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E Glass Book_-- LL X . 0^^^ MADE PUBLIC JANUARY 23, 1917. 64th Congress, 1 SENATE—IN EXECUTIVE / Report on 1st session. J SESSION. JEx. D, 64-1. ^ CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. September 5, 1916.—Submitted and ordered to be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate. September 7, 1916.—Ratification of convention advised. January 23, 1917.—Injunction of secrecy removed from convention and report. Mr. Stone, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted the following REPOET. [To accompany Executive D, 64-1.] The Committee on Foreign Relations, which has had under con- sideration a convention (Executive D) between the United States and Denmark respecting the cession of the Danish West Indian Islands to the United States, signed at New York August 4, 1916, report the said convention to the Senate with the recommendation that the Senate advise and consent to its ratification, subject to the provisos set forth in the resolution of ratification hereto attached. The convention provides for the cession to the United States by- Denmark of the Danish West Indies, consisting of the islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix (or Santa Cruz). The islands of St. Thomas and St. John are a part of the Virgin Islands, so named by Christopher Columbus. This chain of islands, as stated by Reclus, forms a prolongation of Porto Rico, but bends somewhat to the northeast before joining the Lesser Antilles. The island of .St. Thomas lies about 36 miles east of Porto Rico, St. John being immediately east of St. Thomas. St. Croix is situated about 40 miles south of St. Thomas in the Caribbean Sea. ST. THOMAS. St. Thomas, notwithstanding its small size, is the most important of the Danish West Indies, not only because it is an important coaling station and depot of trade with the West Indies, but because of its excellent harbor, hereafter referred to. St. Thomas is 12 miles long east and west, and from 1 to 3 miles broad. Practically all of the inhabitants live in the town called Charlotte Amalie, situated midway of the island on the south side. The only article of export is a small quantity of bay rum. ^"^^ ^~ £"7^s CESSION" OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. I/C ^4 « THE HARBOR. St. Thomaslias a small interior harbor, completely sheltered, which will accommodate many vessels. Outside the harbor, on the open coast, and in a roadstead partly sheltered by an outlying island, is a good anchorage for a great number of ships, and this anchorage is, during almost the whole year, sufficiently smooth to admit of ships ATLANTIC OCEAN '^^3b Island O ' ^ 5f. Croix > CARIBBEAN SEA o e en 'O ^ 9 SOUTH AMERICA coaling and taking in stores. The harbor is near the middle of the south shore of the island, and its entrance at the narrowest part is H cables (900 feet) wide, from whence it spreads out on either side to a basin about three-quarters of a mile in diameter, and, being open to the southward, is at all times free of ingress and egi;ess with the pre- vailing trade wind. ST, JOHN. This island is 8 miles long east and west and of irregular breadth. Its area is about 40 square miles, and it contains 915 inhabitants. It occupies an excellent position near St. Thomas, and its port of Coral Bay on the cast side is said to be the best harbor of refuge in the Antilles during cyclones. ST, CROIX, St, Croix, so named by Columbus, is situated 40 miles south of St, Thomas, and 65 miles from Porto Rico. It is the largest of the Danish West Indies, and its canital. It is 19 miles long, of irresular breadth, D« pjf D. F£B i 19117 ,«. CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 3 ; and contains 51,890 acres, of which over 16, ()()() acres are devoted to .the cultivation of sugar. Christiansted, commonly called the Basin, ^ is the capital city, and is situated at the head of an inlet on the north u side. Frederikstead, the second largest town on the island, is situated on the west coast, and hotli towns are connected with the surround- ing villages by good roads. There is a small harbor at Frederik- stead, and a larger one at Christiansted, not capable, however, of receiving many vessels. The Danish West India Islands are inhabited mostly by free negroes engaged in the cultivation of sugar cane. TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES. During the year 1915 the Danish West Indies exported to the United States merchandise to the amount of $350,822, of which $311,002 was in sugar. During the same year the United States exported to the Danish West Indies articles to the amount of $703,354. The following table gives these imports and exports in detail for the years 1914 and 1915: Quantities. 1914 1915 Values. 1914 1915 WEST INDIES—DANISH. Imports frovi. Articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States, returned Hides and skins (except fur skins), raw or uncured: Goat, dry lbs . . All other lbs . Spirits, wines, malt liquors, and other beverages: Spirits, distilled pf. galls . All other Sugar—Cane lbs. , Wood, unmanufactured—Cabinet woods All other articles 9,054 14,665 7,818 17, 146 27, 996 3,034 $14, 499 2,680 2,231 5,452 440 7,119,874 10 '4,"562' Total imports . Exports to. Domestic exports: Breadstuffs Bread and biscuit lbs. Corn bush. Corn meal bbls. Wheat flour bbls. All other Cars, carriages, other vehicles, and parts of Chemicals, drugs, dyes, and medicines Coal—Bituminous tons. Cotton, manufactures of Cloths- Colored yds. All other yds. Wearing apparel All other Fish- Dried, smoked , or cured lbs . All other Fruits and nuts Iron and steel and manufactures of— Machinery, machines, and parts of— Mining machinery Pumps, and pumping machinery All other All other manufactures of iron and steel Ivcather and tanned skins, and manufactures of— Leather and tanned skins 85,016 5,199 15,369 21, 472 90, 105 182, 752 41,761 29,374 100, 184 5,851 14, 754 21,070 37,786 I 107, 913 28, 422 199,816 ! 158,120 4,887 4,513 54, 772 91,347 6,994 6,711 10, 095 259, 293 12,056 3,996 11,849 4,920 8,291 3,710 5,442 19 749 9, 113 23, 105 5,112 $13, 426 5,358 4,939 1,880 200 311, 002 7,012 7,005 350, 822 6,181 5,379 56, 993 116,632 11, 176 4,170 10, 621 117,631 7,647 2,931 6,722 3,340 7,797 4,176 4,605 24,045 5,562 3,510 16,471 4,490 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. Quantities. 1914 1915 Values. 1914 1915 WEST INDIES—DANISH—contiaued. Exports <o—Continued. Domestic exports—Continued. Leather and tanned skins, and manufactures of—Contd. Boots and shoes Children's pairs. , Men's pairs. Women's pairs. Meat and dairy products- Beef products Oleomargarine, imitation butter lbs. Beef lbs. . Hog products- Hams and shoulders, cured lbs. Lard lbs. Pork, pickled lbs. Lard compounds and substitutes for lard lbs. All other meat products Butter lbs. Cheese lbs. Oils- Mineral, refined or manufactured Gas oil and fuel oil galls. Illuminating galls. Lubricating and hea^T paraffin galls. . Naphthas, etc.—Gasoline galls. Vegetable, fixed, etc.