The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-03-08
our NEW ISLANDS
THE COMM ERciAL IMPORTANCE
OF DANISH WEST INDIES.

1 ~ 1rihOfN V&Si iN1i@os
Commercially the most important
feature OF the recently acquired Dan
I ish West Indies is the fine harbor at
Charlotte Amalie on the island of
St, Thomas, according to CONNER
cia1 survey OF the islands, just COM
lpleted by agents of the Bureau of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Of
the Department of Commerce. This
survey emphasizes the convenience
tof the harbor as a distributing cen
tier for all of the Lesser Antilles. II
lies on the direct line of communica
ton between European ports and the
entrance of the Panama Canal, as
well as in direct line for vessels ply
ing between the Atlantic ports Of the
two Americas or between the ATTAIN
tic and Pacific ports of these CONT
nents. 1t is 1,400 miles from New
York 1920 miles from the Atlantic
entrance of the Panama Canal and
$50 miles from La Guaira, the chief
port of Venezuela. Its location
commands the Virgin Passage to the.
Caribbean Sea, the easternmost gate
way to that body of water.
ST. Croix is the largest, wealthiest
and most thickly populated of the
three islands. 1t is about 40 miles
southeast of st. Thomas and has
large areas of very fertile soil. The
town of Christiansted, on this ISL
and was the sea of the Danish colo
ial Government, but Frederiksted,
with a much better harbor, is more
important commercially, doing ap-t
proximately 80 per cent of the import
and export business OF the island.
Sugar is the principal product OF st.
Croix, although some excellent sea-
island cotton is grown. The seem
cry is unrivaled in the Antilles,
though not SO typically tropical as
some of the other islands.
On the island of st. John is grown
the bay tree, from which is obtained
the oil used in the manufacture of
bay rum. The Bureaus report states
that the major part of the bay rum of
commerce comes from the Danish
West Indies.
The foreign trade of the islands
has not been of great importance.
Imports at st. Thomas for the fiscal
year ended March 81, 1916, were val
ued at $734,6S0, and this represents
about 20 per cent of the imports of
the three islands, OF this total, the
United States furnished $332,286
worth,the West Indies s91,74S worth,
Great Britain $SS,411 worth, Den
mark $50,77S worth, France S13,2S6
worth, Holland $12,601 worth, and
Germany $l,195 worth. The United
States purchased $273,625 worth of
goods from the islands in 1915.
The report issued by the Bureau
of Foreign and Domestic Commerce
is the work of three special agents
who stopped over on their way, to
South Americs One is studying the
Latin American markets for boots and
shoes, another the markets for cleo
trical goods, and the third the
markets for textiles. Each has a
chapter on markets as he found them
in the Danish West Indies. Boots
and shoes, apparently, are seldom
used by the average native, although
each has a pair for special occasions.
Natives of all ages are usually seen
barefooted. The market for cleo
trical goods is also limited, although
it is urged that electric fans can be
sold If properly pushed. Textiles.
however, are in good demand, and it
is in this line that prospects appear
brightest for the American manu-
facturer. Heretofore England and
other European countries have had
the cream of the trade. Lack of
interest on the part Of the American
is blamed for this con-
dition.
THE Danish West Indies, their
Resources and Commercial Import
ance," is the title of the SPACE
booklet on the new American pos
sessions. There are chapters, on
education. public works, transporta-
ton, agriculture and allied indus
tries, mineral RESOURCES, manufac-
turing industries, business conditions,
foreign trade, and the three special
chapters on shoes, electrical goods,
and textiles. There is also map
and a number of pictures. Copies
may be obtained at the nominal price
of Is cents from the Superintendent
Of Documents at Washington, D. c.