Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-23
UNCLE SAM IN THE CARIBBEAN. H-Why We Bought Them
By Frederic j. HaSkin.

an aI-round naval base Then too we negotiating
for naval Fonseca bay with Nicaragua while
it has Just been learned unocally that both Of the
principal parties Santo Domingo now willing to
States the right to establish naval
base of the excellent harbors o. that lsIano
The bay at St Thomas is not safe, either True its
mouth wide, but that mouth is open to
every hurricane blows. The one that struck 81
Thomas a ago planted a steamship high and
dry ought the safest corner of the haroor
also blew pieces the new coaling plant OF the
West company AID tore the whole waterfront
of the town The hills back Of the harnor are almost
bare. They about like the hills of Arizona while
the other side of the island is heavily overgrown Ii
should also be remembered that United States gun
boat which visited st. Thomas some years ago was
deposited by hurricane the main street OF teA
town. Even layman ventures to express the opnle"
that a harbor cannot 0onraasr$1 "aHSolatalE
safe"
Adjoining the st. Thomas harbor is another one Of
about the size having maximum depth of about
forty of nineteen. 1t is connected
with main harbor by a narrow, mud-choked pas
sage It is said that Sir Francis Drake had this pas
sage blocked because he chased Spanish gaeons
into St. Thomas harbor they always escaped by this
channe, between Water Island and St Thomas At any
rate could easily be made passable again
On the north and sides Of st. Thomas
eral other that appear to be excellent and
from hurricanes but nothing definite could
be about their depths Coral bay the island
of ST. John is said to be much better harbor than
Thomas and protected from hurricanes 1t is abso-
lutely unimprOved, and used only by few dshins
boats.
Estimates the value Of the island for fortifca
ton also vary. Some who ought to know describe
Gibraltar while others IL is too large to be
ideal At any rate there is point
the center island from which large could
reach the directions 1t probable thai
the island could thoroughly safe though prob
ably at greater than smaller and more
compact land mass
Once again. most o descriptions in
saving that ST. Thomas coaling facilities
For many years coaling a. Thomas
with the heads of and this
hand-coang is that has supported its population
Then the West India company installed modern coal
ing plant Forthwith a hurricane along and
ripped It pieces-a catastrophe which
greeted st. Thomas gift of Providence. They
have coaling with baskets ever since.
The other harbor equipment consists OF a marine
slip owned East Asatic and capable of
taking vessels up tons. floating dock
marine Slip a cistern and an ONCE building which
formerly belonged the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. company.
The use of. all of facilities apparently
stricted to the companies that then they
not doing much now. all present Appearances
Thomas a primitive port which Goals with baskets
and lands freight in lighters propelled by negro
oarsmen.
st. Thomas then. Il appears to the inquirtng lay
man. neither American Gibraltar especially
good naval 1t doubtless be a servtoe-
system Of defenses but its chief value
u that nobody else has 1t.