—Cottonseed lbs. . Paper, and manufactures of , Soap , Spirits—Alcohol (including pure, neutral, or cologne spir- its) pf. galls. , Starch lbs. Sugar, refined lbs. . Tobacco Unmanufactm'ed-Leaf lbs. Manufactures of Vegetables Beans and dried peas bush. Potatoes (except sweet potatoes) bush.. All other Wood, manufactures of^ Lumber—Boards, planks, deals, etc. Pine—White M ft . . Pine, vellow—Pitch M ft. Furniture , All other manufactures of All other articles 6,391 15,681 16,924 110,841 33,146 50, 648 58, 239 107, 110 188,336 31,758 13,712 26,827 179,499 10,851 38,866 60,415 48, 177 135, 533 280,052 123,079 3,479 3,560 320 469 Total domestic exports. Total foreign exports Total exports of merchandise. 3,593 10,533 9,767 117,700 23,810 40, 557 51,535 110, 627 178,891 24, 770 26, 814 41,266 121,446 13,055 16,499 41,501 39, 530 110,496 121,910 74,455 2,996 6,204 155 1,066 $5,389 20, 622 18,415 11,578 3,601 8,561 6,671 12,145 19,731 6,894 5,997 2,422 2,327 20,647 3,377 8,021 4,899 5,798 4,165 13,600 4,861 9,968 13,809 3,323 10, 305 2,868 2,253 10, 370 10, 844 42,427 10, 324 56,275 889,461 1,505 82,738 14,418 11,181 11,914 2,856 6,934 5,549 12, 200 16,240 7,123 5,179 5,130 4,196 12,804 4,294 3,103 3,357 5,731 4,794 11,128 4,021 5,769 6,967 3,655 11,552 5,147 1,943 6,116 24,334 1,430 9,187 49,643 700,713 2,641 890,966 703, 354 The United States first attempted the purchase of these islands in 1865, during the administration of President Lincoln. Secretary Seward appeared to l)e especiallv anxious that they should belong to the United States. James Parton, in 1S69, in a little work entitled "The Danish Islands, are we bound in honor to pay for them ?" gives an authentic detailecl account of the negotiations carried on by Secretary Seward, com- mencing in 1865. It appears that Mr. Seward first proposed to purchase the islands at a dinner party in January, 1865. Denmark had no desire to part with her West India colonies. The assassination of President Lincoln and tlie attempted assassination of Secretary Seward suspended the negotiations for some time. In the meantime Secretary Seward vis- ited the islands. It was not, however, until July 17, f866, that the United States made a definite offer of $5,000,000 for St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz. CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 5 In 1867, Denmark declined to sell the islands for $5,000. 000, but offered St. Thomas and St. John for $10,000,000, or $15,000,000 for the three. Mr. SeM^ard replied by offering $7,500,000 in gold for the three islands. Denmark agreed to take $7,500,000 for St. Thomas and St. John, but wanted $3,750,000 in addition for Santa Cruz. Finally Secretary Seward agreed to purchase St. Thomas and St. John for the price named by Denmark, $7,500,000, but further com])lications arose because Denmark insisted that the consent of the people of the islands should be formally given before the sale was consinnmatcHl. This was at first objected to by Mr. Seward, but he finally cabled our minister to "concede question of vote," and on the 24th of October the treaty was signed. The C{uestion was submitted to a vote of the people, the voting occurrhig in St. Thomas on January 9, 1868, and out of 1,039 votes cast there were but 22 votes against the cession. In St. John there were but 205 votes in favor of the cession and not one against it. The treaty was submitted to the Rigsdag of Denmark and promptly ratified and signed by the King on June 31, 1868. It was submitted to the United States Senate on December .3, 1867. Senator Sumner was chairman of the Committee- on Foreign Relations during this period, and the treaty remained unreported for more than two years, when on March 24, 1870, Senator Sumner reported it adversely and the Senate declined to ratify it. The negotiations for the purchase of the islands commenced under President Lincoln ; the treaty was signed shortly after Andrew Johnson became President, but it was not acted upon until the administration of President Grant. Subsequently it appears that the purchase of the islands was con- sidered by Secretaries Foster and Olney during the administration of Presidents Harrison and Cleveland. On March 31, 1898, the Committee on Foreign Relations reported to the Senate a bill authorizing the President to purchase the islands for use as a naval and coaling station. On this bill Senator Lodge submitted an exhaustive report, giving in detail the history of the islands, and summarizing the history of the negotiations for their purchase by the United States, Attached to this report is to be found correspondence of Secretaries Foster and Olney. Mr. Lodge's report is attached hereto and made a part of this report. On Januarj^ 24, 1902, a convention was signed at Washington by Mr. Hay, Secretary of State, and Mr. Brun, Danish minister, for the cession to the United States of ''the islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Sainte Croix, in the West Indies, with the adjacent islands and rocks," the consideration being $5,000,000. This convention was favorably reported by the Committee oq Foreign Relations on February 5, 1902, and ratified by the United States Senate February 17, 1902. The treaty was approved by one House of the Danish Rigsdag; but, October 21 , 1902, the other house by a vote of 32 to 32 declined to ratify it. The pending convention is the third treaty ceding the islands to the United States bv Denmark. 6 CESSION OP THE DANISH WEST INDIES. VALUE OF THE ISLANDS TO THE UNITED STATES. These islands, together with Porto Kioo, ar(> of great importanee in a strategic way, whether the strategy be mihtary en- commereia]. St. Thomas is the natural point of call for all European trade boimd to the West Indies, Central America, or northern South America. The islands form the northeastern corner of the Caribbean Sea and are of great importance in connection with the Panama Canal, and are of the first importance in connection with our relations to the region of the Orinoco and the Amazon and witli our control of tlie Windward Passage. Vice Admh al David D. Porter, in a letter to Secretary Seward, dated November 6, 1887, emphasized the value of these islands to the United States as a naval station. Among other things, Admiral Porter said: St. Thomas, the principal of the Virdn Islands, holds the most prominent position in the West Indies as a naval and commercial station. It is situated in latitude 18° 22' north, lontjitude 65° 2(/ west and lies ritrht in the track of all vessels from Europe, Brazil, East Indies, and the Pacific Ocean, bound to the West India Islands, or to the United States. It is the point where all vessels touch for supplies, when needed, com- incr from any of the above stations. It is a central point from which any or all of the West India Islands can be assailed, while it is impervious to attacks from landing parties, and can be fortified to any extent. Nothing can be more beautiful than the town and bay of St. Thomas.as seen from the sea, or from the great summit that over- looks them. The bay, at the head of which lies the town of St. Thomas, is almost circular, the entrance being by a neck, guarded by two heavy forts, which although not capable at present of re.sisting the heavy ordnance now in use, can be so strengthened and protected that no foreign power could ever hope to take it. St. Thomas is a small Gibraltar of itself and could only be attacked by a naval force * * *. There is no harbor in