Evening journal., 1917-03-03
ORR NEW NEsr INDIAN possrssroNs

A Ii. Deawareans followed with interest the nogo-
4 tatons which eliminated in the purchase by the
United States OF the Danish West Indies Tho price
demanded high. It is true but that was not per-
mitted TO block the sale
Now that the purchase has been made. it is we'll
that tho people OF this other States should know
in concrete way, what they received for the money
Commercially. the most important feature Of the re-
Gently acquired Danish West Indies is the fine harbor
at Charlotte Amalie on the island OF st. Thomas ac-
cordng to commercial survey OF the island just COM
pleted by agents OF the Bureau Of Foreign and Do
nestle Commerce. OF the Department OF Commerce
This survey emphasizes the convenience OF the harbor
as distributing center for all of the Lesser Antilles
It 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 continente II is
400 miles from New York, 1920 miles from the At
lantc entrance of the Panama Canal and $50 miles
from La Guara, the chief port of Venezuela Its loca
ton commands the Virgin Passage to the Caribbean
Sea. the easternmost gateway to that body OF water
ST. Crox is the largest weaithlest and most thiclSly
populated of the three islands II 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 Government but
Frederiksted, with much better harbor is more i'm
portant commercially doing approximately so per cent
is the principal product of St. Croix although some
excellent sea-island cotton is grown The scenery is
unrivaled in the Antilles though so typcaly tropi-
cal as some OF the other islands
On the island OF St. John is grown the bay tree from
which is obtained the oil used the manufacture of
bay rum The Bureaus report states that the major
part OF the bay OF comes from the Dan
sh 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, We're valued at s7346sO
and this represents 10 per cent or the imports
Of the three islands or this total the United States
furnished sS322S6 worth the West Indies S9 4S WORTH
Great Britain $Ss4il worth Denmark SCOTS worth,
France Sl32S6 worth. Holland $126O1 worth and Ger
many S11g5 worth. The United States purchased S273-
s25 worth of goods from the islands in 1915.
The report issued by the Bureau OF Foreign and Do
mestc Commerce Is the work Of three special agents
who stopped over on their way to South America
and shoes another the markets for electrical goods
and the third the markets for textiles. Each has a
chapter markets he found them in the Danish
West Indies. Boots and shoes, apparently are seldom
used by the native, although each has pain
for special occasions Natives OF all ages arc usual,
seen barefooted The market for electrical goods IL
also limited although it is urged that electrical fans
can be sold II properly pushed Textiles however arr
in good demand and IL is in this line that prospects an
pear brightest for the American manufacturer Here
tofore England and other European countries have ha
tho OF the trade Lack OF interest on the part
the American manufacturer is blamed for this condi
| ton.