Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14
ISLANDS u. S. NIGHT GET
In SETTLEMENT OF, DEBTS
Something About West Indian Posses.
sions of Nations Which Owe
America Billions.


Trinidad has an area approximating
that of the state of Delaware-about
1852 square miles-and Is chiefly noted
for its production OF asphaltum. More
than half of this product used in the
United States comes from Trinidad
Tobago, about twenty-five miles
north, has an area of ia square
miles. The chief products are cacao.
sugar and cocoanuts. Petroleum has
been found on Trinidad and this in
dustry is rapidly developing. The
french possessions. described before.
are noted principally for their sugar.
One of Senator Reeds contentious
that the United States should acnufra
the French and British possessions !,
the west Indies was that trade be-
tween these islands and the United
states was rapidly increasing, and
their development should properl,-/
take place under the United States.
statistics at the Department of Com
merce show that in 1921 the United
States exported $2S,S31,7s2 worth of
products to the British West Indies.
and imported goods valued at s15,loe,-
French possessions totaled S2,ss4,-
9S1, while imports from the same
source were valued at $99,23o.
Products OF West Indies.
The products of the West Indies are
familiar The principal commodi-
ties raised for export are sugar.
cocoa, cocoanuts, copra coffee, Sea Is
land cotton, bananas, some petroleum.
and, from Trinidad, rice. The United
States exports are confined principal
~ to farm machinery. automobiles
and trucks, horses, railroad construc-
ton and rolling material, coal ana
cotton cloth. One of the interesting
phases of trade with the West Indies
is that the bananas shipped to tn.
United States are raised and the crop
controlled by American interests.
Senator Reeds speech on wednes-
day-which he expects to continue
very soon-dealt largely with the
strategic value of the West Indian is
lands. He pointed out that the great
trade routes which come together at
the Panama canal pass within such
close proximity TO British possessions
that they might come under British
control. He went so far as to state
these possessions-with these of the
French-could be employed to Close
the Panama canal and the Mississippi
river. as well as dominate all trad,
routes to South America from the
United States.
Cut by L. S. Possessions.
1t is interesting to note, how
ever, that while the West In
dies, extending, as they do, in
southeasterly curve from the Baham-
as and Cuba to the island Of Trinidad
form natural barrier, through which
pass the trade routes to the Panama
canal, the insular possessions of the
United States go far toward separat-
ing the two extremes of this barrier
The route that passes between Cuba
and Haiti is more easily controlled
from. Guantanamo than from Jamaica
East of Cuba lie Haiti and Santo Do
mingo, two independent republics al
present under American control. East
of Santo Domingo lies Porto Rica, and
still farther east the three Virgin Is
lands, bought from Denmark-St.
Thomas, st. John and st. Croix. Three
of the most important trade routes
passing through the West Indies GO
between Cuba and Haiti, between Sante
Domingo and Porto Rica and through
the Virgin Islands.
Great Britain maintains two int
portant coaling stations at Barbados
and Kingston and a coal and oil sta
tion at Trinidad. The United States
maintains a coaling station al Porto
Rica and a coal and oil station at
st. Thomas. Government operated
radio stations are maintained on an
the United States possessions, III
Haiti. Santo Domingo and Cuba.
Three Small Dutch Islands.
With the exception of Great Britain
and France, the European possessions
In the Caribbean are confined to three
tiny islands off the coast of Venezue
la, owned by Holland. Great Britain,
however, retains two important pos
sessions in Central and South Ameri-
ca, British Honduras and British
Guiana.
In duOlLlOIl u Lie bdHdIldSs lllc -
lands of Jamaica, Trinidad. Tobagq
and Bermuda, the British control the
islands of Dominica, st. Lucia, Turks
and Caicos, Barbados. st. Vincent,
Grenada, Antigua, Cayn1an, st. kits
Barbuda, Nevis, British Virgin, Ant
auilla, Montserrat, Grenadines and
Carriacou, all coming under the gem
eral West Indian group.