Comercial Relations Between USA and Cuba in Times of Peace and War,1803-1807

Abstract

Commercial regulations of the Hispanic monarchy gave great importance to the relations between the metropolis and its colonies. In times of war, Spain was not able to supply her colonies by its own means. Her incapacity of maintaining the imperial communications forced Spanish government to open ports to the neutrals. When the war against Great Britain start in December of 1804 the Anglo-Americans didn't waste the opportunity and start to trade as neutrals according to a royal order dictated by the king. Thanks to the handwritten Balances of the port of Havana from 1803 to 1807 we can reconstruct Cuban commerce at the beginning of the XIXth Century and compare the volume of merchandises exported and imported from Havana in times of peace and war. This source also shows the importance of the North-Americans as intermediary and re-exporter. Trade links were intensifying in war times. Anglo-American trade with Cuba have been multiplied almost three times. Anglo-Americans followed the routes and guidelines that the British and the French had been practicing for years, but with different interests in commercial relations with CubaCaribbean, Spanish Empire, America, Commerce, Neutrals, Import/Export, Havana, Agriculture, Colonies.