The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-14
Which Is It9

The accounts given of Patagonia by Captain
Cook, and of the land Of the Lilliputians by
that distinguished nobleman, Baron Munchau-
sen, strongly resemble the. tales which come
to us Of the wealth or worthlessness, the mias-
mas or the salubrity, of our recently purchased
or about to be purchased possessions. Any
disinterested citizen who would read both
sides Of the various reports of the condition OF
Alaska would be in great doubt whether it
was an iceberg or a rich alluvial State,
whether it was as cold as the North Pole or as
mild as Maine, whether any shrubs can grow
there or whether it boasts of timber as gigantic
as that of the Yosemite Valley. So when that
we come to purchase the island of st. Thomas,
an equal diversity Of opinion is visible. Ac-
oording to several accounts, ii is little better
than a volcano. 1t is liable to be flooded by
the sea, or burned up by the fire. 1t is un-
healthy in the extreme, is comparatively
poorly fitted for naval station, and alto
gether, is not worth having. Just as this
becomes the prevalent idea, the State Depart
ment publishes the report of Rear Admiral
David D. Porter. We will briefly sum up the
advantages as given by the Admiral:-
"There is no harbor In the United States bet
ter fitted than st. Thomas for a naval station.
Its harbor and that of San Juan, and the har-
the vessels of the largest navy in the world,
where they would be protected at all times
from bad weather and be secure against an
"If It even should be intended to make a
great naval depot in the West Indies, 81.
Thomas offers all the advantages and facilities
for making dry docks, coal stations and
arsenals, all under com plete protection"
five square miles, the surface rugged and ele-
waited, and almost devoid OF trees which hay-
ing been cut down unsparingly, have lain the
island open to the sun, and caused scarcity in
the supply OF water. The deficiency Is how
all seasons by the rains. No doubt water could
be obtained by sinking artesian wells"
"St. Thomas has hitherto been considered one
OF the safest ports OF refuge against those
dreadful hurricanes, which, however, are so
erratic in their course that one island and then
another feels the effects OF tueir fury"
"All the officers of the island, except the Gov
ernor and one or two others, are appointed by
the home Government. II may be we'll to men
tion that The inhabitants are mostly coiored
but they are extremely well educated. Nearly
all of the clerks in the stores are colored."
"On the whole, however, st. Thomas Is as
healthy as any Of the other islands. and with
proper quarantine regulations would be con-
Americans and Europeans, invalids, seek 1t in
winter; and there, or at the little Island OF
Santa Cruz, are soon restored to health"
to the arch of the West Indies. 1t commands
them all 1t is of more importance to us than
to any one else, and If Europe was at leisure,
and Its attention was not distracted by its own
complications, we would not be allowed to get
the island on any terms"
If what the Admiral says be true and not
exaggerated, which we see no reason for be-
Heving that it is, then the island of st. Thomas
is worth having. But we have equally reliable
accounts of earthquakes, volcanoes, hurri-
canes, and epidemics, which are certainly
enough to terrify the most eager purchaser.
1t is well for the people, however, to become
as well acquainted with our proposed pur-
chase as possible; we therefore give the points
of Admiral Porter's report. But, with all the
conflicting accounts, it is impossible for us to
decide whether it is an Eden or crater