the West Indies better fitted than St. Thomas for a naval station. Its harbor and that of St. John and the harbors formed by Water Island, would contain all the vessels of the largest navy in the world, where they would be protected at all times from bad weather and be secure against an enemy. In fine, I think St. Thomas is the keystone to the arch of the \\'est Indies; it com- mands them all. The report of the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted by Senator CuUom in 1902 quotes Maj. Glassford, of the Signal Corps, relative to the military advantages of St. Thomas, as follows: The island of St. Thomas offers conditions suitable for developing a first-class military outpost. This island possesses all the natural advantages, enabling it to be converted into a second Gibraltar. The structure of this narrow island, with its long central ridge, having a general elevation of about 1,000 feet, with some points 500 feet higher, is especially adapted for the emplacement of fortifications commanding both shores at the same tiine, making it extremely difficult for an enemy to approach or to obtain a foothold upon the island. The elevated ground in the immediate neighborhood of the excellent roadsteads which this island affords makes the cjues- tion of harbor defense a comparatively easy one. This position, with its few inhabi- tants, could be easily provisioned for a long siege. The harbor of Charlotte Amalie and the niimerous sheltered places about the island afford 6 and 7 fathoms of water. Beside, this harbor and the roadsteads are on the southern side of the island, com- pletely protected from the preA-ailing strong winds. If this place were strongly fortified and provisioned, it would be necessary for an enemy contemplating a descent upon Porto Rico to first take it into account. This location on the northeast rim of the Antilles is in close proximity to many of the passages into the Caribbean Sea, and affords an excellent point of observation near European possessions in the archipelago, ^^^lile being near other islands, St. Thoma.s is practically in the open ocean, and permits the entrance and egress of a fleet without its being observed. It is also a center of the West Indian submarine cable systems, being about midway between the Windward Passage and the Trinidad entrance into the Caribbean Sea. CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 7 THE TREATY. This convention provides that the cession sliall include all pubhc propert}- and Government arcliives, bars the impairment of private rights, and gives to the Danish National Church the undisturbed use of its churches. Arms and military stores belonging to the Danish Government shall remain the property of that Government and be removed by it, unless purchased in whole or in part by the United States. Claims held by Denmark against the colonial treasuries are extinguished by reason of the cession, and no responsibility is assumed by the United States. Certain concessions named in the treaty are confirmed by the United States and are to be maintained in accordance with the terms on which the concessions were given. Delivery of the islands by Denmark is to be made by agents of the Danish Government to agents of the United States immediately upon the payment of the sum of money stipulated in the convention, $25,000,000, which is to be paid in gold within 90 days from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the convention. Provision is made for the preseivation of Danish citizenship by residents of the islands desiring to do so, and for subsequent renuncia- tion when desired. The civil rights and political status of the in- habitants shall be determined by the Congress of the United States, subject to the stipulations of the treaty. Treaties, conventions, and other international agreements between the United States are to apply ipso facto to the islands, provided there is no provision to the contrary. Provision is made for the submission to The Hague Tribunal of any disputes between the high contracting parties as to the interpretation or application of the treaty's terms, if there should arise any difi'er- ences that can not be otherwise settled. EESOI.UTION OF RATIFICATION. Resolved, etc., That the Senate advise and consent to the ratifica- tion of the convention between the United States and Denmark, by which Denmark cedes to the United States the Danish West Indian Islands, which convention was signed at New York on the fourth day of August, nineteen hundred and sixteen, by Robert Lansing, Secretary of State, on behalf of the United States, and by Constan- tin Brun, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Washington, representing His Majesty the King of Denmark, on behalf of Denmark, and which convention is set forth hi its original form in Executive Document D, Sixt^y-fourth Congress, first session: Provided, however, That it is declared* by the Senate that in advising and consenting to the ratification of the said convention, such advice and consent are given with the understanding, to be expressed as a part of the instrument of ratification, that such convention shall not be taken and construed by the high contracting parties as imposing any trust upon the United States with respect to any funds belong- ing to the Danish National Church in the Danish West Indian Islands, or in which the said church may have an interest, nor as imposmg upon the United States any duty or responsibility with respect to the management of any property belonging to said church, beyond protecting said church "in the possession and use of church property 8 CESSION- OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. as Stated in said convention, in the same manner and to the same extent only as other churches shall be protected in the possess^n and use of then- several properties: And provided /rf.r,^Tha he Senate advises aaid consents to the ratification of said convent on .^ZTf'^T- ^^t'* ^l' ""^^^^^ ^^ *^^ United States in this parSular of Iti A'"" the above proviso, be made the subject of an exchange of notes between the Governments of the two high contractino- par- ac'cepted"bv'trt.nV'"" that this condition's understood fnd accepted by the two GoTernments, the purpose hereof heino- tn b„„g the saad contention clearly within tie Constitutional poler^ dom of ^eligln " '''P"" '" '''"^'^ ^Btablishment anS fTee APPENDIX A. NAVAL STATION IN THE WEST INDIES. Makch 31, 1898.