The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-05
THE DANISH WEST INDIES.
Islands Valuable on Account Of
Their Strategic Position.

80 HANf-AH 'NAAA'H-
Attention has again been attracted 10
/ the Danish West Indies by the report
! from London 10 tho effect that the United
! States Governments offer for them wiz
/ probably Dee accepted by the Danish Min
/ istry- The Danish West Indies are part
! Of the Virgin Islands, a group Of thirty
/ four small bodies Of land, all but two be-
/ longing to Great Britain The Danish
/ islands are St Thomas and St John. Of
/ the NirGin group. ana st CrOiN. which
ICES Co the southwest. and is the largest
and most fertile of the three St Thomas
/ Haraar is one Of the best IN the West In
/ dies. and at one time was great centre
/ Of trade but it's importance has greatly
/ diminished since $50
The Virgin Islands were discovered by
. Columbus in 1883 and St. Thomas was
. first coIonized by the Dutch a century
ana half later. St. Croix. OF, as 1T is
/ usually called. Santa Cruz. was settled
+ by the Dutch in les. and later small set
. Elements were made At 81. Thomas, but
/ the Dutch left togo 90 New York, and
F ST Thomas was occupied by the Danes in
4 loI and ST. John in I1I9. The original
/ settlements were by the Danish West In
. Ola and Guinea Company. Santa Cruz
. was bought from the French in II33 and
. the control Of the entire group passed
/ under the control OF the King Of Den
I mark IN 1894
/ The early history Of these islands is re-
. plete with the power Of the buccaneers,
/ who ravaged merchant vessels plying in
. the Spanish Main, but who were grad
I uaIy expelled, as the islands in turn re-
. Ceived stable governments They follow
/ cd the decline Of Spanish authority. and
/ were. in fact, instrumental in eXpelling
( the Spani4rds. Their career covered al
Z most Of the entire seventeenth century,
I and supported as they were by the white
/ residents of the Islands. I'm their warfare
/ against Spain, 1t is not too much 20 say
4 that they were deserving Of some praise
and admiration.
! St Thomas owed its great prosperity
during the next two centuries to its ncu-
( tral position. The nations which had a
. foothold In the West Indies were almost
continually At war. and at the land lock-
Cd commodious harbor Of St Thomas. a
free port. reaped the great harvest Of IN
interrupted trade. Merchant vessels. men
. O--War pirates, and priVateerS met on
an equal footing there. to trade and 10
purchase supplies from the merchants.
But such an artificial condition declined
with the succeeding years Of peace, and
with II the trade that had made many
fortunes
The entire group has an area Of 133
square miles, and a population OF about
. v-rN.Nr 81 4 nDDidS mas an area OF ABOUT
q" square miles ana a population OF T.
Vup. most of whom reside at Charlotte
Amallv, the capital and seaport. Once the
island was devoted 70 the culture of cane
sugar. but the acreage has steadily de-
creased, and the town is now practically
dependent on its business as port Of
call and codling station There are Scv-
. cEal deposits OF copper and manganese
. ore near Charlotte Amalie which give
some promise of future wealth. French,
German English, and American steam
Z = 70 al
port Of call, and each maintains coalins
stations.
St. John has an area Of forty-two square
miles but has population of ulder $40,
and IS virtually ruined. St CrOiX. the
largest island. with an area Of seventy
four square miles, is well cultivated but
us output Of sugar rum, and mUldSscs is
much less now than In recent years Its
capital Is ChrlstIansteu. the other principal
town being FIeiderichsted. There are no
harboIS at St CroiN, the two towns be
ing on open rOadsteads, approached over
treacherOus shoals In striking contrast
70 st Thomas, the island is fat and roll
ing, instead Of billy
The town Il Charlotte Amalie, viewed
from the harbOr, Is one Of the most at
trdctiNe sights In the West Indies. II IS
Dullt along the water s cage, rising upon
three ridges a delightful mass Of pink
roofs. yellow and light blue houses, nest
ling among the green hills OverIookira, a
sheet OF deep blue water Fort Christian
q relic OF bygOne centuries lies on the
water front, and is q handsome barracks
A'.Nt liltA Ih a company OI Danish rrGOUE.
q ne town proper Is well laid ont. and pre-
sents prosperous appearance. Every
where arc gardens, mass Of COlOred
flowers and I'll green palms
St CrCiZ does not resemble St Thomas
as u Is low and fiat. II Is well cultivated
ana produces large quantities Of ssgar.
molasses and rum. Trade is greatly handi-
capped hN the absence Of a harbOr. and
all shipments must De made from the
beach to vessels lyine IN shoal open road
Stea0g- Many Interesting sights are To be
seen af t'rnIW old NTt~sr-Flr %
AID a picturesque graveyard at Christian
sted. An old but attractive method Of
c,.'IaIlH$ graves consists Of conch shells
On a hCd or concrete, the deep pink
OF the conChs making q vivid contrast t.
the prarl gray Of the concrete
ST Thomas owes its present TRADE. To- IFS
position as free port. and IL has Feen
TOT years most Important cOaIing sta
Lnu- English. American. French and
German lines all maintain coal wharves. .
ana "a prosperous business Is done IN i'm i
E'ILhE coal There IS a large floating
LINIo'h DID Inc harhor- Being free port.
~ II h"maS has for years occupied a posi- .
tHE or great Importance I'm The r0av-rfrc- /
ture OF Jamaica rum. bay rum. and Flor {
ia water. large Quantities being imported .
rom the y'nrr Islands and then exported +
ms trade VIII De lost by coming under .
the american flag. and even free TRADE.
with the United states VIII not be Of I.
great assistance.
AS a srrateGicaI port St Thomas could /
De- easily fortified, but Il is not so well /.
"u5Pted for defence as the English base 4
T. q IA Il
OF the West Indies IL is however of 4
greater Importance. as the island controls }
tho Angola Passage from the Atlantic
ocean 20 the Caribbean Sea.
The climate of the Danish West Indies
Is not as hot would Doe Imagined. as The .
northeast trade winds greatly mitigate /
the severity of the sun The nights are .
usually cool, with a fresh sea breeze
Communication between St Thomas and /
81 trOiN is maintained by two mail .
SChoOn+rs the ElgIldnt and the America
The former, which makes excellent time .
iS said 20 De the oldest vessel in active .
trade She WIS built i'm Boston Mass i'm /
ISL, and has been under the Danish flag
for a century The America is referred to /
by the ISLANDERS as the new boat" as she
Is only about seventy years old
The sentiment Of the iuha bitauts Of the
Islands In general may bc said To be on
posed 10 "A change Of government except
In St CrOiN. which VIII be- benefited by
free trade with this country. St Thomas
VIII not. however reap this benefit. as Il ;
IS a trading Fort, not producing port
having gained its present position owing 4
20 its having been the great distributing
point In the Lesser Antilles No trouble
need bc anticipated. however. as the best
thinking people are peaceful and have ]
long looked forward To union with the
United States