New-York tribune., 1920-10-13
Virgin islands
Trade With T.. S.
On the Increase

Marked increases in the trade Of the
Virgin Islands with the United States
are indicated in reports made to the
Department of Commerce.
During the first half of the current
year the total exports from the United
States to the Virgin Islands amounted
to s1,499,8 ,825, and imports into the ISL
ands from foreign countries to $780,
449, aggregating $1,800,274. Imports
into the United States from the ISL
ands We're valued at $1,035,456 and ex-
ports from the islands to all other
countries at S96,l66 or total Of
S1,131,62 This leaves a balance Of
trade against the islands of $66S ,652
for the first half OF 1920. against cor
responding balance Of $356,987 in 1919
and of S643,o83 in 1913, according to
the official exports and imports
These apparently unfavorable bal
ances, however, may really indicate
greater prosperity for the islands.
stores and fuel oil for bunkoring pur-
poses are not included in the official
exports, while all Of the oil and the
bulk of the provisions afterward sold
as ships stores are included in the
official import statistics.
The domestic products sold for pro-
visioning ships in harbor are minor
part Of the total sales of that charac-
ter The imports Of fuel oil from
Mexico (little being received from
other countries) imported into st.
Thomas in 1919 amounted TO 1869 ,015
gallons, valued at $207716, against
none at that port in 1918, and S,6l5 500
gallons, invoiced at S136,0l5, for the
first half of 1920
These values not only materially re-
duce the trade values against the isl
ands, but the increased imports actual
ly add to their prosperity in furnish
ing employment At the port of St.
Thomas for labor not otherwise IN dc
mand.
The price of the essential bay oil
and Of bay rum has been on the up
ward trend and there is practically an
unlimited market in the United States
England and the British West Indies
for all the islands can produce. The
industry, however, is unorganzcd and
has never been exploited to its fullest
extent. Properly developed it would
greatly add to the annual wealth of
the islands,
The export trade is practically mo
nopolized by the British. Barbados.
Jamaica and other British West Indies
TOOK LOO gallons Of the total foreign
export OF bay rum, amounting to 5.51 5
gallons in 1918; and the British West
Indies 67,416 gallons Of the total 1888
gallons exported to foreign countries
in 1919. For the first six months of
1920 the British West Indies received
1922 gallons, valued at s16,044, and
may have also received all or portion
Of the 805 gallons, worth $1,723. which
the monthly customs statements desig-
nate merely as "sold on board ships
i'm harbor," without indicating the des-
tination.
The designations Of other shipments
for the same period were: Denmark,
1850 gallons bay rum, valued at SO 1900;
Dutch West Indies, 3.071 gallons.
worth s3,414; Dominican Republic
2,5S7 gallons, at 1858; Hayti. S13
gallons, at s1.138, and Canada 25 gal
Ions, worth $o2. The United States
received only 6,249 gallons, invoiced
at S5,7s7, in the six months ended
with June. However, the bulk of the
alcohol shippod into the islands is from
this country