ROAD MOTORS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
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An Island State in which the Motor VehicleHas Revolutionized Transport During the Past Decade.
A link in the e Chevrolet buse
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC hat an area of 19,325 square miles and is about one-half the size of Ireland. Its greatest length is about 260 miles and
its greatest breadth 160 miles. Its 900,000 people live in the remarkably fertile valleys and plains that lie between' the lateral spurs of three ranges of mountains. The chief products are sugar, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, corn and hides and -skins. The first-named comprises about 70 per cent, of the total value of exports, which in 1924 amounted to $30,272,896.
The only industry of importance in the country is the manufacture of sugar, but some lumbering is carried on, whilst the varied mineral wealth still remains to be exploited. Agriculture, therefore, remains the stable occupation of the Dominicans and about 50 per cent, of the arable land is under cultivation. This land can pro
duce three crops of maize-in a year, whilst the sugar cane flourishes for
20 years without replanting.
For centuries the difficult topography of the country hampered inland trans portation. T h e mountain ranges formed an effectual barrier between north and south. Indeed, it was found quicker to travel round the island by water than spend several days on horseback negotiating very difficult country. A great change hag been effected in ten years. Instead of goods being carried between coast and interior on th backs of mules and donkeys, hundreds' of motor vehicles now work expeditiously and efficiently along good motor roads.
Before 1916 the Government's ambition was to see the country covered with a network of railways, but the development of the motor vehicle caused such a change in plans that to-day scores of good motor roads exist whilst many more are projected. At present 1,300 Idioms. of motor roads are open and the construction of a further 900 kiloms. is under consideration.
Leek of British financial interests, irregular communications with these islands, and rare visits from business representatives have militated against the development of a British motor trade with the Dominican Republic. Jamaica might well be made an advance base for the distribution of British motor products by makers who are hardy enough to consider battering at the American
monopoly in this territory. The distance by sea from Kingston to Santo
Domingo is not more than about 400 niles.
'The better-class importers expect 60 so'90 days' sight credit, while a limited number of importers prefers to pay cash on landing rather than remit cash against documents. Credit information may be obtained from the International Banking Corporation of New 'York, the Baneo Territorial Agricola de Puerto Rico, the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia, whilst a list of agents is obtainable from the Department of Overseas Trade. These generally require the price of vehicles boxed for export f.o.b., the size of crates in cubic feet and the gross and net weights. November and December are the best business months. The American dollar ts the local unit of currency and the principal circulating medium.
One estimate gives the number of commercial vehicles in the republic as 400 at the beginning of 1924. Probably the number in operation to-day is 600, the great majority of which are of American construction. Up till 1923 many of the machines imported were used in some form of public service. Today the population shows a tendency to follow the Government's lead so far as possible. This development has resulted in forcing the railways greatly to reduce 'freight rates, but despite these efforts they 'have not succeeded in retaining the volame of passenger and freight traffic they enjoyed before mechanical road-transport vehicles were introduced.
Take, for instance, the journey between Santo Domingo and Santiago, the chief town of the interior. Lorries now travel regularly over this route in four hours, where once the' journey took dais. This highway continues on to the northern port of Monte Christi. Passengers landing here take the eighthour motor trip over the Duarte Highway, and are thus enabled to reach Santo Domingo three days earlier than if they remained on the boat. The transportation of goods to gml from the ports to the interior cities is being increasingly carried out by motor lorries. This class of traffic, however, is quite small in comparison to the total amount of goods to be moved, and must increase.
The number of American lorries and buses imported into the Dominican Republic increased from18 in 1921 to 28 in 1922, 40 in 1928, and 132 in 1924. During the first 10 months of 1925 the republic took 166 American lorries. Calculating a proportionate increase for the remaining two months, the total commercial vehicle imports from the United States in 1925 would be about P198 vehicles. Drawipg a line through the increases since 1921, it is reasonable to expect
that the republic
will import, 250
commercial vehicles , during 1926. Threequarters-of the lorries imported are of a carrying capacity of one ton or less. The rule of the road is to the right and left-hand drive is preferred.
As many of the more important towns are not connected by railway, buses will be .increasingly used during the , next few years. T h e chief centres of this activity will be Santo Domingo, La Vega, Difoca, Santiago, Monte Christi, San Pedro de Macoris, Bath, Az u a, Barahona, Neiba, Seib°, La Romana, San Francisco de Macoris, Sanchez, Matanzas and Puerto Plata.
Land cultivation by tractor has ,not yet assumed important dimensions, only 19 machines being imported in 1923. As -the majority of the farmers are smallholders, development would appear to centre largely around co-operation.
Although petroleum deposits are said to exist in the country, petrol is mostly -imported from the United States, 'Curacao and Mexico.
'A stamp tax of $1 is raised on imported goods up to the value of $100; of $2 on goods imported valued between $100 and $500; of 84 on goods imported between $500 and $2000; and a further $1 on each additional $500 or fraction thereof. A tax of $4 is also collected on each liquidation of import and export duties, or of port taxes, regardless of the value of shipment. Otherwise, commercial motor vehicles are admitted free.