The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-06-15
WRSMP'S DIARY,
New Years Day on Board the
Man-of-War.
ST. THOMAS is VISITED
Description Of Danish West Indies. the
Purchase Of Which by America is
Still Pending.

description OF Danish West Indies, the
Purchase Of Which by America is
Still Pending.
Shortly after 2 p. N. of the 29th day
OF December, the New York; pro.
ceeded to the eastward to ST. Thomas.
being saluted on the way by a foreign
man-of-war. but at such a distance that
her nationality could not be discerned.
AT AIS we anchored OFF the harbor of
st. Thomas. The Admiral and his
staffevisited the Governor of the Dam
.ish West Indies on the 31st. During
the afternoon of the same day the
French man-of-war s.Troude'' arrived.
The latter is a third class, twin screw
cruiser, BIZ feet long and narrow beam,
carrying four 5.5inch guns and eight
of smaller calibre.
Midnight of the 31st the usual noise
of a man-of-war was made in bidding
adien. to the old and welcoming the
new year. There was much beating of
drums and tins, ringing of bells. and
blowing of horns. Everyone in the
procession marching about the decks
didfhis best to make noise to his own
time, regardless of his companions.
ST. THOMAS.
ST. Thomas, or Charlotte Amalie. is
less than forty miles east of Porto Rico
and holds the most prominent position
in the West Indies as a naval and com
mercial station. 1t is one of the Vir-
gin Islands, discovered and so named
by Columbus on his second voyage
north from Trinidad on ST. Ursulus
Day. Most of these islands are small.
n some OF them PERCEPTIONS. and
hardly habitable. ST. Thomas is one
of the largest. being thirteen miles
long and three wide. with an area of
about thirty-tive square miles. 1t is
less rugged than the others of the Vir-
gin group. and is surrounded by sunken
islands and many rocks, 1t is a small
Gibraltar in itself, and could only be
attacked by a naval force. The popu-
lation is $4,000, nine-tenths of them
black. and living in and about the port
of ST. Thomas. The highest mountain
is 1900 feet high. The island has been
declining for many years, chiefly on
account of the gradual dropping off of
the sailing vessel trade, the construc-
tion OF the cable. and the depression of
the sugar production. Slavery was
abolished in ls4S. and since 1880 the
commercial Importance of the island
has become a thing of the past. 1t is
however, the most convenient port to
Porto Rico. and it IA from here that
the news of SIMPSONS b~ombardment
OF that place was telegraphed to all
parts of the world. ST. Thomas is g
possession of the Dapish Government,
together with st. John and ST. Croix,
the largest of the three. These islands
were the early resorts of pirates and
rovers, who we're followed by the more
peaceful Dutch and English settlers.
EH 1871 st. Thomas came into the pos
session of the trading company of
which the Elector of B~randenburg was
the director. The latter was succeed
ed by the King of Denmark, who made
it a-national possession about the mid
die of the last century. 1t was long
the neutral trading point, and grew
rich out of all the plumber OF the other
Qands ST. CroiS and St. John we're
later acquired by purchase. In 1866
negotiations were opened by the Unit
ed States to buy ST. Thomas, but Con-
gfess refused to ratify the treaty after
/ the commission which had been sen to
st. Croix to report almost had their
teeth shaken out OF them by an earth
quake. In 1867 President Andrew
johnson said in his third annual mes
sage that With q possession OF such d
station a. ST. Thomas in the West In
dies, neiistAr the United States or any
other American nation need longer
apprehend injury or otfense from any
transatlantic enemy. The treaty has
remained shelved ever since. For re
lief from the de%plorable condition of
the island, the inhabitants have but
one hope-that the United States will
buy the islands, otherwise they must
revert to primeval forests. inhabitated
solely by negroes. To walk through
the streets of the town and notice the
vast number Of fine c~ommodious bust
q ness houses, some of them tenantless,
and lined inside with cobwebs. is
enough to make one feel sad. In the
country districts there abounds the
over present sign of decay in the
abandoned sugar houses and buildings,
while nature conceals the cane fields
by rapidly spreading over them her