The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-02-13
HOW U. 5. RULES
dutch POSSESSION
Sailing Vessels Obtaining
Recruits Has Ameri-
canized Island.

The beautiful little island of Saba
probably is one of the least known
of the West Indian group, and is to be
found marked only on maps drawn on
a large scale. 1t lies about twenty
miles to the northwest of the town of
Basserterre, st. Kits, from which
port there is a regular weekly mail
service by sailing vessel.
Passengers from New York to the
Leeward Islands are familiar with
the rock, for 1t is a recognized land
mark for southbound ships and is
generally sighted a few hours after
leaving st. Thomas, the newly acquir-
ed colony of the United States. Grim
and forbidding, Saba raises sheer out
of the sea, inevitably prompting the
question; Does anybody live on such
a place as that?"
Yet the little island which is twelve
miles in circumference, supports
population of about 1000 people and
is very interesting as one of the few
islands possessed by Holland in the
West Iidies.
Would not Know IL:
A Hollander on arriving at the
island might, however, find it diff
90 hot ha In, nf
the possessions of his country. He
would be able to salute his flag, and
in the persons of a small detachment
of soldiers and the Roman Catholic
priest, would be able to greet his fell
low countrymen; but there the Dutch
aspect of Saba ceases.
Years ago the custom grew up lin
all probability in consequence of the
color question views of America) of
United States schooners short of
crews in the West Indies coming for
recruits to the only island where the
captains could be certain of obtaining
white sailors. The result has been
the gradual Americanization of Saba
Man has followed man until the bulk
of the remaining population consists
of females, whilst family after fam
lily have husband, father and brothers
sailing out OF New York.
All over the world these Saba men
go, as the mailbag reveals, until it
is the proud boast of the island that
its sailors can be found in every port.
Naturalization naturally follows this
exodus, and then, as soon as possible.
a home is made upder the Stars and
Stripes.
The clannishness of the people is
wonderful, and the excellent condi-
tion of the houses is almost entirely
due to money sent from the states.
1t is the photographs of Taft, Roose-
welt, and Wilson that adorn their
walls; New York is the place towards
which the thoughts of the people
turn; and the American mail, is the
mail, in strong contrast to the small
bag containing perhaps half-a-dozen
letters from Holland. English is the
language used for all save official
purposes. American paper money
pours into the island by every mail,
and Dutch coin is hard to obtain.
Frequent applications are made to the
sister islands for Dutch money at
premium, and when visiting Saba re-
Gently, the writer was begged to bring
all the Dutch coin he could in ex-
change for American bills.
1t should, however, be said that
the people are in no sense disloyal to
their mother country, or ungrateful
to her for what she has done. 1t is
simply that Holland is so far away,
and her immediate influence on the |
inhabitants lives so small, that the |
vastly greater and more accessible |
republic to which their ,bread-winners
have gone has claimed and held their
interest.
Saba, indeed, raises the whole ques-
ton of the influence of the United
States in the West Indies, and serves
to remind us that, even in these days,
peaceful penetration still remains a
strong factor in international life.
Since the war with Spain, Porto Rico
has been a definitely American col
ony;the Danish islands of st. Thomas,
st. Jan, and st. Croix were recent
ly acquired by the United States;
American influence is paramount in
Cuba, whilst order has been restored
thru her Intervention in San Domingo
and Hayti, an island of infinite prom
ise. One sometimes wonders whether
the hosting of the Stars and Stripes
In other islands besides the ex-Danish
would produce any very vio-
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