, 1913-06-25

Conpany's work, at all events for the pres
ent, viii consist mainly in tie erection of
the Quay with its accessories and the for
nation Of a deep basin at It's front.
It may be that these two undertakings
will be sufficient for the requirements Of St.
Thomas, even though these should be IN
creased by the opening Of the Panama Canal
next year. We have always regarded the
estimates, which have from time to time
appeared, of thu influence of this unlouhttl-
" great event on th~e,prosperity Of the smaller
West Indian Islands as highly cOloured. The
lS'nu3s have at present nearly all that they
req lire III the way Of steam communication
with Europe and with North America, ana
their size puts u limit to the extension of their
powers of production, While they cannot aI
become stations on the route to Panama
either as places for repair or for furnishing
supplies. The French have quite recently
marked their appreciation of this latter fact
by granting to their West Indian Colonies
considerable sums for local Improvements,
while declining to grant anything for har-
bpur work undertaken with Il view to the
PauNma route.
1t must be admitted that if any island is
to be benefited by the obtning OF the Canal
it will be St. Thomas, which lies on the
nogth 81 le Of the Channel through which the
greater part of the European traffic
must pass. Our Home Government has
il view Of this traffic erected a lighthouse
at Hams Bluff St. Croix, to light the chan
mel, sometimes called the S0mbrer0 Channel
froA the small island Of that name, which
marks the approach to it from the open At
%lautic, and Is furnished with a powerful light,
sometimes called the AnegaIn Chtnnel from
the fiat island 40 named which lies on the
north side Of the channel.
Whether the steamers p passing through the
Channel will call at ST. Thomas or not will
depend on several factors which require q
good deal of knowledge Of the boats and the
way in which their traffic i4 Carried ON to
form an opinion for instance, will they
use st. Thomas rs q cOtlinE station, or will
they coal ut Colon and Panamt?
With regard 10 the revival Of the depot
trade of St. Thomas, it seems to us that the
present system of direct supply to the seve-
ri islands from Europe and North America
IS likely to continue. When the present
writer first made the acquaintance of S.
Thomas, about 50 wears ago, the leading
merchants there still had a considerable trade
with the Spanish islands, although complaints
were already heard that the business was
not what it had been. The decrease which
had then commenced has since been contin-
ued. The sailing ships have gradually
been supers -dad by steamers, and the ship
broking business was destroyed by the
telegraph lines, which enabled ships to
he chartered wlthoat delay III the port Of
Arrival, instead of coming to st. Th mas,
seeking, which was formerly u frequent
practice. 1t must not be forgotten, how
ever, that it is the steamship lines, especially
the Hamburg American aud the East Asiatic
Company's ships, which have made the con
tinued existence Of St, Thomas possible. 1t
may be, moreover, TINT some patriotic Danish
merchants may open wholesale businesses
in St. Thomas, and, in such case, these may
bring back some of he prosperity of former
days. In any case the work now started
cannot fail to be an immediate benefit to
the island.