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. Lodge, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 4303.] The three islands of the Antilles now in the possession of Denmark are St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz. St. Thomas lies in 18° 20' 40" north latitude and 64° 55' 38" west longitude, and St. John about 3 miles to the southeast of it. They both form part of the group known as the Virgin Islands, which lies about 38 miles from the Spanish island of Puerto Rico at the nearest point. This group of about fifty islands, small and large, scattered over an area 24 leagues east and west by 16 north and south, was discovered and named on November 30 by Christopher Columbus during his sec- ond voyage to the West Indies, in 1493. At the time of discovery these islands were, Avhen inhabited at all, in the possession of the Caribs, a tribe of warlike cannibals, and it was not until 1550 that they were definitely driven from the archipelago by the Emperor Charles V. It is not entirely certain when and by whom St. Thomas, the largest of the Virgin group, was first settled. On recent and reliable author- ity, however, Erik Smidt, who was, it appears, at the head of a trad- ing company which had been formed at Copenhagen at about that time, took possession of the island in behalf of the Danish Crown on the 30th of May, 1666. The Danes, however, seem not to have been the first settlers, but there is no certainty who the first settlers actu- ally were. At all events, in 1671, on the forming of the West India and Guinea Company at Copenhagen, the island of St. Thomas passed definitely under the Danish Crown, and, with the exception of a short period in 1801 and from 1807 to 1815, when on both occa- sions it was occupied as a war measure, the island has remained! under the Danish flag for two hundred and twenty years. 10 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. In a letter written by the directors of the Danish West India Com- pany on December 20, 1716, permission was given to 16 of the inhabit- ants of St. Thomas to cultivate the island of St. John. The Danes had taken formal possession in 1684, and after the settlement the fate of this little island was bound with that of its larger sister. The events in the history of these two islands are not numerous. In 1721 St. Thomas was formally declared a port of entrance for all nations, thcugh this had in fact long been the case. In 1733 occurred tlie great slave insurrection ou the island of St. John, which resulted in the death of several whites and which was finally put down by the assistance of some French troops from Santo Domingo. The history of the island of Santa Cruz, which lies somewhat to the south of tlie Virgin group, is far more dramatic. Discovered by Columbus in the same month in which he came upon the Virgin group, we first find it inhabited in the year 1643 by two distinct parties of English and Dutch. Two years later, as a result of mutual jealousies and civil war between the two parties, the Dutch were com- pelled to leave the island. The English, however, were not long al- lowed to enjoy the fruits of their victory, for in 1650 they were at- tacked by a force of 1,200 Spaniards and driven from the island. A small company of Spaniards was left to hold the place. After an unsuccessful attemj^t to regain possession of the island by the Dutch, the 65 Spaniards who had l)een left to defend it were attacked hy a force of 160 Frenchmen from St. Kitts and surrendered to the nev.^- comers without resistance. Thus in the space of seven years English, Dutch, Spanish, and French had in turn sought to gain possession of the island of Santa Cruz. During tlie next centurv its history was also eventful. In 1651 the Knights of Malta bought St. Christopher, St. Martin, St. Bar- tholomew, Tortuga, ancl Santa Cruz for 120,000 livres, which were paid down by Commandant de Poincey. He was thus virtual owner of the islands until 1653, when he ceded them to the Knights of Malta, whose dominion vs'as confirtned by a royal concession, made in March, 1683, and signed by Louis XIV. The affairs of the islands were not prosperous, owing to sickness, restriction of their commerce, and con- sequent hindrance to agriculture. After futile attempts to restore prosperity to the islands, things became so bad that in 1720 the French settlers demolished their forts, abandoned the island, and re- moved to Santo Domingo. "After this," says Knox, " it was visited by the ships of all nations until 1727, when the French captured seven English merchant vessels, which were lying there, and again took possession of the island. From this time until the year 1753 it con- tinued to be the property of France, from whom it was at length purchased by King Christian VI for 750,000 French livres." In 1736 the Danish West India Company allied themselves with a body of merchants in Copenhagen, and, by excluding the Dutch from all commerce with the islands, established a monopoly of trade. The result of this restriction was most unfortunate to the islanders, and things went from bad to worse until in 1758 the King took over the colonies, paying the company 2,200.000 pieces of eight ($1,418,000) for them. They have remained ever since in the possession of the Danish Crown. Santa Cruz, the capital of the Danish Islands, has an area of about 81 English square miles. Its shape is elongated, being about 19 Eng- CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 11 lish miles east and west and from 5 to 1 English miles north and south. The northern part of the island is intersected from east to west by a range of hills or low mountains. The southwestern part of the island is level or slightly undulating. The shores are surrounded by coral reefs, except in the northwest, where depths of 1,000 fathoins are found near the shore. There are several small creeks or water- courses in the island. The climate is tropical, the temperature high and subject to little variation; the yearly average is 27.2° C, with a little more than three degrees difference between the mean tempera- ture during the warmest month, August, and the coldest mouth, February. A trade wind blows during the whole year with the exception of the hurricane months—August, September, and October—when it becomes irregular and sometimes ceases altogether. According to the last census the population of St. Croix numbered 19,(383 souls, of which 9,552 are males and 10,251 females. The town of Christian- sted contains 5,499 persons and Frederiksted 3,685. The remainder live in the rural districts. Sugar is the staple production. Of the 51,980 acres which the island contains 16,478 acres are in sugar, and of the remainder 29,776 acres are chiefly pasture, wdiile 4,920 acres are unused. There are some 100 sugar estates on the island in culti- vation, and in 1890 the export of sugar amounted to about 15,000 tons. There is semiweekly regular communication with St. Thomas, and the Quebec and the Pickford and Black lines of steamers pro- ceed as a rule from St. Thomas to West End or Frederiksted on their outward voyages, the former touching at both ports on the return. The island of St. Thomas is about 13 miles long by 4 in width, with a population of something like 12,000 souls, of which about 200 enjoy electoral privileges. Owing to its geographical position and fine harbor, wdiich is so easy of access, it long maintained an important position as the entrepot of the West Indies, headquarters for manj'' lines of steamers, a coaling station, and a port of refuge. In late years business has somewhat fallen away. St. Thomas is the West India headquarters and coaling station of the Hamburg-American Packet Company, and the German, French, and English mail com- panies also have coaling stations there. The French mail stops once a month from Havre, Bordeaux, and the Spanish port of Santancler, with an intercolonial boat from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The German mail from Hamburg direct about every ten days, and the English mail every fourteen days, make connection