Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1902-04-04
DANISH WEST INDIES.
The VALUE OF THE ISLANDS
LIES IN THEIR HARBoRs.
st. Thomas is thee Best Known Of the
country's Latest lnsular Acquisi-
tions-PopuIation is Chiefly Color
ed Descendants of Former Slaves.

ed Descendants of Former Slaves.
"The Danish West Indies is the
title of a monograph by the Treasury
Bureau of Statistics whichwill appear
rs part of the Forthcoming issue OF
rhe Monthly Summary of Commerce
and Finance. 1t describes the islands
included in the recently ratified treaty
Of the United States and Denmark by
which the Islands of st. Thomas, st.
Iohn and st. Croix are to be transfer
.ed to the United States.
St. Thomas is the best known of the
sroup, Les 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
IF 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
directly between Porto Rico and this
aewly added group.
The islands are small, with a cam
oaratiyely small producing capacity,
heir chief Importance being by reason
Of Che harbors which they offer and
heir value as strategic as well as
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-
iuctive of the islands, considerable
area being devoted to the production
Of sugar cane and tropical fruits, and
Agriculture being the occupation of
large 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
island 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 a population of only
about 1000, and a comparatively
small cultivation area, it's chief value
being in its possibilities for harbor
purposes, the natural harbor of Coral
Bay beng described as one of the best
protected natural harbors in the West
lndies, but at present little used. st.
Thomas, which lies nearest to Porto
It's 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
he best of natural harbors in the en-
tire West Indian group, and having
been during that time central point
as harbor of refuge and point of ex-
change for merchandise and a coaling
station for vessels from all parts of
the world.
Nearly the entire population OF the
lslan1 20 Clustered around Ia. -.
Charlotte Amalia, fully 10000 of Il
1880 population living ir that e.
and less than 1000 being engaged in
agriculture.
The Introduction of steam and cleo
tricity within the past few years has
reduced greatly the importance of st.
Thomas as 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
ton 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
ly imported by theUnited States, trup-
ical 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 resort for yes
sells from English-speaking countries.
The imports into st. Thomas alone
in 1900 amounted to $4,000, and
those of st. Croix about s420, 900. They
consist chiefly of foodstuffs and manu-
lures. The exports of st. Thomas in
1900 amounted to about $4,000, 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 $4,000 worth of imports into
st. Thomas in 1900, $685., 266 were from
the United States; $14S,002 from Great
Britain, $9S,044 from other West In
dies, $53,O5S from Germany. $25,372
from Belgium, s20.742 from British
North America and $14.402 from Den
mark. OF the imports, the most i'm
portant were -four. s53,770; cotton
goods, $60,S43; hardware, $11.114;
'um, sl3,S72; cigars. s19,O07; butter
and margarine, $16.497; cheese, ST.
204; lard, s7,254, and other provisions.
b21.12S.