The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-02-22
The Danish West Indies.


lZth, liyZ, nearly every european power hau OBJ
tanned n foOthold in the tropics Spain, which
wac the great colonizing power in the epoch fol-
lowing upon the discovery of the Western Cont
nent, now in possession OF no territory IN the
west except Cuba and Porto Rico, for many years
lad an all controlling influence from Florida
through the West Indies, and along the Spanish
Main to Patagonia. That influence has now de-
parted; but tile struggles which ensued upon the
attempts Of other powers to wrest these fair pos
sessions from the most christian monarchs, will
always have a deep interest for all who are attract
ell by tales OF the pathetic, the marvellous, the
daring and the cruel. These Islands, bound to
the past by the golden chains of history and of
romance, Will always blend an interest and a
Charm with their venerable associations, and an
earthly paradise in fiction, or out of it, will ever
claim them for its seat. No one who has never
hOated ON its bosom can conceive the sweet placid
Ity of the Caribbean Sea. Its blue waters,
scarcely ever disturbed by storms. and for many
years never visited by n hurricane, bear upon their
bosom the jewels Of the west-a very necklace Of
pearls and Of diamonds, and the breath of Heaven
never waited 10 serener isles. Serene, indeed,
with their delightful climate, and tropical fruits,
the lOyeliness of nature has often been shrOuded
By the wickedncsS of man, for nowhere has the
aVarice of States had - fearful IA theatre, the OBJ
pressor's heel 30 firm a tread, and the abjcct ty-
mnny Of race over race such unrcstrained, un-
trammcled sway.
At this time the West India Islands, so far as
number Is concerned, are chiefly possessed by
Great Britain, but Spain, France, Holland and
Denmark have an influence there, the single Isl
and OF Cuba being larger in extent than all the
English possessions, and the independent Island
Vi 81. Domingo almost as large. The United
States have never had n foothOld anywhere be-
tween Florida and tine Caribbean Sea, although
the famous Ostend Conference Of American Min
listers IN Europe was held to secure the Island of
Cuba, and the acquisition of other islands has
since been talked of, though never Seriously de-
bated. Within a few weeks there have been re-
pcated cable dispatches about the intentions of
MIR. Seward TO purchase the Danish possessions in
the Lecward Islands. The American people the
more readily believed in the reported negotiations,
which, though denied by the Danish Government,
may yet eliminate IN Il purchase through MIR.
Stewards passion for real estate, the intention of
the Secretary of State to purchase the bay of Sa-
mana was also reported. From this il would ap-
pear that Mr.. Stewards object is TO secure the
three passages into the Caribbean Sea from the
Atlantic Ocean, namely, the Windward passage,
the Mona passage, and the passage between the
Lecward Islands.
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 are cast of Porto Rico. They are
very small and very unimportanr, Santa Cruz
being the largest, and 81. John the smallest of .he
three. The entire area of these Islands is only
ITO square miles, and the population about 81
600. There Is but little variation in the popula-
ton from year u year, that of Santa Cruz being
about 20, eco, and st. Thomas IL, 900 souls. The
population OF 81. John Is merely nominal. and il
ENJOYS no importance in any respect whatever.
In the Island OF ST. Thomas the population is
confined almost exclusively 10 the town, but $500
acres of land being under cultivation, and that is
confined to raising vegetables, grasses, and n little
cotton. The want OF labOrcrs is the chief obsta-
Gle To the agricultural interests of the island, the
laboring population being principally employed
in the harbOr and n portcIs. During our great
Rebellion ~ Ihnmn. pNu-al nm ,N.v,arn -,
Tortancc from being the resort of rebel cruisers,
and 1t was To this port the English mail steamer
Trent was bound when the emissarics Mason and
Slidcll were taker from ON board by command of
Capt Wilkes of the San Jacinfo. In the war of
lel2 IT was sometimes rcsorted to by American
priyateers and English men-of-war. A notable
instance of tins Is the case of the English ship
HberHiG, which was met and fought by the fla
nous privateer Comet, Capt. Boyle, of Baltimore,
both vessels being 30 much injured as to be COM
PEELED % put in for repairs, the Comet into Porto
Rico, and the HJerHid into St. Thomas.
In commercial importance st. Thomas takes the
lead, but IL excelled by Santa Cruz in agricultural
products, though all of the islands ENJOY unim-
pcachable freedom from enterprise or thrift. In
1899 the English imported from these islands pro-
ducts to the value of E124 SOD, and exported
thereto manufactured articles TO the value of
tb52,252. During the SHINE year the imports
from other countries were valued ut f677 ,557.
These figures show the value of goods bought by
49, SeANAT ~ AA NhG VI AAAI NAt III
crease from year TO year being n few thousand
pounds, having reachedin 1868, ETlO,576 from the
United Kingdom, and 1871 ,6S3 from all other
countries. In tie value of products annually
taken from the islands by British subjects, there
Is greater variation; these having fallen off in
1850 To eco 1897, in the next year reached the
surprising sum of f379,204, but in 1862 they
again fell off to E15 ,39S, and in 1868 reached
ElGO,S52 The imports are principally manu-
featured cotton piece goods, linens and wearing
apparel, silks, woolens, hardware, iron AMI Goals.
The principal exports are straw hats and pearls.
Some years the expectation Of cochineal, indigo,
Peruvian bark, and oil of turpentine is very
heavy. In 1859, the cotton exported was valued
at E44 ,465. This ceased altogether in 1860, and
did not revive until 1868, when it reached 3d.
1872. Some, or indeed all of this, may have been
obtained from rebel sources. The port of St.
Thomas is open to the commerce of all nations,
and II n depot of goods for adjacent islands, but
the statistics of its trade have little interest or i'm
portance. In 1868 the amount of tonnage was 95,-
SIG tons. an excess over the previous wear of
1928 tons. The increase on British tonnage in
1862, '63 and "a was owing 10 the war, Ameri-
can ships with British registers to save them from
capture by rebel priyatecrs, and the establishment
of n s~emi-monthly line of steamships from Liver
pool 10 the West Indies, the Spanish Main and
the Pacific, for which this is n port of call.
The number of vessels from abroad visiting the
harbOr annually Is about six hundred. There Is
considerable trade between this country and st.
ThUmas, especially In breadstutis and provisions.
The value Of manufactured and other goods i'm
ported from Great Britain in 1868 was over
< 900 600.
The harbOr of 81. Thomas previous to 1863 was
Distracted by the narrowncss of Its channel, but
in that year n ship was sent out from Copenhagen
with a dredgise machine to clear and deepen the
harbOr, and opcn n passage To the west, and it
was believed that IL a channel of clear water
could be obtained impurities would be removed.
IL was also proposed at the same time 20 establish
gas works in the town and to furnish its inhabi-
tants with a supply of water, the people being
before dependent upon rain water. But with
thee ImuruXcInents 81. Thnmns. even under Mr..