with the English and French Windward Islands. The New York service is done by the Quebec Line about every three weeks, and by the " Red D " Line once a month. The Pickford and Black steamers call regularly every four weeks from St. Johns, New^ Brunswick, and Halifax via Ber- muda. In addition there is a monthly service by the West India and Pacific Company from Liverpool, proceeding to Colon, Jamaica, etc. St. John is an island wdth an area of 42 square miles and a popula- tion of 915 souls. The product of the island is sugar. The first negotiations of the United States for the purchase of the Danish Islands were begun by Mr. Seward, then Secretary of State, in January, 1865. at least so it is supposed. There is mention in contemporary pamphlets of a dinner party at the French embassy, w^here Mr. Seward first expressed to General Eaaslof, the Danish charge d'affaii-es. the desire of the United States to buy the Danish 12 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. Islands in the Antilles. Afterwards other conferences followed of an unofficial character, Mr. Seward urging the Danish minister, w^ho replied that Denmark had no desire to sell the islands. Great secrecy was insisted upon and preserved. This was under the Presidency of Lincoln. General Eaaslof, w^ho was himself opposed to the sale, re- ported these interviews to his Government, who replied that it would be advisable to drop the negotiations, as the Danish Government had no desire to part with these colonies. Mr, Seward's carriage accident, consequent illness, and temporary incapacity for public affairs con- firmed this attitude on the part of Denmark. In April came the assassination of the President, the wounding of Mr. Seward, and the accession of Mr. Johnson to the Chief Executive. Mr. Seward's recovery was slow, and it was not until December, 1865, on the eve of his departure for the South, a journey taken to restore his health, that the Secretary of State again mentioned the matter to General Raaslof. The complexion of affairs was now somewhat al- tered. A new ministry had come into power at Copenhagen, and it w^as less opposed to the sale than the former one had been. Hence, a note to Mr. Seward, declaring that although the Government had no desire to sell, still it was net unwilling to entertain the Secretary's propositions. A request vvas made that the United States declare how much it was willing to give. Mr. Seward departed, and during his absence visited St. Thomas and convinced himself of the necessity of the purchase. On his re- turn he pressed General Raaslof to name a price, and the Danish minister in turn demanded that, as the United States wished to buy and not Denmark to sell, an offer should be made by the American Government. Finally, on July 17, 1866, as General Eaaslof was leav- ing for Copenhagen. Mr. Seward delivered to him a note offering, on behalf of the United States. $5,000,000 for the three Danish islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz. Mr. Sev^ard personally in- formed General Raaslof that the representative of the United States in Denmark would, for a time, have charge of the affair: also that the United States was not pressed for an answer. A few^ days after General Raaslof left America, and soon after his arrival at Copen- hagen he was appointed minister of war, and, in the work of reor- ganizing the Danish army, lost sight of affairs in America. Count Frijs, the Danish minister for foreign affairs, who conse- quently now had charge of the negotiations, was in favor of the sale, but still the affair dragged until January 19, 1867, when Mr. Yeaman, United States minister at Copenhagen, received the following tele- gram from Mr. Seward: "Tell Raaslof haste important." However, nothing was done for two months. Denmark felt a good deal of hesi- tation, owing to the uncertainty of the treaty being ratified by the Senate, Init she became more assured by the absence of opposition in the United States to the purchase scheme and by the speedy ratifi- cation of the Alaska purchase treaty. Nevertheless, at the end of two months Mr. Seward telegraphed again to Mr. Yeaman, " Want yea or nay now." Mr. Yeaman at once communicated Avith General Raaslof, but it was not until the 17t]i of May, 1867, that Count Frijs made a counter proposition to Mr. Seward's note. Through the me- dium of Mr. Yeaman, he declined on behalf of Denmark the offer of $5,000,000 and offered the islands for $15,000,000, or St. Thomas and CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 13 St. John for $10,000,000, with the option of taking Santa Cruz for $5,000,000 more. Count Frijs explained that the ratification of the treaty of cession by the Kigsdag would be necessary, and that the Danish Government would require that the consent of the people of the islands should be freely and formally given. In ten days Mr. Yeaman was in receipt of Mr. Seward's answer to this proposition, which was in substance this : " The United States will pay for the three islands $7,500,000 in gold." Mr. Seward objected, however, to the condition that the con- sent of the inhabitants of the islands was necessary, and thought it sufficient that they should have the free choice of leaving the islands within two years or remaining and becoming American citizens. Mr. Yeaman immediately communicated these instructions to the Danish minister for foreign affairs, who promised an early answer. This answer w^as given in a month, in an interview between Count Frijs and Mr. Yeaman. Mr. Seward's second offer was refused and a counter proposition made. This was that Denmark would cede the islands for $11,250,000, or 20,000,000 Danish rix dollars, or St. Thomas and St. John for $7,500,000, and Santa Crux at option for $3,750,000. Count Frijs further declared that taking a vote of the people of the islands before the cession was absolutely indispensable. Mr, Seward's second offer being thus formally rejectee! by the Danish Government, Mr. Yeaman now informed Count Frijs that his instructions obliged him to announce that the offer of the United States was withdrawn and the negotiations ended. Nevertheless, on July 6, 1867, Mr. Seward telegraphed to Mr. Adams in London : "Tell Yeaman close with Denmark's offer. St. John, St. Thomas, seven and one-half millions. Report brief by cable. Send treaty ratified immediately." Still the negotiations lagged. Mr. Seward was strongly opposed to the vote by the islanders, but the Danish Govern- ment was firm on this point, and he finally cabled to Mr. Yeaman : " Concede question of vote." On the 24th of October, 1867, the treaty was finally signed by the Danish minister and by Mr.. Yeaman on behalf of the United States. There remained the vote of the islanders. Mr. Carstensen was sent as Danish commissioner to take the vote, and Mr. Seward dispatched Dr. Hawley to the islands to attend to American interests. He ar- rived at St. Thomas on the 12th of November, 1867; on the 18th of November, before the vote was taken, there occurred a terrible earth- quake, which did much damage to the island, and affairs came tempo- rarily to a standstill. They were resumed on November 26, and on January 9, 1868, the vote was taken in St. Thomas, and on the follow- ing day in St. John. In