919

PANAMA.
By Consul General Alban G. iSnyder. Panama City.
Interrupted ste:iiiIaIlip colliijlmnieation, the high cost of impiortl
merchandise, restrictive Illea-ures on imports and exports, and otluer
causes, directly or indirectly connected with the war, all contributed
to restrict commercial developments in Panan ma during 1918.
No agricultural, mining, or similar development worthy of note
took place during the year. Panama is rich in agri'rltural pn--i-
bilities. on the proper develonelt nt of which the future permanent
prosperity of the country depends. Panaima is well located, gen-
graphically. to assume a commanding commercial importance: in
this part of the world, but to make the most of this po,-ilion many
things must be accomplished. One of the ilio-t important, in the
opinion of prominent, local merchants, is the construction of properly
designed warehouses fur the economical distribution of cargo froli
here in connection with the canal.
One event of possible importance to Panama's future pro .perity
which ha, taken place during recent months is the appointment of a
fiscal advisor to reorganize and administer Government finance,-
under certain conditions. Judging from general conlunent the bene-
ficial effects of his work have been felt already in many ways.
Suggestions to American Exporters.
Increased trade between the United States and Panama and the
retention of the trade established during the war depend to a certain
extent upon the observance of the following suggestions, according
to the leading merchants of Panama:
Good shipping facilities.
A representative :ent out to cover the field thoroughly and to ob-
tain also a knowledge of the custoins and manners of the people.
Careful packing.
Prompt execution of orders.
No substitution without the consent of the buyer.
Easy terms of credit (60 days after sight).
An intimate knowledge of the banking methods of Panama.
The business of Panama cons.sts largely of the whole-:ling and
retailing of imported merchandise.
Foreign Commerce in 1918.
The total foreign commerce of Panama, imports and exports, for
1918, according to official statistics, amounted to $10,721,217, as com-
pared with $14,847,346 for 1917, representing a considerable loss in
both exports and imports for 1918 over 1917. According to official
130448"-10-35a









SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.


statistics, exports in l.lS were valued at $2,899,557 as against
$5,624,176 for 19)17, a loss of about 50 per cent. Of these exports,
all went to the United States except about $7,000 to the Canal Zone
alid soine $1-I0JII to ithler countries.
Imlprt- in 1ils were valued at $7,821,660, as compared to
$9,223.1701 for 117T, a loss of over $1,000,000. The quantity of ex-
ports declinull also from SS,000,000 kilos in 1917 to 45,000,000 kilos
in 191s. Al n it MS3 per cent of Panama's imports in 1918 came from
the United States and about 8 per cent from England.
The for going comparisons, etc., have been based on official sta-
tistica;l ,publications, I:but if we take other sources of information as a
basi-, P'In:tiniai' showing for 1918 is better than official statistics
wou d11 seem to indicate.
Returns from United States consular offices show declared exports
from Panama to the United States to have been valued at $4,6S1,114,
which, with the exports to other countries as shown in official bulle-
tins, would give a value to Panamanian exports for 1918 of $1,734,433
as against the $'2,9.9,557 shown in official statistics. Different.
methods of computation account for the differences generally exist.-
ing between official export figures and those based on declared ex-
port returns. The main differences between official statistics and the
declared export returns are found in the items. bananas, coconuts,
and hides.
No mention is made in Government publications of flour which
was imported from Chile in 191S. However, it is said that this flour,
worth $2,336,000, was imported under special agreement with the
Government of Panama that the flour could come unmanife.sted and
duty and consular charges were to be paid only on the amount
ultimately consumed, which was valued at $700,000. The rest was
later exported to neighboring pIlaces. The fact that Panamanian
official import statistics are based almost entirely on the consular
documents, of which none were issued in this instance, probably
acc.ints, for the nmiion of thi. item from the official list.
Analysis of Foreign Trade.
Tlhe next table ,shows Panamna's foreign trade in 1918 by countries,
according to utflicial statistics, giving the quantity and \value of im-
ports and export-s:


Cr'h~n n ..... .....t t ...


'C hina i..................... 3,77., 40
('Cu a,, i l. i'. .................. 50 17

Init ,1 K ini 'drari .......... 7,'9, '.'.2
F Iran. ( ................... 19, 61J.5
NS t lhrrliar ds ............... -2l
Jamail a ................... 172,7.
J n ..................... 3'' 171
-nr av ..................... ., 37
Salvador ................... 3 1-'2
Spain ......................I 1 27
I


Value. Countries.

