The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-05
BrsMARcK IN rBn wEsr IxnrBs.
Germany Making Preparatious 10 Acsaire
the Island Of ~. ThOuas-A Move thar
Threatens American Interests.

WARRINGTON, Nov. A-Privote letters
just received from the island Of 81. Tbomas rep
resent tue inhabitants "a greatly al rmed at
tho prospect OF their being made SUBJECTS OF
Germany. For the past six weeks the German
man Of war Augusta has been anchored in the
harbor, and the officers have been diligently
taking sOundinss by night and Photographic
view by day proceeding not exactly accord
ing To the county of nations. Another rOnclad
II expected To join her very shortly.
The island Of st. IN im-s IL proverblally
known a. the key to the Gulf of Mexico. owing
to prevailing wiads the Sowbreto passage, Inn
nehiately To tho east Of the Island, ~ for ntnc
mouths In the year by all O,eis tho d, 81 and
safoat passage into the Caribbean Sea.
. Germany has large and growing trade In
South America, and Is our most formidable rival
IN 'oWurrce there She ne dH, or ~ least would
greatly Ike, "a naval station In the West Indian
waters. The strategic value VI the island II we'll
known. England nus twice sctled II NJ the out
set Of former wars on this very account. We're
tue island In the possession Of "A formidable
power IKE Germany, our communication with
South America and with the Pacific coat nv
way ~ Aspinwall could only be carried IN bv
srnorancc. The Monroe Doctrine would no
violated were To allow such a transact
ton "a Germany Is suspected to be- cOntemullt-
ing. We can only judge OF people or nations
ambition Of bismarck. We know that when
concluding terms ~ peace with the French he
from them Saigon In Cochin China 10 be the
headquarters OF German authority In the Est
lndics, ana we reasonably surmisc that with
precisely analogous necessities, I'm the way ~
q lmincrce to protect. &c, the dosirabihty OF
acquiring cOItrtl ~ -. Thomas would not es-
cape the eve IT tho iron autocrlt ~ tho 1eut0n
bmDire. He " bided his timo" TN Germany had
Affect Aggression woul he but natural now.
when Great Biitatn seized ON Ruatan, Itilia
and the 81 her Bay lsian q" or tho cna-t e
Honduras. VIC demonstrated about " promptly,
and the Biiti % lion had TO re reat. That was
but minor danger compared with the one
which now -tarCs a. In tho face.
IL may be rcrOil ctrd that during Lincoln'a
administration ncgo iatiuns were entered into
our Government to acquire st. Thomas nv
purchase. ana under Andrew johnson n treaty
was concluded tn That effect, the price being
s1.JJOUo. Ina matter fell through. Later. a
Irt minent riii1en ~ the island OFF red IN con-
sderation Il gl,OltO0 to lease for go years a
little island az TIE mouth of the harbor to the
United States. On this island, owing TO the ma
turc Of the soil. an efficient dock yard could
have been established and the anchorage N ~
was deep enough for the largest yes els with
good holding ground. the rest Of the harbor
having u shifting. sandy bottom. Being az tne
mouth OF the southwest sidc Of the harpOr. a
battery would have commanded the ,ntrancp
most enectuaily. However, this idea was not
entertained.
We may not want st. Thomas ourselves, but
That ~ no reason NV we should allow "a great
foreign power To occupy II ana be forever
thorn IN our side.