Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-23
UNCLE SAM TO
BUY A GIBRALTAR?
Denmark May Again Propose Sale
of West India Islands Coveted by
Germany-History and Romance
of the buccaneers Retreat"

4
" the commercial the historical and the
purely romantic points Of view Is the report
that comes from Copenhagen of renewal of
the proposition to sell the Danish West Indies
to the United States. Germany has long
coveted these islands, and indeed, the Ham
burg-American Line virtually took possession
of st. Thomas some years ago. Denmark has
been losing money on them year after year,
and the desire to shift the burden of these
overseas possessions to the shoulders Of the
United States is not new. But what the
islands need Is a market. From the United
States as profitable market they virtual
ly shut out.
In 1901 the Danish Government awakening
to the steady drain of the insular budget, Of
fered the islands of st. Thomas, st. John
and Santa Cruz to the United States at a
moderate price. A treaty of cession and pur-
chase was drawn up and signed by the pleni-
potentiarles. Proceedings in this direction
were brought to an end In 1903, when the
Upper House of the Danish Parliament re-
jected the treaty. The defeat was due to the
influence of the pro-German members of
the Danish royal family with Prince Walde-
mar at their head and the campaign was
directed from Potsdam or from Berlin,
cording to Stephen Bonsal or wherever the
German Emperor happened to be. Prince
waldemar and his friends celebrated the
victory with banquet.
What Would Germany Say7
"Our future is upon the sea-" said Emperor
William once upon a time. Before this war 1t
was preached in Berlin and Hamburg that
once the German flag was raised over st.
Thomas and Santa Cruz, Danish Islands, and
over the Curacao and Margarita, the strategic
and defensive position OF the German Empire
would be as strong as that Of the United
States and stronger than th9t of England.
Two or three times In the hast decade or
two German naval movements in the neigh
borhood of these islands have given concern
to the American Government. For various
reasons, Denmark has been unwilling to deal
with Germany, and the Monroe doctrine sur
wives. There is some interesting unwritten
history concerning the warnings which T.
Roosevelt gave to Germany when he was Pres
ident OF the United States. But German finan-
clers have sent out capital to the Danish
West Indies, and though their agricultural
enterprises have ended in failure, they con-
troll large coal deposits and other commercial
resources on ST. Thomas German residents
have made themselves very much at home
there and have proved on occasion very exas-
perating to the Danish officials
For warlike purposes, with reference to
the Panama Canal. the harbors Of these
islands would probably be the most desirable
in the West Indies Since a time before
the era OF the canal. our naval strategists
have been In favor OF the acquisition of the
islands. ST. Thomas has often been described
as the Gibraltar of America. Experts have
said that the island is virtually impregnable
The enclosing ridges and projecting penin
sulas have been declared to be fortihcations
in themselves. The port town, Charlotte
Amalie, has the best Of harbors, deep and
landocked on three sides.
The golden age Of the Danish West Indies
was the golden age OF cane sugar in the
eighteenth century. Today Santa Cruz is the
only one OF the group that can be said 10
have any commerce The principal articles OF
export are sugar and rum. 1t Is sometimes
called 'The Island OF Rum and Sugar" This
is the most American spot. by the way. In
all OF the West Indies The planters and farm
managers are mostly Americanized Irish, and
there are many ex-skippers Of Yankee origin
who have cast anchor there after the sea-
faring days. The population OF the islands
is steadily falling. The present population, all
told Is about 10000 hundred years ago
II was near $4,000. The laborers are chiefly
negroes, for whom emancipation came in 1s4s
The islands are ruled from Copenhagen
through the resident Governor.
The history Of these islands Is part OF the
great romance Of the American Mediterranean.
Columbus discovered st. Thomas in 1883
II came into the possession OF the Danish
crown as early as 1856 but Aftsrward was
held for two short periods by the British.
Il was a favorite resort for the OLD buccaneers
ana OF those bold outlaws OF the sea who
are known by the somewhat palmer name
OF pirates Morgan. Captain Kidd. Black
beard "RluebeaFds--thsse adventurous Il not
admirable ssa-aQga were frequent visitors
al 81 Thomas. among the principal sights
& tha nzos aza eRaekhsaEaa" caats -