The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-04-06
j. 5. flag FLIES
over new LAND
DANISH WEST INDIES NOW POS
SESSION OF AMERICA-CERR-
MONIES I.RFORNiEU.
OLIVER MADE GOVERNOR
Admiral VIII Rule Islands Until Con-
gress Elects-Denmark Paid
s25.OOO,O0O.

Washington, March 3i.-The final
act of more than fifty years effort
to bring the Danish West Indies un-
der the American flag was completed
with formal ceremonies at the State
Department to-day, when Danish
Minister Brun was handed n Treas
ury warrant for $4,000 900, the
purchase price, and wireless messages
were sent to the American and Dan
fish authorities at the islands to low
or the Danish flag and raise the Stars
and Stripes. At noon to-day the new
possessions passed definitely and
finally under the authority OF the
United States.
by giving you this warrant" Sec
rotary Lansing said as he handed the
paper to the Minister, 81 will save
you the trouble OF Transporting
forty-eight tons of gold. The value
OF this paper in coin would be equiv
alent to that weight"
Hands Over Warrant.
At IL o'clock Secretary McAdoo
ut a formal gathering of State and
Navy Department officials handed to
Secretary Lansing tho Treasury war
ant for s25.000, 900. The Secretary
# State in turn handed it to the Dan
&sh Minister. who signed four certi-
flcates OF receipt and four protocols
of transfer for the State and Treasury
Departments OF this Government,
the Danish Foreign Office and the
legation here.
Immediately thereafter the Navy
Department wirelessed Commander
Pollock. ranking American naval Of
ficer at tho islands commanding the
Hancock, as follows:
You may receive the islands In
the name of the Government of the
United States"
At the same time the Danish Min
lister wirelessed the Danish Governor
to give over the islands in the name
OF the King Of Denmark.
With the formal transfer the is
lands become known as the Virgin
Islands OF the United States, . des-
ignation chosen by the natives OF the
islands and adopted by the United
States Government. In all there are
fifty islands. only three large enough
to be OF Importance.
CT Thomas On the vnnat iyyn ~ Mt
and has one of the finest harbors in
the West Indies. The harbor will be
transformed into strong naval base
by the United States for the protec-
tion of the Panama Canal and for
general military purposes. st Croix
and st. John are the other two large
islands.
Warships Fire Salutes.
Formal transfer of the islands will
be tremendously carried out at st. |
Thomas. AS the Danish nag ia low
cred from Government buildings and
Notifications and the Stars and
Stripes formally are raised, salutes |
will be fired by the warships In the |
harbor and at the Notifications.
3 Rear Admiral James II. Oliver, |
chief OF naval intelligence at the |
Navy Department, is en- route to st. |
Thomas to assume the duties OF Gov /
ernor. having been appointed by Sec
rotary Daniels. He will serve until
"a permanent government has been
determined upon by Congress. Local
laws will be administered until Con-
gress has acted.
The $25.O00,000 paid to Danish
Minister Brun. II is understood. will
be deposited In New York banks,
Shipment of gold to Denmark at this
time is prohibitive, owing to high
marine and war risk insurance rates
and because Danish exchange is at
premium in this country and Amer
lean dollars at a discount in Dem
mark. II is believed the money
which will be placed on time deposit
will be kept in this country for some
time and probably legislation enact
ed in Denmark declaring the gold
as a legal reserve of the State Bank
OF Denmark. Should that be done
Denmark could issue currency
against the deposit.