I 1MPO(RT'-Cont inlerd.
2 z .' Sw;t zi'rl:lind ...............
,!, ,.;i I United States.............
19.556 Total ...............
.;, 1:1 F.EXPI)n7.
23 i,.75 i
2?. Colombia. ..............
f4,11.7 I Canal Zone ...............
21i,,', United KXincdom ..........
3,' ', United Statrs............
6, T .............
39, d2H Tot il ................


Quantity. Value.


K 0os.
64,545
3:', 11.,, 40W]
45,085,659

2.500
70,100
55, 150
150,370, 12)
150,497,870


Imports by Articles.
The appended table gives the quantity and value
imported into Panama during 1918 from United
Kingdom. and all other countries:


of the articles
State.,,, United


820,977
i, 352,175
7, S21, 60

300
7,f79
15 '141)
2, b4>,238
2,899,557











PANAMA.


Articles.



A nim ils. live .........................
M eats, pres-.*r ed, er ...... ..........
Animal prodlucts, edible..............
Grains. eitc...... .......... .
Vegetables ............... .. .........
F ru its ...............................
Coiffe, te3, cor.i. hnocolate, etc ......
Sugar, and m .n rf ctures ..............
Mustard, ketchup, *atces, etc.........
V'cgetabl oIl< ... ..... ....... ......
Foodstll T-, incla' fi' ll ..............
Wines, liquors, waters, etc............
Salt .... ......... .. ........
L ea.tler, etc ..........................
lein5, gum q, etc ....................
Tobacco ................. ..... .. .... .
Lum ber ........... ..................
Mineral oils and deri ativs ...........
C em en t ...............................
Empt: sacks, briioms, etcc.............
So..p. cindlec, etc .......... ......
Perfum ery, et ........... .........
Pahint, varnishe-", etc ..............
('hemic.il.- nd drug ...................
Cigars, ci't-retts. ...... ..........
Shoes, etc ............. ... ..........
Textiles and manufactures............
Rubber m :iu ieJlurs r ................
Wood in mufact ur .furniture........
Paper jnd m nultet tures............
Porcel. in. .las'.s, etc.................
Steel and m inufajctres ...............
Electrical good. ...................
Machinery and toos .................
Vehicle, et ......................
Musical in trulmrn .................
Arms and ammunition ................
Allother art les .....................

Total..........................


I Uuited Slates. I


Kilos.


1. ,4 .
3 i1 ;,9I

1. lI, 51- 3
1', -., G )

l'J-, 4-12

72n. 02

21 'I ,l1
711, 4' 4"
:ci.l,J :'
\, '-., P4
3,911
13V. '32
1. :21
3, 4";', 1 ";

1, P' 'll.
280,542

,110. '7
21 1i

1i2 1. I
102. h -'',
7114, Ill

62.122
4411, 2 ",I
u-i, ei

485,671
271.772
41,, 765
17,121
3,. 141,
717,.24


Value.


9. i'"l I
11t.11ll

l '. I.
-I
41, Ith

24. i21


.). h.14
74 I, l
Sil,).9-I
12. 1.'i
4l11. .l;
51.,. 1129

431, 577
t'i. 'iil
5'9, 134


23,, i.: r


3222, 471
114,980
104,115
222,471
77,296
371. 714
3111. I '.

*2., 4'",t
21.397
28. 41,2
617,14,
. 6,331,175


United Kiin :l..m All other countries.


Kilos.




1'..
. 1



3, 600
S".'M.'
"<,24'.
:1-'
204


56
....... i
513
330,018
8,536
711 n.'21
2,, )1 ,
67
154,947
549
10
6,012
22,088
42,368
....
7,638
190


31,142

..........


Value.



; i.i
pi

2-1

4


1,700

1.1 4'.

2"T "
204
..........


7

931i
51,211
11,410

37,297
7,929
135
440,758
2,087
97
7,227
22,021
I1, 751)
.... .
3,908
262

..........
22,778

666,913


Kilos. V.il,


1 .. .1 ', -.", ',','

4 -. 1. '.1

IH' I .' '.2 .; ,

11 2"1 .
25 251 I .1,.5..
7,517 ,I..-.'
'.,024 1 11,42(
55,8)5 8,165
4,. "' 12,814

8,082 6,411;

3, 345 2 2,690
390 235
4 '.*-4 891


47 v"')l'


6,432




.......i...
11 'qW


13,989
4- f621
.11.
509
358
2,324
416
238
176,607


22,928
91)
7, 26
".';. 779
10,795
9,134
183,019
6, "54
20,732
19,452
1,795
102
431
1,545
222
110
58,605

803,572


Declared Exports to United States.

