Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-21
AN ATLANTIC NAVAL STATION.

The republican national platform de-
clares in favor of the acquisition by the
United States of the Danish West In
dies. consisting of the islands of st.
Thomas, Santa Cruz and st. John, 1of
the purpose of establishing a naval sta
ton. 1t is believed that Denmark would
sell the islands to the United States
for a reasonable consideration ana II
is the opinion of naval officers and
others that it is most desirable this
country should possess them, or at any
rate st. Thomas, for a naval station.
The question of acquiring these DANISH
possessions is not new. More thap
thirty years ago Secretary Seward rec
commended their purchase and it might
have been accomplished at that time
but for the determined opposition OF
Senator Sumner. Again, in 1870, an
effort was made by Secretary of State
Fish, with the concurrence of President
Grant. to secure the islands, but nego-
tiations failed through opposition from
the same source that defeated the rec
concentration of Seward, which is said
to have had the approval of President
Lincoln.
Before the close of the rebellion Adj
miral Porter called attention to the I'M
~portance of acquiring the Danish west
indies. He pointed out that st. Thomas
lies right in the track of all vessels from
Europe, Brazil, the East Indies and
the Pacific ocean bound to the West In
dia islands or the United States. 1t
is the point where all ships touch for
needed supplies coming from any of the
| above quarters. 1t is n central point,
from which any or all of the West In
dia islands could be assailed, while it is
impervious to attack from landing par
ties and can be fortified to any extent.
| st. Thomas is n small Gibraltar and
could not be attacked by n naval force.
1t is admirably fitted for n naval sta
ton. Its harbor and that of st. John
would float all the vessels of the largest
navy in the world. In fine, wrote AID,
miral Porter, "St. Thomas is the key
stone to the arch of the West Indies
1t commands them. all. 1t is of more
importance to us than to any other ma
ton" During the administration OF
President johnson n proposition was
made to Denmark to buy the islands
for 100000, but that country declined
to dispose of the islands at that price
but agreed to transfer them to Tho
United States for 100000, or st
Thomas and st, John for $10,000,0OO
Another condition imposed was tina
the people of the island should express
by a popular vote a desire for anneXa
ton to this country, subsequently th'
people of the island recorded Themselves
by ballot ms in favor of annexation.
Since 1870 no serious attempt ha
been made TO obtain possession of tn
Danish West Indies, but the subJec
was presented to the attention of III
first session of the present congress
and it was shown that the administra
ton and Il majority of the senate wer
in favor of the acquisition of the islands
1t is also a fact that n majority of tn
people of the Danish West Indies desir
annexation to the United States. Blu
. the principle upon which Charles sun
ner and others opposed the acquisitio
t of these islands thirty years ago, tina
it was unwise for the United States I
extend its territory beyond its preseI
boundaries, has persistently asserte