Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-07-12

" HE American nag has recently
been raised over the Danish
West Indian group of islands,
the United States having agreed
by treaty to pay the Danish govern
ment $25,0O0,OOO for all Of the hold
ings of the latter country in the West
Indies.
On the map the West Indies are
seen as a string of islands, beginning
with the large ones of Cuba and Santo
Domingo, thinning out in midocean to
a 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 j. Haskin.
Only three of them are large enough
to have names on the map, and the
largest contains but 81 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
st. Croix. st. Thomas was settled by
the Dutch, who left it for New York.
Then the Danes took 1t, and the Eng
lish took it away from the Danes sew
eral times, but always gave 1t back be-
cause they did not want it. The Dutch
a. yt.,h nls a
small way over st. CroiX; then the
Spaniards 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 living there,
burned up their holdings and depart
ed. Denmark, thereupon got st.
Croix for the same reason that she got
st. Thomas, namely, because nobody
else wanted it. She has been losing
money on the islands almost ever
since; that $25,000,00O will be the first
profit that Denmark, as nation, has
made out of her West Indian colonies
In long time.
The history Of our own relation to
lne lluS Dtch iNl'N''NN
Of late. In 1865 Secretary of State
Seward offered $7,5000O0 for them, a
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 $5OO0,000. In 1916 we
Jumped at the chance to buy them
for $2500O,OO0, 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 Alasl-a, 27
cents for the Philippines and about
$35 for the Canal zone. Thus 1t Is
seen that colonies, like everything else,
are going up in price.
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 filled
with romance Of the Spanish main,
with pirates and privateers and douD-
looms and creole beauties. The islands
are Uttered with old cannon, ruined
forts and all the other stage props OF
swashbuckling romance.
Geologically, these islands are the
tips of badly swamped mountain
range. st. Thomas juts suddenly out
of the water, like swimmers head.
From it's highest point you can see
Porto Rico to the west and an anaz-
ing 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 a low, dense
growth of brush, which affords "hel"
ter for wild goats and deer, while
few cattle Craze on the open, Wind
swept mountain tops. The island IS
beautiful with vivid, unexpected
beauty-an ideal place to explore with
pony and camera. And the BULK
of it Is now serving no other purpose
than to delight an occasional wanderer
with an eye for the picturesque.
st. Croix, on the other hand, is
rich island. It contains "a square
miles of territory, large part or
which is planted in sugar cane. one
side of the island is fiat, 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 or
royal palms, and it boasts no less
than 20 automobiles. Long ago it was
favorite winter resort for Ameri-
cans, and the islanders believe that 1t
is going to become popular with tour