the larger island there were cast 1,039 votes for the cession and only 22 against it, and in the smaller 205 votes for and none against. There were fears in Denmark that the United States would not ratify even after Denmark was fully committed, but Mr. Seward calmed these fears with renewed assurances of suc- cess, and after some hesitation the treaty was ratified by the Rigsdag and signed by the King on January 3i, 1868. This ratification oc- curred in the midst of the fierce political war between President Johnson and Congress. The limit of time named in the treaty for ratification was February 24, 1868, and this went by without action bv Congress. The time was then extended to October 14, 1868. All, 14 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. however, was useless. Denmark made repeated endeavors, in the person of her minister and through the medium of other powers, to conclude the negotiations, but in vain. The treaty fell a victim to the storm of political hatred then raging in this country, and in the ses- sion of 1868, after an adverse rej^ort, the United States Senate dropped it. In Schuyler's American Diplomacy, page 23, Ave find the following comment : Denmark had no particular desire to seU to the United States, but was pei*- suaded to do so. Tlie inhabitants of the isLands had already voted to accept the United States as their soverei^un. The late Mr. Charles Sumner, then chairman of the (Vjnnnittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, who Avas enj;ag:ed in a personal quarrel with the administration, simply refused to report back the treaty to the Senate, and he was supported by a sufficient number of his com- mittee and of Senators to enable the matter to be left in this position. It re- quired new negotiations to prolong the term of ratification, and it was with great difhculty that in a subsequent session the ti'eaty was finally brought be- fore the Senate and rejected. As may be imagined, our friendly relations with Denmark were considerably impaired by this method of doing business. After a lapse of twenty-four years since the rejection of this treaty, the negotiations were reopened in 1892, while Hon. John W. Foster was Secretary of State. The accompanying papers (Appendix A), which, in response to a request for information, were sent to the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations by the Assistant Secretary of State on May 12, 1897, contain a full account of the most recent negotiations, including, in addition to those of Mr. Foster, the correspondence of Mr. Olney on this subject, in 1896, for the pur- chase of the Danish Islands and of the condition and value of the harbor of St. Thomas. The arguments in favor of the possession of these islands can be briefly stated, and appear to the undersigned to be unanswerable. So long as these islands are in the market there is alwaj's the danger that some European power may purchase or try to purchase them. This would be an infraction of the Monroe doctrine, and would at once involve, the United States in a ver}' serious difficulty with the European power which sought possession of the islands. In the in- terest of peace, it is of great importance that these islands should pass into the hands of the United States and cease to be a possible source of foreign complications, which might easil}^ lead to war. From a military point of view the value of these islands to the United States can hardly be overestimated. We have always been anxious to have a good naval and coaling station in the West Indies, Important in time of peace, such a station would be essential to our safety in time of war. Successive administrations have labored to secure a West Indian naval station. During the war of the rebel- lion the United States leased the harbor of St. Nicholas from Hayti for this purpose. General Grant endeavored during his Presidency to secure Samana Bay. The effort to obtain the Danish Islands, as has been shown, was begun by jNIr. Seward during the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The fine harbor of St. Thomas fulfills all the re- quired naval and military conditions. As has been pointed out by Captain Mahan, it is one of the great strategic points in the West Indies. The population of the three islands is only 33.000, of Avhom nearly 30.000 are negroes, the others being chiefly of English or Danish extraction. There is no possi- CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 15 bility of any material increase in the population, and annexation Avonld never involve at any time the troublesome question of State- hood. The Danish Islands could easily be governed as a Territory could be readily defended from attack, occupy a commanding strate- gic position, and are of incalculable value to the United States, not only as a part of the national defense, but as removing by their pos- session a very probable cause of foreign complications. Appendix A. [CoDfldential.] Legation of the United States, Copenhagen, November 28, 1892. Sir: I am unofficially authorized to inf(n-ni you that a proposal from the Gov- ernment of the United States to revive the convention of 1S67. by which it was proposed to cede the islands of St. Thomas and St. John to the United States, would now receive favorable consideration from the Danish Government, the meaning of which is that the Danish Government will now, if desired, cede those islands to the United States upon the terms of the convention of 1867. The incidents through which I feel myself authorized to so inform you are as follows : On Thursday, the 15th instant, I called upon Mr. Estrup, the minister of finance and premier of Denmark, to s])eak with him in regard to the loan of the Icelandic books giving an account of the discovery of America by Lief Anderson, so much desired by you for the State Department exhibit "at the World's Columbian Exposition. In the course of the conversation we recalled some of the interesting questions ^^hich have been considered l)y the United States and Denmark, and special reference was made to the treaty in question, in which Mr. Estrup was specially interested, he having been at tiie time of its consideration a member of the Danish cabinet, occupying the post of minister of the interior. Reference was also made to his (Mr. Estrup's) conversations with Colonel Arendrup, governor of the Danish West Indies, an account of which I gave in my No. 47 of .luly 17, 1891. In the course of the conversation ]Mr. Estrup said that he would now be will- ing to cede those islands to the United States, and indicated that he would be willing to do so upon the tei-ms then agreed upon, etc., and it was suggested that the treaty could be revived, etc. I replied that while I had no authority from my Government to make any declaration whatsoever in regard to the matter, I should feel it to be my duty, if informed that the Danish Government were willing to give the matter favorable consideration, to so report to my Government. I then explained the condition of affairs at Washington incident to the coming change of Administration, and said that it was scarcely probable, however the matter might be regarded, that there could be any action at pres- ent, etc., but added that there seemed to be a growing