Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-21

The formation of the entire group is vol
canie, the result of submarine upheavals,
and the outlines are rough, ragged and
sometimes appear in grotesque tormss re-
minding the imaginative man of beasts and
birds and men and presenting shapes like
castles and citadels with frowning battle
,ments and ambitious minarets. But the
ocean breezes have brought from the main
land, and dropped into the crevices, soil and
seeds, which, under the magic of the tropic
sun, have become gardens of marvellous
beauty and fertility.
49,. LAND OF THE LOTUS,
The scenery is wondrous picturesque, the
climate is even, the temperature changeless
and no fairy land created by the poets
imagination could be more enchanting. 1t
is the home of the Lotus Eaters.
Ia land
In which it seemed always afternoon.
All round the coast the languid air did swoon,
Breathing like one that hath weary dream.
The charmed sunset fingered low sdown
In the red westi through mountain clefts the
Was seen far inland, and the yellow down,
Bordered with palm, and many winding dale
And meadow set with slender galingale;
A land where all things always seemed the
same.
The Lotus blooms below the barren peak,
The Lotus blows by every winding creek.
The greater part of the inhabitants Of
these islands, like the wind and wave worn
children of the poet, do "live and lie re-
clined, on the hills like gods together, care
less of mankind" /" for nature has done ev-
erything for them, and there is little for
man to do but pluck and eat the fruits of
this Garden of Eden.
ST. Thomas, the most important of all the
islands, commercially considered, and geo
L.. ~ - IF 4h o,n1A
directly In the path of commerce, and its
little harbor sees more ships than most of
the worlds great ports; not less than ten
lines OF steamers make it a rendezvous, a
coaling station, and an entrepot for the
transfer of freight. The vessels from Europe
to the north coast of South America, to
Central America, the West Indies and the
ports of the Gulf of Mexico, and those from
New York to South America and the ports
of the Gulf and Caribbean Sea, all make it
q regular station for coaling, provisioning
and repair, as well as for the transfer of
cargo. The men-of-war of all nations make
it a rendezvous, while sailing ships put in
there for various reasons, whether upward
or downward bound. The dry docks are the
best south of the Delaware, and are SO
located as to be most convenient from all
the ports Of the equatorial zones.
Il
Although the town has but $4,000 inhab-
itants, the imports during the year amount
TO s.. 600. 900 or IS, 900, 900, consisting ex-
clusiveIy of coal and ships stores The
Government of Denmark owns the little
island, but holds it as a free port and offers
its hospitality without charges to all the
world. During our war Secretary Seward
negotiated for its purchase as a naval sta
ton, and IT would be of great value to our
shipping trade in time of peace as well as a
naval station in time of war, but our SEN
ate refused to ratify the treaty. The ques-
ton of annexation was submitted to the peo-
pie Of the island, who voted almost unanim-
ously in favor of it, there being but % votes
in the negative. St. Thomas would be a
most important stragetic point for Germany
or England, but if either Government should
attempt to purchase it, there would be bit
ter war. Denmark is recognized as a non-
combatant among nations, and each of the
European powers would rather have the
asylum under her authority than that Of
any other.
The little town of 14,OOO inhabitants con-
tains as motley and cosmopolitan a popula-
tion as any settlement on the globe. A
stranger who lands there, no matter where
he may come from, will always be able to
find compatriot, or at least somebody with
MlOm ne CAL cOuN6rec III MS own lang guaGe.
A MODERN BABEL.
You may sit down in one of the cafes Of
Charlotte Amelia-as the town of the
island is called, or should be called. but
never is, for everybody says st. ThoRaas,
whether be refers to the island or the town
and hear the languages of nearly every
nation on earth spoken by the people
gathered around you. The place is haven
for distressed seamen, for adventurers OF all
types, for fugitives from justice, and for all
sorts Of human driftwood carried there by
every current of the ocean and every wind
that blows. Although it is part Of Den
mark, it is said that every nation on the
map is represented there but that, which is
slight exaggeration, for in a diiapIdated
old castle on one of the mills lives the Danish
Governor General, and q garrison of a
dozen soldiers or so, who practise an inno-
cent deception upon the public themselves
by pretending to protect the place.
The mercantile class are mostly Germans