The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-07-12

Town and Asrbor
prepared by the National Geographic So.
ciety. Washington, D. Co.
The Virgin islands. bought by the
United States from Denmark In 1917,
TO which American marines recently
started 10 fly from Washington are
interesting and worthy Of consdera-
tion NOT only because Of their eventful
history bur also because they have
figured in many diplomatic negota-
tions and because Of their strategic
importance TO the United States in
Ezsas@ion 10 the Panama canal
~-1hat this group Of about fifty
sssnnds, only three Of which are big
enough to have q name on any but
photographic charts and local maps
and the biggest Of which one could
walk around In nine hours seems i'm
portant 10 our government may be
judged by the price it paid for them
We gave less than two cents an acre
for Alaska, less than three cents an
acre for California Nevada Colorado
and Utah, less than II cents an acre
for Florida, and under u cents an
acre for the Philippines. Even for
the Canal Zone we paid but S35.S3
pr acre Yet the S25.OOOOOO for the
group We paid Denmark figures out
more than $29j per acre for her hold
ings.
Authorities have disagreed as to
the area Of the islands. Even us to
the three main islands-St. Thomas,
ST. John and ST. Croix-there is no
agreement upon the question Of area.
In order TO get a definite statement
as TO their size, planimeter measure
ments Of them were made on hydro
graphic charts In the Offices Of the
National Geographic society, and they
show that ST. Thomas is 2S2j square
miles In area 81. Croix S4.25 square
miles, and ST. John 1897 square miles,
making a total Of lS2.47 square miles
for the three Islands. Some authorities
give the area as 1873 square miles and
others as l42 square miles.
Finest Of Harbors.
From the standpoint Of the United
States, ST Thomas Is the most i'm
portant of the group Of islands. This
importance arises from the fact that
the harbor on the south side of the
island on whose borders the town OF
Charlotte Amalie is located. IS one
OF the finest in all tropical America.
From the days Of the buccaneers Its
strategic advantage has been realized.
for when the Spanish Main was the
happy hunting ground OF the gentle
men OF the Black Flag this harbor
was their headquarters
The harbor is completely sheltered.
Outside is q roadstead partly pro.
tected by an outlying island. which
provides anchorage for a great number
OF ships Al It's mouth the harbor
is 900 feet wide, and one passes
through this narrow neck into u
beautiful basin, three-Quarters Of a
mile 10 diameter, whose waters are
seldom disrurhed however much the
sea beyond may rage. A trade wind
blows during the whole year with the
exception OF the hurricane months
August September and October-wheu
Il becomes irregular and sometimes
ceases 10 blow altogether The
greatest heat is experienced 10 August.
September and October but even then
II rarely rises above 9i degrees
Fahrenheit while at times lt falls as
low as CT degrees.
on three sides OF the harbor the
mountains and their outlying foot.
hills rise sharply from The water
leaving but q very narrow beach, SO
that the major portion Of the town
had 10 find room for expansion by
climbing up the side Of the mountain.
Just outside Of and above the town
are the two old towers. commonly
known as BIuebeari's Castle and
Blaekbeards Castle Legend has &c
that here these daring old buccaneers
had their headquarters and played
their romantic roles us "the hornets
ot the Spanish Main" but history
disputes legend, for u says that they
were built by the Danish government
as a measure Of defense IN 1889.
Views From the Heights
By climbing the mountain TO ANA.
pole within easy walking distance %;
Charlotte Amalie, one can, on a clear
day. ~; q view Of Porto Rico. 81
Crpi1. and Bequlcs. A little farther or
one reaches heights where Views. un
surpassed Ia all the CaribbcaD region
may be had ot Porto Rico 60 the west
and the Lesser Antilles 10 the south
The ives, lndlan.Panama Telegraph
company has q cable Office az Chnrlo;t,
Amalie. aud it was from this plac,
that the world got so ouch of lu
news during the spanish.Americu
war. as well as during the MarilniQu,
disaster.