The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-21
COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE
 OFpANIsH INDIES.

Commercially, the most important l feature of the recently acquired Dan fish West Indies is the fine harpor at , Charlotte Amalie on the Island or st. 1 Thomas, according to a commerclal
 survey of the islands, just completed ,hv agents of the Bureau of Foreign ] and Domestic Commerce, of the De-. nartment of Commerce. This survey emphasizes the convenience of the Yharbor as a distributing center for all | of the Lesser Antilles. It lies on the direct line of communication between l European ports and the entrance of tthe Panama Canal, as we'll as Tn d.
 rect line for vessels plying between 1 the Atlantic ports of the two Amer i icas or between the Atlantic ana Pacific ports of these continents. IL ], is 1,4O0 miles from New York, 1,O2O [ miles from the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal, and 4SO miles from La Guaira, the chief port of venezuela It's location commands the Virgin Passage to the Caribbean Sea- the eastern gateway to that body
 of water. / sx
 St. Croix is the largest, wealthiest, and most thicklya populated of the three islands. It is about 40 miles southeast of St. Thomas and has large . areas of very fertile soil. The town of Christiansted, on this island, was the seat of the Danish colonial gov ernment, but Frederiksted, with a much better harbor, is more import ant commercially, doing approxi-l mately 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 scenery
 is unrivalled in the Antilles, though not so typicallg tropical as some of thSvsEssiSr aBlaK ds.
 On the Island of St. John is grown
 the bay trees, 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. Inn ports q St. Thomas for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1916, were valued at
 $734,680, and this represents about 70 per cent. of the imports of the
 thfee islands. Of this total, the United States furnished $332,2S6 worth. the West Indies $91,74s worth,
 Great Britain $88,411 worth, Den
 mark $50.778 worth, France $13,2S6l worth. Holland $12,601 worth, and
 Germany $1,195 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 America. One is studying the Latin American markets for boots and shoes, another the markets for
 electrical goods, and the third the markets for textiles. <, Each has 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 electri- cai goods is also limited, although it| is urged that electric fans can be sold if properly pushed. Textiles, however. are iii good demand, and it is in this1 line that prospects appear brightest flor the American manu- facturer. Heretofore England anal other European countries have had the cream of the trade. Lack of in- terest on the part of the American manufacturer is blamed for this con- dition. A
 The Danish West Indies, their Resources and Commercial Import ance," is the title of the 68-page booklet on the new American pos sessions. There are chapters, on ed- ucation. public works, transportation, agriculture and allied industries, min eral resources, manufacturing indus tries, business conditions foreign trade. and the three special chapters on shoes, electrical goods and tex tiles. There is also a map and number of pictures. Copies may be obtained at the nominal price of IS cents from the Superintendent of Documents or from the nearest dis trict office of the Bureau of Foreign i and Domestic Commerce
 The German Emperor has donated |