The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-11-23
Denim

The Globe contradcs the report that all the Danish West
India Islands be disposed of and that the Island
of ST. Thomas only to be sold to the United States and for
which the to be paid Denmark is eight millions in gold
The Danish possessions consist of three small islands St.
Thomas ST. john and ST. Croix or Santa Cruz These islands
belong to the Virgin group and east OF Porto Rico They
very small and unimporan Santa Cruz being the
largest and ST. John the smallest of the three The entire
area of these islands only square miles, and the popu
ation about 81 O00 There but little variation in the
population from year year, that of Santa Cruz being about
260OO and ST. Thomas 5000 souls. The population Of ST.
John merely nominal and it enjoys importance
respect whatever In the Island of ST. Thomas the popua
ton is confined almost exclusively to the town. but $500
of land being under cultivation and that confined to
raising vegetables grasses and little cotton The want of
abores the chief obstacle to the agricultural interests of
the island the aboring population being principally
ployed in the harbor and porers During great Re-
beon st. Thomas enjoyed ephemera importance from
being the of rebel cruisers and to this port the
English mail steamer Trent bound when the emissares
Mason and Slde taken from board by command of
Captain Wilkes of the San Jacito In the of 1872 it
sometimes reorted by American prvaeers and Eng
sh menofwar notable instance oths is the of the
English ship Habeo, which met and fought by the
famous prvaeer Comet, Captain Boyle of Baltimore, both
vessels being much injured to be compelled to put in
for repairs the Comet into Porto Rco and the Hbnlo into
st. Thomas.
In commercial Importance ST. Thomas takes the lead but
is excelled by Santa Cruz agricultural products though all
the islands enjoy unimpeachabe freedom from enterprise
thrift In 1859 the English imported from these islands
products to the value of Gl28 and exported thereto
uacured articles to the value of 252 During the
year the imports from other countries valued at G6
55 These figures show the value of goods bought by the
Danish subjects in the West Indies the increase from year
year being few thousand pounds having reached in 1863
9710,576 from the United Kingdom and e73 6S3 from all
other countries In the value of products annually taken
the islands by British there greater variation
these having fallen off in 1860 to e6699 in the year
reached the surprising of 1919 204 but in 1862 they
again fell off to e75398, and in 1868 reached G16O352 The
imports principally manufactured cotton piece goods
linens and wearing apparel silks wooen hardware iron
and Goals The principal exports straw hats and pearls
Some years the expectation of cochnea indigo Peruvian
bark and oil of urpentne is very heavy In 1852 the
cotton exported valued at e44,465 This ceased alto
geher in 1862 and did notrevve until 1862 when it reached
913192 Some or indeed all, Of this may have been OBJ
tanned from rebel The port of St. Thomas open
to the commerce all nations and is depot of goods for
the adjacent islands, but the statistics of its trade have little
interest or importance In 1868 the amount of tunnage
989 tns an excess the previous year of 1928 uns
The increase British unnage in 1862 63 and "a was
owing to the war; American ships obtaining British registers
to save them from capture by rebel prvaeer and the esta
shment of a semmonthy line of steamships from Liver
pool to the West Indies the Spanish Main and the Pacific
for which this is of call The number of of vessels from
abroad visiting the harbor annually is about 600 There Is
considerable trade between this country and ST. Thomas
especially in breadstus and provisions The value OF man
utacured and other goods imported from Great Britain In
1868 was over "a 100000.