The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-05-02
OUR DANISH ISLANDS.

These Islands are ST. CIOlx, Ot. ooiH
and St. Thomas. The total area of the
three is about equal to six average sized
towns in Waldo county. They are in the
Caribbean sea 1850 miles south of New
York and about 1000 miles from the Pan
anna canal, The entire population of the
three islands is about 5000. President
Lincoln opened negotiations for the pur-
chase of them and at that time So, 0OO, QUO
was the purchase price demanded by Den
mark, Owing perhaps to the Civil war
the transfer was not made, and negotla-
tons were reopened by President Grant
and gain by President Roosevelt 1t was
not. however, till the 31st of last March
that they became the property OF the
limited States and the price paid was
s25. 600, 900. St Croix is the largest OF
the three and has about IA, 600 inhabitants
St Thomas is 40 miles north OF st. Crolx
and has about $4,000 inhabitants This
island is but little larger than lslesooro
and is Is miles long and about 2 niles
wide. St. John is the smallest and lies
some 4 miles east of St. Thomas Its
incubation is about 1000 and the lsiano IS
"a series of rocky hills which are covered
with bay trees which furnish the pay OIL
mead in bay rum. There is no harbor
worth mentioning and the roads on 81
John are merely winding paths. lraVe
IS on foot or on horseback. Al least w
,ner cent of the inhabitants OF these lsla no
colored. On the island of st. John
-4here are but two white land owners.
Swear cane is grown on St. Croix and ii
snasr mills, such as they are, are operated
I i++le If any sugar is exported. Most OF |
# is used in making rum. Nearly all the
real bav rum used in the world comes
from these islands. ST. John furnishes
most of the bay oil and St. Crolx fur
-nishes the rum, while the mixing, selling
and shipping of the same is mainly done
at s. Thomas. The climate there is
such that nature does not exact much
labor from the people. This fact and
nlenty of rum have together kept the
;slands in condition which renders them
IF little commercial value. Why, then
should the United States have bought
them? The immediate reason was that
if was believed to be unwlse to allow any
other strong nation to get them. Inc
shipping to and from the DANISH lsiands
finds its only harbor OF ST Thomas. This
harbor Charlotte Amalle) is 1lanAeo pS
HIGH hills which lie quite close behind IT,
The opening into the harbor is only nall
mile wide and inside there are depth OF
water and space to afford anchorage LOT
our nations navy. Charlotte Amalle can
he fortified by land defenses sufficient to
make it, with it's other natural aoVan-
4aoe. one of the greatest and strongest
naval bases in the world. The acqulsi-
ton Of this harbor is but provision Tor
the future. Our South American neigh
bors are growing rapidly. They have the
soil the minerals and variety OF produc-
ton which will enable them to make
wonderful progress in the year to come.
Our trade and exchange OF products with
these countries will be enormous. Our
foreign interests and dangers will become
identical. Charlotte Amale is half way
station between us and them. 1t is within
striking distance of the Panama canal.
When it becomes a great naval station,
as it some time will, it will stand as
protection to the safety of the Western
Hemisphere and a MANAGE to any eastern
foes that may threaten.