The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-14
BISMARCK IN THE WEST INDIES.
GERMANY MAKING PREPARATIONS TO ACQUIRE
THE ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS-A MOVE THAI
THREATENS AMERICAN INTERESTS.
IN. Y. SUM-

N. Y. Sun.
WASHINGTON, Nov 4-Private letters just
received from the Island OF st. Thomas rep
resent the inhabitants as greatly alarmed at
the prospect of their being made subjects OF
Germany. For the past six weeks the Ger.
man man-of-war Augusta has been anchored
in the harbor, and the officers have been dill
igently taking soundipgs by night and photo
graphic views by day, proceeding not ex-
actly according to the comfy of nations.
Another iron-clad is expected to join her very
shortly.
The Island of st. Thomas is proverbially
known as the KEY to the Gulf of Mexico.
Owing to prevailing winds the Somorer
passage, Immediately to the east OF the Island,
is for nine months in the year by all odds the
best and safest passage into the Caribbean
sea-
Germany has large and growing trade in
South America, and is our most formidable
rival in commerce there. She needs, or at
least would greatly like, naval station IN
the West India waters. The strategic value
of the island is we'll known. England has
twice seized it at the outset Of former wars
on this very account. Were the island in the
possession of formidable power like Ger
many, our communication with South Amer
lea and with the Pacific coast by way OF AS
pinwall could only be carried on by suffer-
ance. The Monroe doctrine would be vio-
lated were we to allow such a transaction as
Germany is suspected to be contemplating.
We can only judge Of people or nations or
ministers by their acts We know the vast
ambition of Bismarck.
We know that when concluding terms of
peace with the French he strenuously urged
the necessity of wrestling from them Saigon
in Cochin China TO be the headquarters OF
German authority in the East Indies, and we
reason ably surmise that with precisely
analogous necessities ip the way Of commerce
to protect, etc, the desirability of acquiring
control of st. Thomas would not escape the
eye of the iron autocrat of the Teuton empire
He 'bided his time till Germany had fleet
Aggression would be but natural now. When
Great Britain seized on Ruatan, Utilla and
" Bay islands" off the coast of Honduras, we
demonstrated about it promptly, and the
British lion had to retreat. That was but
a minor danger compared with the ore which
now staTeS Us in the face.
1t may be recollected that during Lincoln's
administration negotiations were entered into
by our government to acquire st. Thomas by
purchase, and under Andrew Johnson a treaty
was concluded to that effect, the price being
81, 500, 900. The matter fell through. Later,
a prominent citizen of the island offered, in
consideration of ST ZOO. 900, to lease for 999
years little island at the mouth of the har-
Dor to the United S ates. On this island. ow-
ing to the nature of the soil. an efficient dock
yard could have been established, and the
anchorage off it was deep enough for the
largest vessels with good holding ground, the
rest of the harbor having a shifting, sandy
bottom. Being at the mouth of the southwest
side of the harbor, battery would have
commanded the entrance most etfectually.
However, this idea was not entertained.
We may not want St. Thomas ourselves,
but that is no reason why we should allow a
great foreign power to occupy it and be for
ever thorn in our side.