The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-03-15
HARBOR Big FEATURE
Greatest Value, Commercially, of
New u. S. Islands.
tributIng Center for All Of
Lesser Antilles.

When Uncle Sam bought the Danish
West indies, the most important thing
that he acquired, from a commercial
viewpoint, government commercial
agents say, was the fine harbor at
Charlotte Amalie on the island of st.
Thomas. A survey made of the islands
by agents Of the United States bureau
of foreign and domestic commerce,
emphasizes the convenience of the
harbor as a distributing center of all
Of the Lesser Antilles. 1t lies on the
direct line of communication between
European ports and the entrance Of
the Panama canal, as well as in direct
line for vessels plying between the
Atlantic ports Of the two Americas or
between the Atlantic and Pacific ports
of these continents. 1t Is 1,4OO miles
from New York, 1920 miles from the
Atlantic entrance Of the Panama
canal, and 48O miles from La Guaira,
the chief port Of Venezuela. It's loca-
tion commands the Virgin passage TO
the Caribbean sea, the easternmost
gateway to that body of water.
st. Croix is the largest, wealthiest,
and most thickly populated of the
three islands. 1t Is about forty 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
much better harbor, Is more important
commercially. doing approximately 80
cont nf tho INN -.
ness OF the island. Sugar Is the prin-
cipal product of st. Croix, although
some excellent sea-island cotton ia
grown. The scenery Is unrlvaled 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 com.
merce 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 end.
ed March 81, 1918, were valued al
S734.6SO, and this represents about &c
per cent of the imports of the three
Islands. or this total, the United
States furnished $780,, ,2S6 worth. the
West Indies S91,74S WORTH Great Brit.
ain $SS,411 worth, Denmark S5O,77s
worth. France $13,2S8 worth, Holland
$l2,6O1 worth, and Germany S1,19s
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 Latir
American markets for boots and shoes
another the markets for electrical
goods, and the third the markets foI
textiles. Each has chapter on mar.
kets as he found them in the Danish
West Indies. Boots and shoes, an.
parently, are seldom used by the av.
erage native, although each has pail
Tor special occasions. Natives of all
ages are usually seen barefooted. The
market for electrical goods is also linn
lted, although 1t Is urged that electric
fans can be sold If properly pushed
Textiles. however, are In good de-
mand, and 1t is In this line that pros
poets appear brightest for the Ameri
can manufacturer. Heretofore Eng
land and other European countries
have had the cream OF the trade. Lacb
or interest on the part of the Ameri.
can manufacturer is blamed for thi,
condition.