The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-18

found shelter from the open -, an4,
were well screened from the atoht A
passing ships until the moment came
to pounce down upon them. In more
recent times 1t has played the role of
safe harbor for the thousand Of yes.
sells bound from Europe to Panama
and surrounding Territory, or vice
versa, With free port where re-
pairs. ships stores, and coal might be
had. upon which there had been no
levy of tariff duties, the shipping
world found the harhor OF Charlotte
Amalie an attractive waystation on
most Of its Caribbean routes,
',rhe result was that agriculture IN
St Thomas fell into decay. and, near
ly ali OF the activities of the islands
population was devoted to the Inter-
ests Of its harbor, and one Of the
fines. coaling stations in the tropi-
cal world was esta blished there.
In addition to the coaltnk station
there is floating dry dock and a ma
rine slip, where splendid repair Ia
cilitias are provided.
''As long as these facilities were IN
demand s.. Thomas was a fairly proa-
porous island Men and women alike
found it easy to get employment. At
least for a part Of the time. at what
was 10 them a living wage. which was
one cent per basket OF. coal, weigh
inc from SIS TO 100 pounds. Some
carried as many as two or three hum
dred baskets during the fous or Ave
hours required TO coal a ship. When
not doing this work, they found con-
siderable employment discharging
coal from freighters which brought
1t to St Thomas.
But then came the war in Europe
and all was changed. The steamships
Of Germany, which made continual
use Of the harbor OF St Thomas, were
dri1cn from the seas, and where for-
merry all was business and enterprise.
only now and then a ship found its
way into port. and the people OF st.
Thomas, their agriculture neglected
for years. found themselves unable to
gain living. either from the land or
from the sea.
The history Of the Danish West
Indies IL full of inter est, Columbus
found ST Thomas inhabited by Carihs
and KS in fa3. In 1857 a colony
OF Dutch settlers occupied the island.
hut when they heard OF New Anister-
dam now New York. they left 1t to
become a part of the new colony with
;strcir a remarkable future, ahead of it.
The English came TO St. Thomas next
hut In 1855 ii was formally taken over
/ ny the Danish crown. In 1854 the
king of Denmark took the govern
nent into his own hands and threw
the port OF Charlotte Amalie open.
duty free, TO all nations. In 1901 the
British took the island from the
Danes. but restored it after ten
months Again, in 1907. Britain took
possession Of ST Thomas. but return
. ed u in the readjust ments growing
out Of the Napoleonic wars In 1915
ST Croix was settled by Dutch and
/ English. hut they auarreled and the
Dutch hal 20 get our in 1880 The
English in their turn were driven out
by the Spariards. Then the French
! from 81. kits took a hand and ex-
PEELED fha Span!ards France gave
the island To the Knights OF Malta.
, hut after prolonged. but losing eff
fort to put II on a profitable basis.
the knights. IN iT29. demolished their
forts abandoned the island. and re-
moved to Santo Domingo. In l7s7
! the French Captured eight British yes
sells lying there and took possession
OF the island again, finally selling IL
To King Christian of Denmark