New-York tribune., 1902-02-22
DANISH WEST INDIES.
.co,1rERCE OF THE ISLANDS RECENTLY
CFDED TO THE UNITED STATES.

washington. Feb. z Cspecial).-"The Danish West
s,es, Is the title Of a. monograph by the Treas
- ,s-rrssu Of Statistics which viii appear as a
= n the forthcoming issue OF The Monthly Sum
- n Commerce and Finance" It describes the
,e.-ss included IN the recently ratified treaty of
- T-1i-ed States and Denmark. by which ST
--.o-,as ST. John and St Croix are to be trans
s.r-ed n the United States. These islands. It
tovvs lie OF the eastern coast of Porto Rico. and
,s in fact. mere extension Of the marine eleva-
- NJ which Cuba, Jamaica, Hayti and Porto Rico
re the principal representatives. while they also
s--r 4 connecting link between the Greater and the
resser Antilles. ST. Thomas, the best known of
ne group. lies thrry-eight miles due east Of the
o-tbeastern extremity Of Porto Rico: St John lies
we've miles east Of St Thomas. while St. Croix
les about fifty miles south Of st. John and St
r-,on7ss and sixty miles southeast Of the south
a,sre-1 point OF Porto Rico Two small islands al
-ss5v belonging 10 the United States. Vieques and
c1lebra. which were obtained through the cession
- Porto Rico. lie directly between Porto Rico and
-bis newly added group.
The Islands are small. with a comparatively small
-oduciug capacity, their chief importance being by
esson OF TIE harbors which they offer and their
rzlue as 8 strategic as well as general commercial
-oint St CroiX. the largest Of them. is about
-u7enty miles long and from TO five miles wide
with an area OF about eighty square miles and a
,oDulat.on Of about twenty thousand. II Is also
me most productive OF the islands. a considerable
area being devoted the production OF sugar cane
end tropical fruits. and agriculture being the
nation 0f a large proportion OF the population
There are two towns on the island-Frederiksted
nth population Of 500 and Christiansted. with
nopulat1on Of 800 The latter is the chief har
nor Of the island. which. however. is choked with
md and IS OF less Importance than the harbors
n either OF the other islands. st. John. the small
sst Of the Islands, has an area OF about twenty
one square miles. a population OF only about one
thousand, and a comparatively small cultivaoe
area chief value being in its possibilities for
bsrbor purposes, the natural harbor Of Coral Bay
bsng described OF the best protected natural
hsrbors IN the West Indies but at present little
used St. Thomas. which lies nearest TO Porto Rico,
h bT far the most important in its present avail
ability for ha-hOr purposes. the haroor OF Charlotte
ArnaIe having been for more than century recog-
uzed as one OF the best. II not the best. natural
hsrpors In The entire West Indies. and having been
al that time q central point 4 haTbOr OF refuge
and boint Of exchange for merchandise and coaIing
station for vessels from al parts Of the world With
passages through which IL IS easily reached. good
depth OF water and excellent protection from the
hurricanes which that region is subject, it has
long been regarded as an extremely valuable har-
Dor, and when Denmark IN the early part Of the
nineteenth century. made IL free port, It became
the distributing point for the commerce OF the en-
tire West Indian group. As a consequence nearly
The entire population OF the island is clustered
around the port OF Charlotte Amaue, fully 10,OeO
a the Z 800 population living in that city and less
than ZOO being engaged in agriculture
he last Few years has reduced greatly the import
gnce Of ST. Thomas point for the distribution
of commerce. since all OF the islands in the
Group visited by regularly plying steamships,
and The trade supplied by this process, instead OF
heing compelled rely on the supplies formerly
drawn SrOm St. Thomas distributing point
The importance Of the harbor. however, as a sup
ply. repair COaling and naval station has not been
reduced but rather increased, and with proper de-
reiopnenr Il will 1t is believed, prove Of great
value, while the productive possibilities Of the isl
snds especially St Crox. IN the class OF articles
60 largely imported by the United States-Iopi-
ca pToductionsWl not be inconsiderable. The pop
ulatton IS chiefly ColOred. descendants Of former
slaves, who were liberated n 1s4s, English being
the chief language spoken, especially in the island
OF ST. Thomas, which has been for many years a
resort for vessels rom Englishspeakng countries
TIE IMPORTS into st. Thomas alone n 1900 amount
Cd s753.o9, ana those Of St Croix about $4,000
They consist chiefly Of fOodstu1s and manufactures
The EXPORTS Of st. Thomas n $3.50 amounted 70
S5 900 and those OF St Crotx S2750o0. The
exports OF St Thomas were OF a miscellaneous
largely manufactures destined for neigh
boring islands. while those from ST; Croix were
chiefly sugar and other tropical products for the
United States markets. OF the 90 worth OF i'm
ports INTO St Thomas IN 1890. 63,256 were from
the United States S14S 002 from Great Britain 8044
from other West India islands. $53 058 from Ger
many, S25.g72 from Belgium. 500 742 from British
North America ard Sl+..o2 from Denmark. OF the
the important -four, SSS,70i cot
goods. $685. hardware. S1.1l4; rurn- Sl5Sl2i
cigars. SIS o7 butter and oleomargar1ne, Sl64s7;
cheese. $780, lard, S,254 and other provisions,