The diamond drill., 1917-08-18
CARIBBEAN SEA CLOSED.

DIR. Griswold. who spent several
months on the Island OF Anglia, one
OF the Lesser Antilles belonging TO
Great Britain, talked entertainingly
and instructively to a reporter for
The Diamond Drill during the week
about the islands and their import
ance In guarding the Panama Canal.
DIR. Griswold went to the Antilles
\for the Rockefeller institute, his or
iginal intention being to acclimate
himself there for sojourn In the
Indian Ocean. He went first TO Trim
idad and was there taken very Ill.
When he recovered sufficiently to
thit-S OF engaging passage to the East
he ShAsked three boats in succession
that were torpedoed in the Medit-
erranean and he gave up the idea
OF going to the East. Receiving an
offer TO look after some work on the
Island OF Aguilla he went there with
the intention OF staying but a short
time, but remained eighteen months.
The Island Is eight miles wide and
twelve miles long. II has a popula-
tion OF 10000 negroes and one hun
dred white. It's sole agricultural pro-
duct is sugar cane which grows
'labundantly.
The soil is very rich but the ma
tives know only sugar cane and su-
gar cane Is III they will grow. Their
potatoes and other vegetables are i'm
ported, but bananas and tropical fruit
grow in abundance and form a large
part OF the food. The island belongs
to England, and about all the whites
on the islands are officers.
Lying in close proximity to this
Island are the islands recently pur'
chased OF Denmark by the United
States. Or. Griswold says that the
purchase OF these islands by Americs
effectually shuts out anyone but the
British, French and Americans frou
the Panama Canal. The harbors o.
most OF these islands are excellent
ones and in some OF them immense
fleets OF war vessels were stationed
but now that America has entered
the contest there are fewer English
and French vessels there, their plac'
es being taken by the United States
ships.
WheA DR.. Griswold was on the isl
and there was considerable agitation
over a threatened split between Eng
land and America. II was at the Tins
England started to open the mails
and in this way brought closer to th'
n islanders the interruption than it diC
20 the people OF the states.
The condition OF the natives is bad
Wages are scandalously low and thel
are ignorant and very shiftless. Thel
have little difficulty in getting sutf
4 cient food TO exc out an existence up
on ana little elne biouDies thNh' q
the white people were to live as the!
live in Michigan it would cost for
tune, as all edibles have to be import
ed. but the whites, after being on th
island few months, readily adap
themselves to surroundings.
From the island upon which he wa
y located DR.. Griswold could see Mar
Unique on the south, the island wher
the great Pelee eruption took place.
The new possessions OF the Unite'
states lie of to the northwest. an
DR.. Grslwold is of the opinion tina
this country made a wise investmen
when II purchased those islands.
They we're the only menace left II
the Caribbean section TO the Panam
Canal. In weak hands, such as tn
Danes, they were open TO the sam
fate as Belgium should they oppos
the passage of large and powerful
nation.