Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-05-26
Town and Harbor of Charlotte Amalle.

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. c.
The Virgin islands, bought by the
United States from Denmark in 1917,
to which American marines recently
started to fly from Washington are
interesting and worthy of considera-
tion not only because of their eventful
history but also because they have
figured in many diplomatic negotia-
tions and because of their strategic
importance to the United States in
relation to the Panama canal.
That this group of about fifty
islands, only three of which are big
enough to have a 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 to 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 IA cents an acre
for Florida, and under 27 cents an
acre for the Philippines. Even for
the Canal Zone we paid but $35.83
per acre. Yet the $25,0O0,0O0 for the
group we paid Denmark figures out
more than 1895 per acre for her hold
ings.
Authorities have disagreed as to
the area Of the islands. Even as to
the three main islands-St. Thomas
st. John and st. Croix-there is nc
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 2S.25 square
miles in area, st. Croix 84.25 square
miles, and st. John 1897 square miles
making a total Of 132.47 square miles
for the three islands. Some authorities
give the area as 138 square miles ant
others as 142 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 thai
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 it,
strategic advantage has been realized
for when the Spanish Main was the
happy hunting ground Of the gentle
men of the Black Flag this harbol
was their headquarters.
The harbor is completely sheltered
Outside is a roadstead partly pro
tected by an outlying island, which
provides anchorage for great number
of ships. At it's mouth the harbol
is 900 feet wide. and one passes
through this narrow neck into {
beautiful basin, three-quarters Of {
mile in diameter, whose waters ar,
seldom disturbed however much thu
sea beyond may rage. A trade wine
blows during the whole year, with tn,
exception Of the hurricane months
August, September and October-wheI
it becomes irregular and sometime
ceases to blow altogether. Tn,
greatest heat is experienced in August
September and October; but even thel
it rarely rises above 81 degree
Fahrenheit, while at times it falls a
low as "a degrees.
On three sides of the harbor tn
mountains and their outlying foot
hills rise sharply from the water
leaving but a very narrow beach; 81
that the major portion Of the tow
had to find room for expansion b,
climbing up the side of the mountain
Just outside of and above the tow
are the two old towers, commonl.
known as Bfuebeard's Castle AM
Blackbeard's Castle. Legend has /
that here these daring cid buccaneer
had their headquarters and playe'
their romantic roles as ''the hornet
| of the Spanish Main;" but histor.
disputes legend, for it says that the,
were built by the Danish government
as a measure Of defense In 1889.
Views From the Heights.
BY climbing the mountain to Anna
pole, within easy walking distance o
Charlotte Amalie, one can, on clea
day, get a view Of Porto Rico. 81
Croix, and Bequies. A little farther o.
one reaches heights where views, un
surpassed In all the Caribbean regior
may be had Of Porto Rico to the ives
and the Lesser Antilles to the south
The West Indian-Panama TELEGRAPH
company has a cable Office at Charlott
Amalie, and 1t was from this plac
| that the world got SO much of 1t
news during the Spanish-Amertcal
war, as well as during the Martiniqu
disaster.