Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-23
ST. THOMAS NOT
AGREED TO SALE
Opinion Divided as tc
Whether United States
That Own Isle.

Correspondence Of The Associated Press)
ST. THOMAS. Danish West Indies,
Aus. ll.-Opin!on on the island Of
st Thomas is divided as to the de
STABILITY of the transfer Of the Dan
ish West Indies 10 the United states
as proposed in the pending treaty be
tween the United States and Den
mark.
That the chief foreign interests on
the island are opposed to the change
there seems no doubt. while there rs
10y no means an unanimity of opinion
among the inhabitants themselves
largely, IL appears, because Of the un-
certainty as to what use the harbor
of -. Thomas. the islands chief as
set, would bc put to under the pro-
posed new ownership. So far there
has been little discussion of the sub
icct. although not little astoniSh-
mCnt or resentment is freely ,N-
pressed because the inhabitants were
not consulted 10y the authorities in
Coperhagcn before the negotiations
had urogr, SSed SO far.
Cncaslncss among the people as to
the changes the transfer would ne
cc,sit@tc has to dc with the new laws,
TIA" system Of taxation and the in
PRODUCTION Of foreign capital that
would follow. but most of all with
the status of the splendid harbor.
with the possibilities and develop
Wcnt Of which the life and welfare
Of the inhabitants are linked. The
fear Is widely expressed that If the
harhor were turned into a fortified
base in connection with the Panama
canal Gefouses the department Of St
HFan. ..I d
hC iUtorforcd with or stopped. should
this condition result ii b. Gnqucs-
tnnablc that the responsible section
of tn" community would prefer the
islands 20 remain Danish.
Many Advantages.
n connection Wt'I tnis phase of
the question il is pointed out that re
Gently fine pier 1000 feet long, with
large warehouses. coal conyoyors a
Warcr supply and large stocks Of coal
and oil fuel and other facilities for
shipping, has been constructed by
Danish capital at a cost of mere than
81, 200 900. These and other in
proVemcnts had been effected in the
hope of attracting large amounts Of
shipping which IT was expected would
be lsirg the Panama canal, especially
that employed in the European trade.
AAif .NtAlIh ~ AilE IL AAAsAN hA ~ 1 ibhA' .
hut the prutraCted war in Europe has
proved serious setback After all
these preparations and hopes, the
present condition of the harhor of -.
Thomas is pitiable, it's trade being al
7 ost non-eNisteut, few steamers call
ing for coal and other supplies.
81. Thomas is the West Indian
headquarters of the Ilamburg-Ameri-
can line, which maintained during
normal times two wcll-equipped
dOcl.s with large quantities of coal
and other supplies, thus giving en-
ploymcnt 10 a large number of labor
ers and others The government in
return gave the line great facilities,
such as the transshipping ana the
storing of cargocs in transit i'm its
warehouses without customs nspec-
ton and other similar facilities. With
the transfer of the islands to tn"
Americans it is thought these facili-
ties might be abolished. 1t is even
asserted that tie officials of the
Hamburg american line have eX-
Pre- sscd the opinion that there is Il
possibility that their headquarters
viii he removed to the Dutch island
Of Curacao.