Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-30
Tines-D
TruUel0gues
Interesting Places Throughout
the World About Which You
Read Described in Word Pic
tures-PicturesQue hooks and
Corners Explored = =
ST. THOMAS. VIRGIN ISLANDS OF
THE UNITED STATES.

ST. THOMAS. VIRGIN ISLANDS oil,
THE UNITED STATES
ST. THOMAS. VIRGIN ISLANDS,
June .s.-Built upon three small hills
which are but steps to much higher
and more imposing mountainous
formation that ranges the entire length
OF the island, Charlotte Amalic, capital
and port city Of ST Thomas. Virgin
Islands of the United States. specks
the green background with uni
| formity of red-tiled roofs and white
walls to form beauty that Is unique
among the towns OF the tropical
islands so attractive is the picture
that passengers on the decks OF incom-
ing steamers, looking upon the scene
Tor the hrst time, are heard to exclaim
in praise OF the view set before them
ny the little town for the possession of
whose harbor the United States paid
S2a 600. 900
Other islands. which together with
ST Thomas formed the Danish West
Indies. were included in the purchase
price. hut not all OF them considered
merely as island possessions. were
worth the money. though Uncle Sam.
even with this being true. undoubtedly
made good purchase. For with the
acquisition OF st. Thomas he gained
one of the finest harbors in the West
Indies. and. at the same time. snatched
from Germany a firm foothold which
the kaisers government was RAPIDLY
settne in this standard. through
ST. Thomas. extending it throughout
tho Caribbean Sea
Fnst Spreading Doctrine.
BY operating with st. Thomas as 4
pase, fast strides were being made
by the agents OF the empire In spread
"a ha L.
bean Gertnany's commercial and polit;-
cal ideas and ideals. Throut;h the
agency of the Gcrman-American
steamship Lines. which company was
making St Thomas its chief port in
the West Indies. tho Teutons were
rapidly gaining the upper hand In the
trade OF the. islands and causing their
influence to be felt all through this
part OF the world. Their stronees
immediate menace. however. was to
the United States. because they had
set themselHs to tn task Of acuujr-
ing the Virgin Islands from Denmark
With these islands in their possession
they would have been a constant
threat TO the Panama Canal as we'll
as to Porto Rico.
Evidence Of the power OF the Ger
mans in the trade OF the islands is TO
be had from many sources A visit 10
the stores in Charlotte Amalie even
ten months after the Americans had
occupied the town. would reveal to an
investigator the fact that many OF the
stocks were filled with goods bearing
the label Made in Germany" In the
single drug store of the town for in
stance. the only adhesive tape. court
plaster or Seidlitz powders that could
De bought were those which bore the
stamp of German manufacturer.
st. Thomas itself gives the United
states another excellent harbor in this
part OF the world in addition to the
one at San Juan. Porto Rico. Lying
along tho chief trade routes to and
from the West Indies and South
America, st. Thomas is an important
commercial port HAVING harbor
which is we'll protected from the winds
and tucked in by hills that separate al
a narrow entrance, the port is an
IDEAL naval base. The harbor has been
described as being the shape of pear,
with the small part Of the ear as the
entrance TO the port. 1t occupies the
crater of an extinct volcano.
Protect Canal From Here.
with 81. Thomas as base. the
United States fleets can control the
operating throughout all the islands
with perfect security and providing
the best of protection for the Panama
Canal. The harbor will need 70 be
d"edCed in certain parts 10 make il
ideal for accomm odating a large num-
"
the port forms fine naval base
Resting close TO tho northern en-
trance to the Caribbean. ST Thomas
is Il most important port in the com
merciel life OF these southern seas
Practically all vessels plying their
trades through these routes must coal
a: s.. Thomas. /; has long been the
chief coaling spot OF the northern
Caribbean. supplying ships from all
parts Of the world. But even with its
prime Importance in this respect. st
Thomas has no modern facilities for
coaling ships, though a modern crane
for this work had been placed at one
OF the docks, only TO be destroyed BY
the hurricane of 1915. All coaling Of
work that gives the majority Of the
people OF Charlotte Amalie their
means Of livelihood.
There is to be seen no feature of
life in the Virgin Islands more pic
turesquc than the natives engaged in
the loading OF Il vessel with coal.
Hundreds Of men, women and children
upon their heads. these perspir!n-
blacks race along 10 the ship with the
eighty pounds Of coal that constitutes
their load. Huge stacks of coal are
TO be seen fifty yards from the ship.
The natives have their baskets filled
there. then hoist the load to their
heads. and run along, contcsting with
one another to see who can earn the
most For each basket which they
carry TO the snip they are paid cents.
Since the war the natives have suffered
from lack OF vessels to coal and ST.
Thomas. therefore. is scinG hard times
II former times there were as many
Tint +mm Mxns,