While Santiago was the capital of the island, from 1522 to 1552, trade between Spain and the island could be carried on only through that port.  When Havana became the capital, in 1552, the exclusive privilege of trade was transferred to that city.  With the exception of the years 1762 and 1763, when the British occupied Havana and declared it open to all trade, the commerce of the island could only be done through Havana with Seville, until 1717, and afterward with Cadiz.  Baracoa, or Santiago, or Trinidad, or any other Cuban city, could not send goods to Santander, or Malaga, or Barcelona, or any other Spanish market, or receive goods directly from them.  The law prohibited trade between Cuba and all other countries, and limited all trade between the island and the mother-country to the port of Havana, at one end, and to Seville or Cadiz, according to the time of the control of those ports, at the other end.  Even intercolonial commerce was prohibited.  At times, and for brief periods, the system was modified to the extent of special trade licences, and, occasionally, by international treaties.  But the general system of trade restriction was maintained throughout all of Spain’s colonial experience.  Between 1778 and 1803, most of Cuba’s ports were opened to trade with Spain.  The European wars of the early years of the 19th Century led to modification of the trade laws, but in 1809 foreign commerce with Spanish American ports was again prohibited.  A few years later, Spain had lost nearly all its American colonies.  A new plan was adopted in 1818.  Under that, Spain sought to hold the trade of Cuba and Porto Rico by tariffs so highly favorable to merchandise from the mother-country as to be effectively prohibitive with regard to many products from other countries.  This, in general outline, is the cause of Cuba’s slow progress until the 19th Century, and the explanation of its failure to make more rapid progress during that century.

Naturally, under such conditions, bribery of officials and smuggling became active and lucrative enterprises.  It may be said, in strict confidence between writer and reader, that Americans were frequently the parties of the other part in these transactions.  In search through a considerable number of American histories, I have been unable to find definite references to trade with Cuba, yet there seems to be abundant reason for belief that such trade was carried on.  There are many references to trade with the West Indies as far back as 1640 and even a year or two earlier, but allusions to trade with Cuba do not appear, doubtless for the reason that it was contraband, a violation of both Spanish and British laws.  There was evidently some relaxation toward the close of the 18th Century.  There are no records of the commerce of the American colonies, and only fragmentary records between 1776 and 1789.  The more elaborate records of 1789 and following years show shipments of fish, whale oil, spermaceti candles, lumber, staves and heading, and