, 1893-05-06

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Owing partly to the scar city of money in the
Treasury at hat time, but undoubtedly more
due to the great hest, ancy of our national
Solons to take suoh an advanced STEP, the treaty
failed to be ratified by the Senate. Recently
the failure to secure St. Nicholas Mole, Hay
ii, or SANTANA Bay in San Domingo have led
to further consideration of the advisable
ty of securing st. Thomas from the Denes for
a coaling station. It is urged in favor Of
this plan, that the situation Of The island,
within two days run of any West Indian port
and fully az close to the northern coast of
South America, would give us as good a sin
gle pAiDion as can ne had in the West Indies.
St. TIbmas is on the direct route of all lines
from the United States to ports in South
America, and is within easy distance of the
Nicaragua Canal. All, or nearly all, ships
steaming to the United States from the south
cons via st. Thomas. here is always a large
supply Of coal there, and our men of war are
often sent to St. Thou as, even now, to zeal
up.
At the time of the Chill disturbance, q
little over a year ago, a great deal of money
was spent in sending coal-laden steamers
towards the seat of the disturbance. It
would have been Impossible to attack Chill
if coal had not been sent to the attacking
ships. The question Of the coal supply of
oruisiag vessels is one of the chief ones in a
modern navy, and the chief solution yet
found is the establishment Of coaling sta
tions, where ships can safely go for sup plies.
st. Thomas is about as good a situation as
can be found in the West Indies. and there is
much interest manifested over the final out
come Of the presant quiet consideration Of
its purchase.
The Island of St. Thomas is, in the naviga-
s 49, 10 IA III z Il
equator and in longitude 64.48 west of
Greenwich. That is to say, it lies about 400
miles south of Key West, our most southern
port. and about $50 miles east of that point.
The Island is the most eastern and northern
Of The smaller West Indies, going out beyond
Porto Rico and around to the southwark
to South America. St. Thomas is on the
route from Europe to the Nicaragua Canal,
and from the United States to both Northern
and Southern South America.
The island is about thirteen miles in
length and Of an average width of about
thee miles. On approaching it, it looks like
a big greenhouse or public garden. 1t is q
series of hills, irregularly dumped together,
the highest about / 800 feet above the water.
There are several small, rocky islets around
it. One in pal tioularly is we'll known to all
sailors who have gone through the Wind
ward Passage as Sail RoCk, on account
of it's great resemblance to a large ship.
The town Of Charlotte Amalia is on the
southern side, where there is a large we'll
sheltered and deep harbour, about three
quarters of q mile wide, and a mile and o
half long. The entrance to the harbour is
on either side of a large rock, through chan
nsls about 1000 feet wide. Once inside tho
harbour, the hills surround yOu, and the town
lies directly in front of you. On all sides Of
the harbour are enormous coal piles, for the
accommodation Of the steamers coaling there.
Hele is one of the largest floating dry docks
in the world, and the finest in the west
Indies. The town is built on the sides of
three hills. The Governors house is on tie
summit of one, and the ~castless of the old
pirates on one of the other.
The health officer makes a very short stay
on board and almost as soon as the yellow
fla is down, there is a heot of small boats
alongside the ship. Islanders are in them
with their stock in trade of fruit, shells and
beaAwork. 1t was something Of a surprise
u me to find that the natives speak English
almost to the exclusion of all other langua.
gcs. The fact that the island has been for
three centuries under Danish rule. counts for
little. AS most of the trade Of St. Thomas
has been ard is with the United States and
with England and her colonies, the English