Invoices for exports to the United States certified at the Anwllrican
consulates and consular agencies in Panama were as follows for
1917 and 1918:


Balata, rubber, ee ......................... pounds..
Bananas .................................. ..huiche-.
Beins ........................................pound1s..
Carao....... ......... ................ do...
Coconu s .................................... .num I er.
Coins,siler ........................................
Copra .................. ................. poulnds..
Peerskis .................................... do....
Gold dust ............. .................. ounces.
Hides .. ................. ................ poun's.
Ipec.e ............................... ...... ..... lo..
M1 ang' iese .......... ......................... .. toni .
Metals, rl ................. ... .......... pounds.
Mother-of-pe'irl shell ..........................do....
Natie wood .................................... tons .
Panama hats .............. .............. ..nu nler..
'earls...........................................do......
IPrecious o s1o:Ie. .................. ........ 3'rats..
TaRll ........................................ ound;..
I'alluo .........................................do...
Turt Ile hell ........ .........................do...
All other articles...................................... .

Total................................ .....
.


1.226,104
4,1';, 5,17
. t ,'+. t
10,.. ...)
...........
169,481
91,690
312
1.429.692
1., -57'
4. 12
3 n.'j i,
39 .23,1
2, 1 .i1

...........

7,616, 81
394'..'35
9, 13'1


$;731. 326
2, 167, 442

72, 630
707,637
400,000
10,724
26,371
6,108
332.512
22. 542
21r, 753
5 i. q6:1
2 .5-1.3

.1, C181


2112.4.1
4.,. 107
26, 5,'>
76,8S8


685. 131
4, P1,, 540
14:, 570
585,992
19,758,949

130,766
2 ,956

1, 421, 108
9,150
5,171
92, 139"
1,2)1,419
A..040



5,249, 61i
12.,017
9.... ......


- *I ~-- -- i~


.. .......... 5,393,966


Q29,4,5
2, 7. 663
801
1.2,095
< 7', 103
74,817
11,069
15,079

:'tn, 212
22. 521
'7,9. i2
40,577

11., '11
5,002
12,717


22,377
37, .M.
9, 161


............ 4,6' 1,114


I


i


........... I




4,



4 SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.

COLON.
By Consul Julius D. Dreher.
The stati-ti s publi-]ld Iby the Republic of Panama do not show
the conditions of bi sie.iu*- in Colon during 191. as -conipared with
1917. Both the re-tri'tionii on exports and the delay in getting goods
from the Ulniit-d States operated to the disadvantage of mercantile
business. Th -r. wa- a decrease in the quantity and value of goods
sold last 'yer. A decrease in building operations affected the trade
in hardware ;ivad ot her building materials.
Building Operations.
There was comparatively little building done in Colon in 1918,
owing in large part to the high cost of erecting houses. A few small
biu-intc-s strlictlures and dwelling houses were built. The largest
ailartniitnt and lodging house in the city and the municipal abattoir,
begun in 1917. were completed in 1918. In 1917, a large plot of laud
was filled in along Folks River, an arm of the sea, in the eastern part
of Colon, and hlou -:se. constructed to accommodate 101 families of em-
plo](yes of thli Panaima Canal and Railroad. An area of 5S acres is
now being tilled adjoining the former for the 1pul )ose of providing
building sites for houses to be occupied by employees who are residing
at present in Cristobal, Canal Zone, adjoining tlie city of Colon. The
object of erecting so many new dwellings is to provide residences for
the employees and their familie- .till living in Cristobal, the policy
of the Canal Zon() authorities being the removal of all. or almost all,
faz ilie.s from (Cri tolal to the newly improved section of Colon,
which is called New C'ri.tobal.
In Cr'itohal the new pier. No. 6, which_ is 1,310 feet long and 201
feet. wide. is nearly completed. It is Iuilt in the must substantial
manner of reinforced concrete and steel, the cost being about
$2.000,000, which is $500,000 more than the original estimate, made
when Ibuilding materials were not -o expensive. Thi- i.- the fourth of
the Ilar'g cnrrete piers constructed to ancommiodate shipping at
Critohal.
A hall 4Ju feet wide by 80 feet long is being built adjoining the
Army and Navy clubhouse in Cris-toaln to be ue'od by the Y. MI. C. A.
for ipubliv meetings, religious services. and motion pictures.
Agricultural Development.
There was little done in the way of agricultural development in
this rcmnsihiur district last year. The principal agricultural under-
takings in the Republic of Panam are te operations of the United
Fruit (C. in tlhe Province of Bocas del Tonr. Owing to the con-
tin edI enllr' anchliment (if the banana a-plant disease the ari'eage planted
in hananas lecreus.ed from 27.6000 acres a year ago to 25,s00 at this
tiime': tlie at(rec',ge in cacao has been increased from 7.000 to 8,500
acres within the year, the number of plant. or small trees being con-
siderably uXl mire than 3.l.0( 00; and the acreage in coconuts has been
increai-e'-1 from 9i12 acies with 45,600) trees, to 1.015 acres with about
50,000 tree-. Owing to the death of so many young trees the acreage
in co.(nuits is not being further extended, the work at present being
confined to replanting in tlie land already under cultivation. At
Cocoplum Point, about 100 miles west of Colon, the American-owned


