The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-24
READY TO SELL.
OVertures Concerning the Pur-
chase Of St. Thomas.
Denmark Prepared 10 Renew The NesOtia-
tiOnS Of 1857.
a New C0alins Station In the West Indies.
The Proposition Favored by
Naval Officers.
sYecial to THE MoRNISa CALI

New YORK, Sept 23.-A Washington
special says: 1t is reported here the admin
istration is considering the adyisability of
making overtures for the acquisition of the
Island of st. Thomas. W. l.. as naval and
co mnercial station. 1t is understood the
negotiations have now reached the point
where the United States has been given the
refusal of the island at about the same price
offered in 1867, when President johnson
urged its purchase upon Congress. II this
be true, President Harrison will no doubt
recommend in his annual message to Con-
gress next December sufficient appropria-
tion for the purpose of the purchase.
Concerning the negotiations for coaling
station in the West Indies the Tribune's
Washing gt0n special says: Dispatches
sent from Washington to certain news
papers saying that negotiations with Dem
mark, looking to the cessi0n OF ST. Thomas
to the United States, are in progress, are in
correct. No such negotiations have been
initiated. OF course the advantages of ST.
Thomas have not been lost sight of or left
unconsidered, and it is not improbable that
In the event of the ultimate failure OF the
negotiations with Hayti serious attention
may be directed to that quarter. The Secre-
tary of tho Navy as well as high and in
tiuential officers of the navy are said to
favor the establishment OF station al 81.
Thomas, and their judgment in the matter
is entitled to great weight. The present dis
position of Denmark in regard to the cesslon
is not known, but it Is presumed that nego-
tiations might be reOpened with reasonable
prospect Of success.
ST. Thomas is one of the Danish West
India Islands, and lies So miles east of
Porto Rico Spanish and 40 miles north
northwest of ST. Croix Oanishl. with ltS
principal town Charlotte Amale) in lS0
20 27" north latitude. and Ga 55> Az west
longitude. 1t is Is miles long from east to
west, with an average breadth of miles,
and is estimated to have an area of 80 miles.
The highest point, West Mountain, is 1886
feet above the sea. Previous to the abOli-
tion of slavery. in 1S4S tile island was COW
cred with sugar plantations and dotted
with substantial mansions; but now few
vegetables, little fruit and some guinea
grass are all that it produces. GreengrOceries
are imported from the United States, poul-
try and eggs from the neighborlng islands.
Nor is the exceptional position which st.
Thomas has hitherto enjoyed as 4 CONNER
eial depot any longer secure. The
value of the imports in 1880 was less
than one-half of what it was in 1870, and the
merchants of Venezuela, Porto Rico, San
Domingo, Hayti, etc. who used to purchase
in st. Thomas now go direct to the markets
of the United States and Europe. The
Royal Mail Company, which at au early
ds.s chose the island as the principal rem
eeZvous for its steam packets In that part
of the world and whose example was fol-
lowed by other important lines, removed its
headquarters to Barbados in 1885, The har-
Dor lies about the middle of the south coast
and is nearly land-locked; its depth varies
from thlrty-siX to eighteen feet A floating
dock $50 feet in length was completed in
1875, and there is in addition a steam slip
capable of taking up q vessel OF 1900 tons.
Along the north side of the harbor lies Char
lotte Amalie, popularity known as st.
Thomas the only town on the island. In
1880 the inhabitants of the island numbered
IA, ,3S9. of whom 5757 were males and S632
females, of whom about one-siXth are
whites of various nation alitles, and the rest
have nearly all more or less of negro blood.
English has gradually become almost the
classes, and is used in the schools and
churches of all the various communities.
The curious Creole speech OF the negroes,
which contained mixture of broken
Dutch, Danish, English, etc, though it was
reduced to writing by the Moravlan mis-
sionares subsequent to 1870, is rapidly
dying out About one-third of the popula-
tiOn are Roman Catholics, and the rest
mainly Pr0testants OF the Lutheran. Dutch
Reformed, MOravian and English Episcopal
CuulCHCss uc UbMlSu COuluuulb(, OOO VI
600 strong, has synagogue. There are In
the town two hospitals. a public reading
room and library, Government college
qs7T, Roman Catholic college Isl.
ThOmas). M0ravian school and small
theater. A quarantine lazaretto Is main
tanned on Lighthouse or Muhlenfeldt Point.
The general health of the town is good.
The climate varies little all the year round.
the thermometer seldom falling below 100
or rising above 9O'. In the hurricane"
months-August, September and October
south winds, accompanied by sultry heat,
rain and thunder, are not uncommon.
Throughout the rest of the year the wind
blows between east and north. Earth
quakes are not unfrequent, but they do lit
tie damage in comparison with cyclones.
which sometimes sweep over the island.
st. Thomas was discovered by Columbus
In 1893. anu at that time was Inhabited by
two tribes, the Caribs and tho Arrowanks.
In 1867 1t was coloniZed by the Dutch and
after their departure for New 70 rk 1t was
held by the English in 1867. The Danish
Wet India and Guinea Company took
possession in 1871, and some years later be-
gan the introduction Of slave labor. 1t was
succeeded in 1855 by the s0-called Branden-
0urgh Company, the principal shareholders
of Which were Dutch. The coiOny was
strengthened by French refugees from st,
Edict of Nantes. The!neutrality of Denmark
led TO the prizes of the various belligereDts
being brought to its port for sale. In 1854,
the King OF Denmark took the manage
ment OF the colony into its own hands, and
in l764 lie threw open the port to vessels of
all nations, The neutrality OF Denmark
again favored it in the war Of 1892, aud 1t be-
came the only market in the West Indies
from which the products OF the colonies
could be conveyed to the north OF Europe.
In 1901, the island was held by the British
for ten months. and it was again in their
possession from the latter part of 1897 to
1916. At that time the hnrbor was three or
four tlmes year the rendezvous for home
ward-bouud English ships, from 200 to 400,
as the case might be, which waited for their
conveys The South American War OF In-
dependence led number OF Spauards to
settle az st. Thomas. A great but tempo
rary stimulus was given 10 its commerce
during the American Civil War. In 1871,
the Danish Government removed the head
quarters of their West India possessions
from st. Croix TO st. Thomas.