Since the inauguration of the service more business has been offered than can be handled during certain months of the year, and it has been found necessary to refuse large quantities of cargo destined for the Republic of Cuba. The advantage of this service to the Cuban fruit and vegetable growers has been very great, since they are enabled to load in the Cuban fields freight cars belonging to almost every line in the United States, so that this produce may be shipped direct, without breaking bulk, to any market in the United States. In the year 1870 the Pinillos Izquierdo Line of steamers was established between Spain and the Island of Cuba. The home office of this line is in Cadiz, Spain. Their vessels are engaged in freight and passenger service touching at the following points in the Peninsula: Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Cadiz, Vigo, Gijon and Santander. En route the Canary Island and Porto Rico are also visited while the terminal points on this side of the Atlantic are New Orleans, Galveston, Havana and Santiago de Cuba. All of their steamers carry mail. Their fleet consists of nine steamers with a combined tonnage of 78,000 tons as follows: Infanta Isabel 16,500 tons 2000 passengers Cadiz 10,500 tons 1500 passengers Barcelona 10,500 tons 1500 passengers Valbanera 10,500 tons 1500 passengers Catalina 8,000 tons 1000 passengers Martin Sáena 5,500 tons 800 passengers Balmes 6,500 tons 800 passengers Conde Wifredo 5,500 tons 800 passengers Miguel M. Pinillos 4,500 tons 500 passengers ------ 78,000 tons The Southern Pacific, originally known as the Morgan line, established a transportation service between Gulf ports and the Island of Cuba many years ago, beginning with two side-wheel walking-beam steamboats of about 800 tons dead weight. They were heavy consumers of coal and had a speed of from 9-1/2 to 11 knots. A few years later the steamers _Hutchinson_ and _Arkansas_, both side wheelers, were added to the fleet. Still later the single propeller steamers _Excelsior_ and _Chalmette_, of about 2,400 tons each, were placed in the service of the Southern Pacific Line. These combined freight and passenger boats were well built and seaworthy fourteen knot steamers, of an equipment considered modern at that time. The _Louisiana_ entered the service in 1900, but owing to an error in loading freight, it turned turtle at the docks in New Orleans and became a total loss. The _Excelsior_ and _Chalmette_ are still maintaining an efficient weekly service between New Orleans and Havana.