. -i








PANAMIA-COLON.


Bocas del Toro estate has about 100.000 c'cinuit tree.i, of which ,nly
a small lproportion has as yet come into bearing. Aboult l -'j miles
east of Colon another coconut Jplantaition co(1111,ny has 'I:1.111) trees
now coming into bearing. ThiH, company is 'Iniilpn-il. chiefly of
Amnericain citizeni- resident in Colon.
The Rio Indic Co., friiined in Maiy, 191' h,1 not yet I.eliun to
develop its tract of 1'20,000 acres lying on (ti. Indio Rive\r, -,i,. :30
miles east of Colon. Of the cfipital .-(<,k of thi-. <,iii ipaiy, .8:11.000
resident Americans lioIll 6;> per cent. Vtgi l',hble ivory (tia;"11: nuts)
is produced on the l:.ind.
Mining and Manufacturing.
Owing to a lack of good ore and the present low price of
manganese the mine at Ma lninga. is not 1ieing. op .cnted. The A meri-
can syndilente thalt owns tihe mine ha.s a conceS-iin t)or dievi l1)ing a
large deposit of valuable iiianganesec ole. 12 to 15 miles from Porto
Bello, but at. the present low price of such ore it would not pay to
provide transportation from the deposit to Porto Illo, -21 nliles
east of Colon.
The American oil company that hais made extensive survey- in
various parts of Panamn is now boring well- for oil in the Province,
of Bocas del Toro in this consular district, where the indications
for finding oil in paying quantities are regarded n~ very favorable.
A geological survey for oil is being inlade in tlie intce-it of another
company also.
Colon has gas and electric plants, find ice i. mniliiifactlhired for
local consumption. Milttresises and cig.ris are nii;iui ifactui.red in
limited quantities to supply in part tll local drlimand for these
articles. There are now two soap factories in opei'-tion in Colon,
both miikin-, lalndrtv .oap. the output of one heing al.noit 1001.00
pounds, and of tile other i;8,000 pounds a month. It w\; at first
proposed to make at the hai'ger plant coconut and other pl:lhn
oils, but for the present only 'liun ;dry SolpJ is being l iiai ufactiired.
[See COMMERCE REPORTS for' Allug. 22, 1918.]
Work has been IbeJgun on a biscuit and candy factory, the capital
stock of which, $.0),l.0), has been fully sulnbribed almost wholly by
Chinese in Colon. It is expected that the factory will be in ol 'rii-
tion in the fall of 1919. A hionded warehouse has -recv.ntly been
established in Colon iby an American ribiler i'co npany and is the
first of its kind to be opened in the city. [See C3MMIPIIIE.' REPOI'TS
for June 18, 1919.]
Import Trade by Ports.
A- the Governimenjt of Panlila. does not publish -1;tit:tics to show
the imports by article into the three port (of tlle PRCiuldlic, the only
method of making comlpariuion., is by giving the total value of im-
port. into each of these ports froil year to yoar. Of the total
value of imports into the Republic of Painaaii in 1119., which was
$7.1921.G60, the aliloullt rectiv\d at. Panamla wa\-, worth $1.405,078;
at Colon, $2.926,63.; and at Bocas del Toro, $1sii.9.17. In 1917 the
total imports amounted to $9.-223,170, of whlicll the imports at
Panama were valued at $5.397.008: at Colon, $3,0'(;,712; and at
Bocas del Toro. $728.850. It appears that there was a decrease in
imports into Colon of $170,077, a loss of 5.4 jper cent, and at Bocas









SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.


del Toro a decrease of $238,903, a loss of 32.7 per cent. A consider-
able number of the lemplloyees of The Panama Canal and Railroad
and their families lwho reside in Colon obtain supplies of all sorts
from the conulliis-arv m-t'ore in Cristobal. The amount of goods thus
consumed i.- not includedlt in the imports into Colon.
Import Trade by Countries.
The foll \w inji table shows the value of the imports into Colon
for 1917 andl I'.11s, by countries:

Coliullf ri.. 1917 19l Count ries. 1917 1918

1rnited i t .... ......... $2,24.3,.5j6 $2, 3 3, 37 i Chile ........................ $2-1, 73 ..........
lirnit rl Kin ..I ijj an I Bltiih Jiapan....................... 25, 607 $24,465
\\'~ .- llli ................ 511. 151 367, 2 C'hin ......... .............. 2.3,1 27 33,465
F i .............. ......... 31,715 2 ,.122 \ ultbu er J nriPs .......... 12,510 17,002
' r ,'r................. ... 24,.410 7,307
C(, l i: a.................... 2U,0V 3 53, t.3 Tot l................... i,09t,712 2,926 ,35

The foregoing table shows that the imports into Colon from the
lTnited States increased from $2,243,S56 in 1017 to $2,393,237 in
19n1, a gain of $14-0,31, or 6.2 per cent. At Bocas del Toro imports
from 01United StatVe decreased from $0692,167 inl 1!117 to $460,920 in
1018, a loss of $231.217, or 31.9 per cent. It will be observed that
the only other countries besides the United States which show an
increase in imports into Colon are Colombia and Chinma.
In sp)ite of the decreased implortation of American flour, there was
an increase in the value of import,, from the United States. Ameri-
can flour worth $31pS,384 was illmported into the Republic of Panama
in 1917, and worth $104,'24 in 1918. Flour liad to be imported into
Panama from Chile in 1918 to the amount of about 6,000,000 pounds
worth approximately $O;.00,000.
Exports to the United States.
The declared values of export- to the United States as invoiced
at the consulate at Colon and at the consular agency at Bocas del
Toro for 1917 and 191S are shown in the following table:


Artick.'s.


FROM COLON.
Cacao........................................ pounds..
Coffee............................................do....
Cotton seed.................................... do....
Drums, em ri v, gas, etc........................... No..
Dyewood, fustic................................. trn-..
Hides........................................ poins..
Ipecac root....................................... d....
Ivory, vegetable (tagua nuts)..................d ... ....
Manganese ore................................... I s..
Metals, old:
Brass............................ ............ .do ....
Copper....................... ........ ....... ....
Iron ......................................... do....
Lead....................................... d....
Nuts:
Coconuts..................................... No..
Copra...................................... potunds..
Paper stock, old rope ............................ d.-....
Rubber....- ................................. .... ..
Rubber, scrap................................... do....
Rubber, balata, crude ........................... do..
Silver coin (pesos)................... .......... No.


1917 1918

Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value.


31,812 $2, r,4 10,681 41,279
:5,110 531 5,051 505
2 5 02 .......................
35 140 ........ ... .............
............ ............ 52 1,213
190, kl 52,473 32', 932 74 263
if.6 1,1 .0 2,S94 6,483
5,OS-,,, 41 123, 20S 3,7:3,337 93,08
4,125 210,750 5,171 187,902
21 7,13k 171 5,273
9; 2,.55.5 1 4,033
21--. 291. ..... ..... ............
I 1 1,57, 9a 1,213
19,528,8 43 706T,692 19,7.5S,949 878,103
49,102 2,719 73,875 6,184
21,274 b18 9,711 441
9,437 2,813 ........................
8,010 517 5,548 180
525,726 233,015 222,725 103,262
600,000 400,000 39,922 18,532









PANA MA-COLON. 7


1I9 7 I:rlis
A rtics. i- -
Quantity. v :.ll q ti l ii,. Value.