feeling in the United States that we require a naval, coaling, and supply station in the West Indies, etc. The conversation was quite extended, the minister giving me his views at length, the substance of which was that while these islands would be of inesti- mable value to the United States, it would be better for Denmark to cede them on the terms of the convention of 1S67. etc. I left him, substantially agreeing with him in this view of the matter, but declaring that I had no authority to make any proposals, nor even suggestions, and that I should not feel it to be my duty to give the matter attention unless it should appear that the Danish Government was disposed to give the matter favorable consideration, in which case I should feel it to be my duty to inform my Government of such disposi- tion, etc. On Tuesday, the 22d instant, a week after this conversation, Mr. Estrup called at my house to say that he h.ad been considering the matter since our interview, and had .spoken at length concerning it with Baron Reedtz-Thott, the minister of foreign affairs, who v.'as of the same opinion as himself, and that he. Baron Reedtz-Thott, would speak with me about it, etc. On the same afternoon, upon my calling at the foreign office, the matter was brought up and Baron Reedtz-Thott expressed himself as equally ready to receive with favorable consideration a proposal from our Government to revive the 16 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. treaty, etc. I repeated to him what I had said to the premier as regarded the present Administration, and that I liad no authority to make any proposal nor suggestion, etc., he declaring that he Icnew this perfectly well, that Mr. Estrup and he had talked this all over, but that they could see no harm in me and my Government being apprised confidentially of their views, etc. I then said that I should feel it to be my duty to communicate these views confiden- tially to you, etc. Aboiit an hour after I left the minister of foreign affairs, he called upon me at my house and said that he had been reflecting upon the matter and had con- cluded that it was his duty, before authorizing me to malve any statement to my Government, to lay it before His Majesty the King, which he could do in a day or two, to which I, of course, replied that I would await further informa- tion from him. On Friday afternoon, three days later, the minister of foreign affairs again called upon me at my house and simply said : " You may write to your Govern- ment that the matter will receive favorable consideration." The question will naturally arise as to the motives which prompted the Danish authorities to so express themselves in regard to this matter, and it may pos- sibly be inferred that the Government is in financial embarrassment and that money is needed to tide over some pressing financial difficulties. This is by no means the condition of affairs. There is scarcely a Government of Europe whose financial condition or credit is more sound. The Danes are a prudent, eco- nomical, thrifty people, with whom the idea of pay as you go is carried out in public as well as in private affairs. There is no emergency which requires them to so act, and while the authorities express themselves confidentially, as has been stated, in consequence of the failure of the treaty of 1867 in the Senate of the United States, they will never formally propose that it be revived. What- ever may be the views of our people upon the action of the Senate at that time, after the people of those islands, at the suggestion and request of the King of Denmark, had, with almost perfect unanimity, voted for separation, and the Danish Rigsdag had confirmed the treaty, the failure of the Senate of the United States to confirm it was most humiliating to the Danes. There are, however, certain public improvements which the Danes would like to make, to only one of whicli I will refer. In the otherwise beautiful city of Copenhagen the most conspicuous and un- siglitly object is the ruined palace of Christiansborg, whose grim and blackened walls have stood since 1884, when tlie great edifice was burned. It has been the abode of royalty, contained the assembly chambers of their legislative bodies, great galleries of art, and all that went to make up and embellish this magnifi- cent building, which was really the capitol of Denmark. The entrances to the great palace were sentineled by colossal statues, masterpieces of Thorwaldsen, wonders of art, which fortunately were iminjured and are still standing in all their splendor, in striking contrast with the grim and somber ruin they were created to adorn. From every quarter of the city one may see Christiansborg, which, though in ruins, in grandeur and sublimity still surpass every other object. Everywhere in Copenhagen, and even in the country, one is reminded of the ruins of the great palace. In several of the galleries of art one sees ex- quisite pictures, creations of the great masters, wliich were torn from their frames while the palace was burning. Surroiuiding the ruined palace, adjoining the courtyard, are the Thorwaldsen ]Museuni, the Old North IMuseum, the great library containing 000,000 volumes, and the departments of state, all of which were saved from destruction. It was in one of these buildings, an annex to the ruined palace, the department of finance, where I first spoke with Mr. Estrup on this question, and from this point of view it did not seem strange to me tlian a finance minister of this King- dom should be willing and should regard it as the part of wisdom to obtain the means of restoring his capital and to make other public improvements through the cession of territory thousands of miles distant, whose people have voted with almost perfect unanimity and still v>'ish to cast their lot with the people of the hemisphere to which tliey belong and with whom they are allied in lan- guage and in trade relations. I need not recall the argument upon the treaty of a quarter of a century ago, but it is proper that something be said about the harbor of St. Thomas and the conditions that now present themselves. It is almost circular in form, the en- trance to which is hy a neck guarded by two heavy forts, and capable of accom- modating 500 vessels. The island, 13 miles long by an average of 3 miles wide, has been justly designated as a small Gibraltar. It is asserted by the highest, authority that it can at small expense be made impregnable. CESSIOlSr OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 17 Unlike the mole of St. Nicholas, where a large amount would have to be ex- pended to erect suitable wharves and other necessary improvements and to defend them against dangers from a capricious government. St. Thomas has already, through private enterprise, her great wharves, upon which thousands of tons of coal are deposited, an enormous floating dock cjjpable of receiving vessels of 3,000 tons, marine slips for repairing small vessels, immense cisterns for the storage of water for the supply of vessels, a factory where every kind of iron- Avork for the repair of vessels can be turned out, including boilers, shafts, etc. The representatives of every industry and trade relating to the building and supply and navigation of ships—ship brokers, ship carpenters and calkers, iron founders, coal dealers, and others—can supply every demand of commerce. There are wharves alongside of which ships drawing 27 feet of water can be moored and coaled, day or night, at the rate of from 60 to 100 tons per hour. It is asserted and believed that the necessary defenses and the furnishing and equipping any other naval station in the West Indies, which nature and enter- prise have already supplied to St. Thomas, if this v.