The Benson signal., 1916-09-09
Are the Danish -
West Indies des-
tined TO become a
great naval base for V
the better protection of =
the Panama Canal Zone?


the Panama Canal Zone?
rSY~3F DENMARK finally cedes her
R West Indian possessions 10
%@ the United States, as she has
s@sGl threatened to do on several Oc-
casiOns, about 1873 square
miles will be added to the territory
over which the American flag flies, and
our government will come into posses
sion of one of the finest harbOrS in
the West I2dies-a valuable naval
base and cOaling station long coveted
by political and military authorities in
Washington. This is according to a
writer in the New York Times Maya
zine.
st. Thomas, ST. John, st. Croix and
the other tiny islands and rocks which
compose the Danish West Indies are
not intrinsically valuable. Their land
is poor, their crops are small, their
population Is becoming smaller year by
year; for several years their revenue
has been decreasing and they have
been financial burden to Denmark,
but they lie in strategic position with
regard to the Atlantic trade routes
leading to the Panama canal, and for
that reason they have potential value
In the scheme of defense which must
be worked out to protect that great
waterway against an enemy.
The chief surprise in Washington's
announcement recently Of the negOtia-
ton of a treaty with Denmark for the
transfer Of the islands to the United
States was the price-$25, 900 ,O0O-
which the convention fixed. In 1865
Secretary Seward offered $5,OOOOOO
for the islands and increased the sum
to $7,5OO,O0O two years later. In 1902
the Roosevelt administration agreed to
pay $5,OOO,OOO but the upper house of
the Danish rigsdag refused to ratify
the convention, which the United
States senate had ratified on February
II. Possibly Denmark will eventually
be willing to accept less than $25,OOO,-
900, for an influential element in that
country is anxious to sell the islands.
Moreover, the islanders themselves
apparently wish to improve their eco
nomic condition, and 1t is highly prob
able that they would vote to place
their future in the hands Of the United
| States. They voted in favor Of the
transfer SO years ago and they have
less to lose and more to gain at this
time.
The reasons that induced the
United States to try to purchase the
Danish West Indies toward the close
of the Civil war apparently hold good
today, with certain notifications. Dur
ing the Civil war the federal govern
ment had no naval base in the West
Indies, and when it was necessary to
refit warships on duty in the Caribbean
the vessels were compelled to take a
long voyage to find a shipyard. Now,
however, the United States has naval
bases in Cuba and Porto Rico, but
these are not considered sufficient to
guard the trade routes and the Allan
tic entrance to the Panama canal. San
Juan, the chief port of Porto Rico, has
q spacious anchorage, but unfortunate.
y LuC WaLCA 10 NOAhPAA oIANOAJ OAAoAAO"
and the harbor is suitable only for the
smaller class of war vessels.
On the other hand, the harbOr OF
Charlotte Amalie, in st. Thomas, is
deep enough to float the largest battle
ships without danger, and there Is an
other good anchorage called Coral bay
in st. John. With proper Notifications
naval men believe that st. Thomas
would provide a serviceable and vir.
tually impregnable base-a sort of
American HeIgOland in the Caribbean
The port of Charlotte Amalie has long
been one of the great cOaiing stations
of the world. 1t has shipyards, dry
\. docks and repair shops, and besides
= being a port of refuge it is the head
quarters for several lines Of passen-
ger and freight steamships. UndOubt-
edly the ports proximity to the Pana-
ma canal gives it an Importance which
may account for the high price the
United States is asked to pay for the
Islands.
1t has been said at various times
that Germany is opposed to the sale of
the islands, hoping that some day a
modification Of the Monroe doctrine
would enable her to acquire them for
naval purposes. Whatever truth there
may be in this statement 1t is certain
that the United States will allow no
foreign power to take control of the
Danish West Indies, even though they
are not brought under the American