TROM COLON.
Tallow .................................... ... pouinrlk.. 62,419 St., I 15,74:3 1. 038
Tur! le shell ......... ......................... u.... 7,751 .'2, 1 1 ; 83>, 1 ,77
Wood:
Cedjr log; ...................................... It. .' 4,871 ........... ............
Comobolo.. ................... ......... t. n s.. I....; 4,400 ............ .......
All other a s .............. ........ ............. ...... ..... 1, 7 6
Toil.l ........................ ........... ...... ..... 1,792,.......92........ 1,422,135
rIROM rP.i.'-. T .L TnRA.
3Bainana ..................................... 1Ji hes.. 4,843,512 2,467,442 4,1V., '.1n 2,297,'.'3
Cac';l n. ................................ ..... .. ]'.l.rli:.. 600,051 9, 14. 'o.'., ,'.'1, ,ll
Coconut .......................................... No. 26,610 : ..... .............
Coconut shells ............. ...... ...... l.punds .. ............ .. ...... .. 22" 230
Copper, scrap .................................... n1..... ;. 711 ., ; .'. '' 205
HI-id, q ............................ ...... .... .. ] 0. .. 1.1.11 1,, i 1 ,' 3,171
I ou eholi elect- ................. ..... ...... .. .. 4 698
Rubber. ..... ................................ I..ilrb.. 1,446 ..' .2L 136
Rubber, Ijjlal.i, crude .......................... do... 129,528 54,727 126,716 55,753
Turtle shhll ....... ............. .............. do 1,379 4,385 1. ', ,r.-
Wood. bal. .................. ................. t. 1.3, 11 147 j., 4 2,72
All other atir hlcs ... .................... ............. ... ... 3 ........... 54
Total....... .................................... 2,602,197 ..... ....2,423,680
G( randt tilal ........ ..................... ........... ... ......... 4,. ........... :I, 2 ,

No invoices we.e c(ertifiel to Porto Ri-o, Hawaii, or the Philip-
pines, either at (Colon or Incas del Toro.
At (Colon retlllrnell Amlrliciil good-s amounted to $19,722 in 1918,
and 1$37,03., in 19 17. No returned Amler-ican g,'Iod, were certified at
Bocas del Toro in 191..
It appears frill thl tfortt'oinig table that there Nvwas a decrea..-e of
$370.246 iln decl:ired ex(polrts to the United States frnn Colon in
1918, as coi)pa.reld viihl thle year 1917; but if the exports of Pana-
maniain -,ilver ,nin. $l III,t.90 in 1917 and $18,532 in 1918, be de-
ducted, it will hIe c(ll t at there was a .-iinall incrleal- in the exports
of native product-, to the United States in 1918. There was a de-
crease of $178.il17 in declared exports frmi Boea' del Toro to the
United Staiei- in 191S, cliielly in banana exports, caused by a strike
and the lack of shipping- facilities. The value of the declared ex-
ports from thi- consular di-trict in 1918 was 82 per cent of the total
value of declaredd exports from the Republic of Puna ian to the
United States. $1,iS1.114.
About one-third of the coconuts exported from Colon in 1918 were
brought here from San Andres for shipment to the United States
on account. of the lack of direct shipping from that Colombian ilamd
to American plrts.
As in former years bananas continue to be the mio.t important
article of export from this constullar district and from the PIpubl, ic
of Panama. The value of the balannas exported from the Proviine
of Bocas del Toro thiroih the port of the same name in 1918 was
49 per cent of tlhe total value of all exports fromlii Pan:tiin in that
year. A part of this large banana crop is gro'\\n on land claimed
by both Palnalma and Costa Rica.
American Interest in Panama's Trade-Postage Rates.
The commercial correspondence of this office wa> not so large in
1918 as in the years immediately preceding; but there has been an




UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

lAlAllIIIIIllillliII1I
3 1262 08485 2358
8 SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.

increase in cornmiercial inquiries from the United States since the
signing of the i nii-tice aind particularly since the beginning of
1919. IThe 'usitoiis appraiser of merchandise arriving at Colon has
informed thi. .con-'llliatc that tlerei lis been a considerable increase of
imports froill tie Inllit'il States the first five months of 1919.
As many letters c(.intinuie to come to this office with overpaid post-
age, it may not be aii.ss to state again that dornestic postage rates
in the United States apply to the 'anal Zone and the Republic of
Panalnu (Corripdeince and catalogues for Colon should pref-
erably be in Englihli, which is the language in general use in business
chlcle&.


'AWSHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I: 1914