The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-06-12
81. nor1Ao, WEST INDIES,


ST nsoe1Ao,
!" HE American flag has recently
been raised over the Danish
West Indian group Of islands,
the United States having agreed
Iby treaty to pay the Danish govern
iment $25,OOO,OO0 for all Of the hold
tngs Of the latter country in the West
Indies.
i On the map the West Indies are
aeen as string of islands, beginning
with the large ones Of Cuba and SantO
domingo, thinning out in midocean to
Ia few almost invisible dots, and then
emerging to the south again in the
larger French and English islands.
What we have bought from Denmark
are about fifty of these little pinhead
islands, writes Frederic ]. Haskin.
Only three of them are large enough
Ito have names on the map, and the
largest contains but "a square miles.
insignificant, however, these islands
ARE most interesting, and may become
important.
Two Embraced In the Virgin Group.
st. Thomas and st. John belong to
the Virgin group of islands, which was
discovered by Columbus, as was also
ISt. Croix. st. Thomas was settled by
the Dutch, who left it for New York.
Then the Danes took it, and the Eng
fish took it away from the Danes sew
eral times, but always gave it back be-
cause they did not want it. The Dutch
and the English also squabbled in
small way over st. Croix; then the
ISpaniards got hold Of it, only to be
driven out by the French, who gave
1T to the Knights of Malta. They, be-
ing unable to make a living there,
burned up their holdings and depart
ed. Denmark, thereupon got st.
Croix for the same reason that she got
ESt. Thomas, namely, because nobody
felse wanted it. She has been losing
money on the islands almost ever
since; that $25,OO0OO0 will be the first
profit that Denmark, as a nation, has
made out Of her West Indian colonies
lin long time.
The history of our own relation to
the islands has been much repeated
Iof late. In 1865 Secretary of State
Seward offered $7,5OOOOO for them,
vote was taken here and the people
were almost unanimous for the trans
fer. The bill then died in the senate
!cOmmittee on foreign relations. In
1902 we wasted an opportunity to buy
the islands for 100000. In 1915 we
I Jumped at the chance to buy them
for $25,OO0,OOO, and now the money
having been paid the islands are under
the flag. The price comes to nearly
$500 an acre, as against 2 cents an
acre which we paid for Alaska, u
cents for the Philippines and about
1886 for the Canal zone. Thus it is
are going up in price.
il Island Uttered With Old Relics.
This crude summary of the history
of the Danish West Indies gives no
idea of their real story, which is filed
with romance of the Spanish main,
with pirates and privateers and doub-
looms and creole beauties. The islands
are Uttered with old cannon, ruined
forts and all other stage props of
swashbuckling ROMANCE.
Geologically, these islands are the
tips of a badly swamped mountain
range. St. Thomas tuts suddenly out
IOf the water, like swimmers head
From it's highest point you can see
Porto Rico to the west and an amaZ-
4ng> amount of ocean all around
There is practically no cultivation, be.
cause all the people make living out
of the harbOr Fire and hurricane
have swept the island almost clear
of forest, but there is low, dense
growth of brush, which affords shell
ter for wild goats and deer, while 8
few cattle Craze on the open, wind
swept mountain tops. The island Is
beautiful with a vivid, unexpected
beauty-an ideal place to explore witt
d pony and camera. And the bull
OF it is now serving no other purpose
than to delight an occasional wanderel
with an eye for the picturesque.
st. Croix, on the other hand, is {
rich island, 1t contains "a square
miles OF territory, large part o.
which is planted in sugar cane. On.
side Of the island is fat, while minia
ture mountain range borders the 9th
er, rising steeply out Of the bright
tender green of the sugar fields, which
reach clear down to the palm groves
along the white beaches. This island
has fine roads bordered with rows O
royal palms, and it boasts no les
than 20 automobiles. Long ago it wal
q favor1te winter resort for Ameri
cans, and the islanders believe that 1
is going to become popular with tour