USVI Public Records

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ing on his part to see it accomplished. Tegucigalpa Honduras, Oct. 9th.—A new nation, having an approximate area of 100,000 miles and a population of 4, 000,000 will come into existence tomor- row, when the Governments of Honduras Guatemala and Salvador will cease to function, and the provisional Federal Council of those countries, will take charge. The new republic lies between Mexico and Nicaragua with Tegucigalpa as its Capital. The pact of the Unidn was signed eaily in January of this year at San Jose, Costa Rica by the three mentioned States and Costa Rica, whose national assembly rejected it later by a smmall majority. Nicaragua refused to sign the pact. on account of differences with its neighbour states about the inter- pretation of the Bryan-amborro treaty, which gave the United S ates special right for the constitution of a new inter- nceanic canal through its territory. VIRGIN ISLANDS FINE ENTREPOT; TRADE VALEE TO U.S. OVER- [LOOKED. By ADOLPH SIXTO. Situated at the northeastern emtremity of triangular formation of mountains and vallevs which stretch from Cuba to the island of Trinidad, enclosing a vast sea which covers the plains of the prehis- torie continent of Atlantia, lies a group of small and picturesqne islands to which Columbus, in obedience to the piety of his epoch, gave the biblical name of the Virgin Islands. Curiously enough, the best known of these insular virgins which form the subject of this sketch, is the masculine St. Thomas ~hich with its sister isles, St. John and St. Croix comprise the Virgin Islands, as gen erally understood. Abour them are many fertile and pro- ductive islands or islets and, akout 10 miles away, the largest of the British Virgin Islands. Beyond the fazr that the Virgin Islands St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, with their near dependencies, were tought from Denmark by the United States during the great war, very little is known about the newest acquisition of the territorial possessions of this great republic. The purpose of this sketch is to show why these islands were a barrain at 25,000,000, if they are proper- ly*exploited and developed by the Uri- ted States. Fifty vears before their final purchase this country negotiated for the aecquisi- tion of these islands because of their strategic position and the value of St Thomas as a coaling station That val- ue has been greatly enhanced since the opening of t~e Panama Cana! by an out- post for the defense of the canal. So much stress has been laid on this fea- ture that the comm>reial value of the is- S T. &2 01 X 4 Y 15 lands has been largely overlooked. But the Virgin Isiands have greater importance to the American business min than even the well merited interest which they eommand for the military man. St. Thomas lies at the ecrossroads of ocean traffic between the Atlantic and the Pacific. [h2 Atlantic ports of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and Europe are controlled as it were by the nosition of this island. For can‘uries th> magnificent harbor of this island sheltered vessels conducting the trade between Europe and the Ca- ribbean Sea and bzitween North and South Ameriea 3t. Thomas was for many yvears the headqua:ters and first western port of ecall of th2 Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., the Compagnie Gen- erale Transatlantique, the Humburg Ameriea Lin® and many o-her steam- ship ¢rmpanies. The West India & Pa- nama [elegraph Co. landed its transat- lantic cables at St. Ttomas, making this island th2 healdquarters of what was once th2 oaly and still the most impor- tant eahle comrany connecting Earope with the Tarvibean Sea. In th2 spacious warehouses of the beautiful city of Charlotte Amalia, the capital of St. Thomas, were siored goods to tne value of many millions, and her vearly importation for trans shipment through the West Indies, Central and Souch America, exceeded $25,000,000. Mzr2lans from Veanezazla, Columbia, Brazil and Cen:iral America, came peri- odiec lly to restock their stores. The principal comm :=cial streets where ex hibitions of Garman, Francn, Spanish, and British manufacture in pre-war days. -Thereis evary eonvanience forcom mercial *xpanszion there—telegraph and wirzless stations, telephone, electric liwht and power planis, marine repair- ing docks, extensive coaling facilities, hotels, large and extensive buildings, banks, insurance comypanies, and ex- tensiv: warahouses; climate of perpetu- al summear, and a popalatior commer- cially trained and speaking several lan- guages. Th2 business man of the United States, who avails himseif of these advaatages offered as an entrepot will find every advantage there by reason of elimatic and o_her coanditions, when he will be able to maintain a high standard of living, with wages far lower than those commonly paid for the same class of work in the United States. To the ship- ping man and the manufactarer who is interested in extending his export trade to the West Indies, Central and South America, St. Thomas makes a special appeal and offers io extend his commer cial interest. The largest of the Virgin Islands. and the most important from an agricultural point of view, lies about 40 miles south of St. Thomas. The island of St. Croix, is extensively cultivated in sugar cane for sugar manufacture and its towns, Frederiksted and Christiansted, are up- to-date and modern cities. Between these two there is a valley of level land many miles in extent, present- ing a beautiful scenery, magnificent, and can compete with any known health resort—being an excellent place for the establishment of hotels for tourists and others who seek rest and recreation =t any period. of the year. The isiand of ®t. John lving about 20 miles to the east of St. Thomas, also affords opportunity for the investment of capital. Sparsely populated, this island has splendid soil, ad ypted to the cultiva- tion of trojical produce and fruit for shipment to the Wnited States. Citrus fruits, bananas, cocoanuts, and many toc namerous to me tion are found there, and can be extensively cultivated for business purposes. Ithas foresis of valu- able hardwood and dvewood and there - are evidences of mineral wealth. Only a comparative small amount of 3‘-capital wonld suffice to put the whole . island on the proper exploitation and . give a .substantial return to the industri- . ous and wide awake promoter, I The inhabitants of the Virgin Islands, are law abiding and industrious. Aniong . them literarey is practically known. 1 Contact with people of different na- | tionality and language h:s given tkem | a charming urbanity. There has been | some f{friction with members of the . American occupation. but this is a cir- | cumstance that is being controlled bw the present administration, On the whole it is not observed as any disposi- tion 3of the Awcricans to oppress and cutrage a civil and courteous people. On the contrary, the American oceu- | pation is being wistinetly advantageous ' to the islands. The cducational system, though good in the past, has been im- proved. Free public libraries have been . opened. The hospitals are now second ' to none in the West Indies. There is better sanitation and the death rate has . declined. Natives of ability now occupy responsi- . ble positions in the local government. | But while the naval administration is producing such good results, the people of the United States have given little . attention to the Virgin Islands. Recognizing this fact they are in- ving the American enlerprising business men to visit their shores and satisfy | themselves, when they will be able to | point cut to then: and the ¢eneyal public | some of the valuable features of these | smail ktut important freiritories of the i United States. | The Manufacturers Con n creial Asso- . eciation ¢f St. Thcmas bad undertaken the auty of advertising the importance of these islands to the American penple, ' and has sent a representative to New York, who wiil be pleased to supply apy information about these islands that has not been covered in this brief sketch. —New York Commercial. Oct. Ist.