Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1902-04-18
DANISH WEST INDIES.
fHE VALUE OF THE ISLANDS
LIES IN THEIR HARBoRS.

81. inonaS is tnee BeSt known OF tnc
country's Latest lnsular Acquisi-
tions-Population is Chiefly Color.
ed Desce ndants Of Former Slaves.
The Danish West Indies" is the
title of a monograph by the Treasury
Bureau of Statistics whichwill appear
Is a part of the forthcoming issue of
The Monthly Summary of Commerce
md Finance. 1t describes the islands
included in the recently ratified treaty
If the United States and Denmark by
which the Islands of St. Thomas, st.
John and st. Croix are to be transfer
'ed to the United States.
st. Thomas is the best known of the
sroup, lies thirty-eight miles due east
If the Northeastern extremity of Porto
Rico; st. John lies twelve miles east
Of st. Thomas, while st. Croix lies
about fifty miles south of st. John and
St. Thomas, and sixty miles southeast
Of the southeastern point of Porto
Rico. Two small islands already be-
onging to the United States, Vieques
and Culebra, which were obtained
through the cession of Porto Rico, lie
iirectly between Porto Rico and this
newly added group.
The islands are small, with a cam
oaratively small producing capacity,
heir chief Importance being by reason
Of She harbors which they offer and
hefr vaIuo oS a ctrotaoic &c wall &c
1 general commercial standpoint st.
CroiX the largest of them, is about
wenty miles long and one to five miles
wide, with an area of about $4,000
square miles, and a population of
about 10000. 1t is also the most pro-
luctive of the islands, considerable
area being devoted to the production
Of sugar cane and tropical fruits, and
agriculture being the occupation of a
arge proportion of the population.
There are two large towns on the ISL
and Fredriksted. with a population
Of 300, and Christiansted, with a
population of $500. The latter is
situated upon the chief harbor of the
sland. which, however. is choked
with mud and of less Importance than
he harbors of either of the other ISL
ands.
st. John. the smallest of the islands.
has an area of about twenty-one
square miles and population of only
about 1000, and comparatively
small cultivation area. it's chief value
being in it's possibilities for harbor
purposes, the natural harbor of Coral
Bay beng described as one of the best
protected natural harbors in the West
indies, but at present little used. St.
Thomas, which lies nearest to Porto
Rico, is by far the most important in
is present availability for harbor pur-
poses, the Harbor of Charlotte Amalia
having been for more than a century
recognized as one of the best, if not
The best, of natural harbors in the en-
lire West Indian group, and having
been during that time central point
as a harbor of refuge and point of ex-
change for merchandise and a coaling
station for vessels from all parts of
he world.
Nearly the entire population of the
sland is clustered around the port Of
Charlotte Amalia, fully 10000 of the
1880 population living ir that city,
and less than 1000 being engaged in
agriculture.
The introduction of steam and cleo
.ricity within the past few years has
reduced greatly the Importance of st.
Thomas as a point for the distribution
Of commerce, since now all of the
Islands in the groups are visited by
regular plying steamships. The i'm
portance of the harbor, however, as a
supply. repair, coaling and naval sta
lion has not been reduced. but rather
Increased and with proper develop
ment it will, it is believed. prove Of
great value, while the productive pos
sibilities of the islands, especially st.
Croix in the class of articles so large
y imported by theUnited States, trop-
cal productions, will not be inconsid-
cradle.
The population is chiefly colored, de-
.scendants of former slaves who were
liberated in 1S4S, English being the
chief language spoken, especially in
the Island of St Thomas, which has
been for many years a resort for yes
sells from English-speaking countries.
The imports into st. Thomas alone
n 1900 amounted to $733,000, and
those of st. Croix about 1920, 900. They
consist chiefly of foodstuffs and manu-
lures. The exports of St. Thomas in
1900 amounted to about $25, 900, and
those of st. Croix $275,000. The ex-
ports of St. Thomas were of a miscel-
laneous character, largely manufact-
ures destined for neighboring islands;
while those from St. Croix were
chiefly sugar and other tropical pro.
ducts for the United States markets.
Of the 1888, 900 worth of imports into
st. Thomas in 1900, $500 266 were from
the United States; s14S,002 from Great
Britain, s9S.044 from other West In
lies S53,058 from Germany, s25,372
rom Belgium, $20,742 from British
North America and $14,402 from Den
mark. OF the imports, the most i'm
portant were -four, s53,770 cotton
goods, 0,343 hardware, s11.114:
um, s13,S72; cigars. s19,007; butter
and margarine, s16,497; cheese. 81
204; lard, $7,254, and other provisions.
21,12S.