, 1891-11-18

many things that the island. which has a rich
soil, could be made to yield very pro6tably.
Holding this opinion, some public spirited
citizens established an agricultural society,
and have been endeavouring to make converts
to their theory. One of the means they re-
Gently employed was the holding Of an agri-
cultural fair a few months ago. They had
previously been agitating the subject for sew
eral years, and through their representations
and persuasions many attempts at tilllng the
soil were made and are continuing to be made
with good success. There were, therefore,
a larger number of exhibitors and a greater
variety OF exhibits at the fair than those who
had knowledge of st. Thomas only of previous
years would have thought likely. And the
exhibits, for which suitable prizes were given,
proved that the promoters of the agricultural
society were wise in their day.
In addition to trade the island derives con-
siderable benefit to-day from it's coaling and
other facilities for the shipping that appears
in those waterss There are four coal yards on
the island, three of them being owned by as
qmany steamship companies for their own pur-
poses, and the fourth-by far the largest
being for the sale of the commodity to whom
soever will buy. They get their coal from
England and America, the former principally,
and sell to steamers at $3.50 delivered. 1t
costs originally about twelve shillings, and the
freight and other expenses aggregate over
sixteen shillings more. The firm that deals
in it handles, it is estimated, over fifty thou
sand tons year. The other yards are own
ed by the following companies:-RoyaI Mail
Steam Packet Company of London, Hamburg
American Packet Company" and Compagnle
Generate Trensatlantique, of Havre.
Other steamship lines that call at st. Tho.
mas are as follows:-The United States and
Brazil Mail Steamship Company, fortnightly
from New York, the passage between the two
ports occupying q little over five days. the
West India and Pacific Steamship Company,
once a month, from Liverpool, and the Mar
quis De Campo line to Havana. The Ham
b~urg-American company has five steamers a
month to and from Europe.
The trade of St. Thomas further employs a
great number of sailing craft of various sizes.
They ply to and fro continually, going to 1.-The
islands in the neighbourhood. Some of them
are chartered by the Danish government and
make regular trips, but the majority of them
go and com according as business offers or the
convenience of shippers directs. These lit
tie boats, from cobbles up to good size schoon-
ers, are managed with wonderful skill, for the
natives, as it is to be expected, are remarka-
bly, good sailors.
AL InpOEUduU ledGuI6 u ZIG oAAp DuAANAhS Va
ship repairing of st. Thomas is a floating dock
that is capable of lifting vessels of $500 tons
burden. It is the property of an English
company, and has it's location at a point not
far distant from the shore or the entrance
to the harbor. 1t is an iron p%ontoon structure
and can be sunk to any required depth thus
enabling shipsto sail into it.
While on the subject of shipping 1T IS IN
t~eresting to note that there are no piers or
docks in St. Thomas harbor such as we have
here in New York harbor. Incoming ships
and steamers are obliged to anchor In the
roadway and discharge freights by means OF
lighters, while the passengers are taken to the
shore in small boats. Passengers also board
outgoing ships in the same way. There are
wharves innumerable, but they do not ex-
tend far enough, or the water alongside is
not deep enough for even small schooners.
These wharves are only intended for the dis
embarkation of freight in lighters or
passengers in bumboats. The entire
water front of the town is occupied with
such wharves. The majority of them were
substantial and costly stone structures in their
time, but the use fol- them is now SO limited
that quite anumber are going to ruin through
neglect. They are fitted with cranes for the
handling of large packages, and have short
tramways with fat cars for the hauling Of the
cargoes up TO the stores, which are about
a hundred yards away.
IN ~ 1" "a ~-A~n HoOnn ia