-rre possible, would cost much more than the sum fixed upon in ISGT as a consideration for the cession of the islands of St. Thomas and St. .John to the United States. These Danish- Islands, with the splendid harbor of St. Thomas, presenting all we can possibly desire for a naval an<l supply station—location, security, am- plitude, development—everything is within our reach upon terms which were regarded as reasonable when far less important or valuable to us. The vast increase of steam navigation necessitating supply stations for coal and ma- chinery, the expansion of our commerce, the building up of our splendid new Navy, the prospect of a ship canal across the isthmus, which will make St. Thomas one of the most important stations upon voyages around and to most of the countries of the world, all the.se considerations and many more combine to make the possession of this harbor of far more importance to us than when the question of its acquisition wa.g under consideration a quarter of a cen tury ago. I therefore feel it to be my imperative duty to apprise you of the views of the Danish authorities in regard to this important matter, and at the same time to venture to declare as my deliberate opinion that we should avail ourselves of the opportunity which now presents itself to acquire this haven and stronghold for our commerce and ships of war, and to express the hope that this Adminis- tration, if it can do no more, will take measures to open the way to so desirable a consummation. I have, etc., Hon. .John W. Foster, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Clark E. Carr. Legation of the United States, Copenliagen, November 29, 1892. Dear Mr. Secretary : I send you to-day a confidential dispatch, No. 129, on the Danish West Indies, by which you will see that, without committing myself or the Government in the least, I have learned that we can have St. Thomas and St. John on the terms agreed upon in 1867. I believe that we must have a station in that region, and that it will be found that this is the best one availal)le, and that it will be sought for on our part soon, and that this Administration should take the initiative. This can now be done if desired, but should the President not be inclined to do so, we are not, as you will see, committed in the least. It seems to me that it would be wise for the President to take up the matter of securing such a station in his message to Congress, but of course I would not presume to advise him. There are certainly many reasons why we had better have such a splendid harbor and own the whole islands inhabited by a people W'ho really desire to cast their lot Avith us, and who will become loyal, patriotic Americans, than to have a station situated among a people of a dif- ferent nationality. Whatever may be thought of the matter, I hope that you will so instruct me that I may be able to show Mr. Estrup and Baron Reedtz-Thott that you are not indifferent to their feelings in the matter, and that you appreciate the sug- gestions they have confidentially made in our private unofficial interviews. , They will not be disappointed if you simply say that the matter can not be 77934—17 2 18 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. taken up so late in the Administration, as I liave informed tliem that tliis will probably be the case, but you know far better than I what is best. You are only, of course, supposed to l)e contidentially informed that it will receive favorable consideration. * * " Gen. John W. Foster. Clark E. Care. [Confiilontial.] Department of State, Washington, December 20, 1892. Sir : I have to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential dispatch No. 129, of November 28, 1892, with reference to the willingness evinced by the Danish Government to cede to the United States the islands of St. Thomas and St. John on the basis of the convention of 1867. I take pleasure in commending the skill and tact with which you have re- ceived the approach of the Danish Government on the subject, and while ascer- taining the disposition of the Danish Government have in no way committed the Government of the United States. The question of the acquisition of tlie islands is one of far-reaching and na- tional importance, the extent of whicli is appreciated by no one more than the President. As his administration is, however, drawing to its close, he considers it inadvisable to express any views or indicate any policy the consummation of whicli he could not effect. He directs me to express his cordial appreciation of the friendly attitude of the Danish Government and of the confidence and frankness displayed by Mr. Estrup and Baron Reedtz-Thott in their conversations with you. You are therefore instructed to convey verbally to these gentlemen the senti- ments of the President, and to explain the reasons, if they are not clearly ap- prehended, why the present consideration of the cession of the islands of St. Thomas and St. John is impracticable. I am, etc., John W. Foster. Clark E. Carr, Esq., Copenhagen. [Telegram.] Department of State, Washington, December 31, 1892. Carr, Minister, Copenliagcn: Take no action on instruction No. 128 for present. Foster. [Telegram.] Department of State, Washington, February .J, 1893. Carr, Minister, Copenhagen: You can execute instruction No. 128 at convenient opportunity. Foster. Legation of the United States, Copenhagen, January 2, 1893. Sir : On Saturday night, the 31st ultimo, I received from you a telegram as follows : " Carr, minister : Take no action on instruction No. 128 for present. Foster." On this morning came in the mail your confidential dispatch No. 128. As I understand the telegram, it is my duty to say nothing more concerning the matter until I receive further advices from the Department. Should it still be under consideration, it is no doubt better to wait, but I hope*in the near future to be authorized to make some recognition on the part of our Government of the suggestions of the Danish authorities. I have, etc., Clark E. Carr. Hon. John W. Foster, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. CESSIO^r OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 19 IConfidential.] Lkgation of the United States. Copenhagen, February 22, 1S93. Sie: Ileferring to uiy confidential dispatch No. 129, to your confidential des- patch No. 128, and to your two dispatches 129 and 134, and to my 132 regard- ing the confidential inforniation that the United States can now if' desired acquire the islands of St. Thomas and St. John upon the terms designated in the convention of 1867 between the United States and Denmark, I have to say that as soon as opportunity offered after receiving vour second telegram I spoke with Mr. Estrup and Baron Reedtz-Thott, giving them the views of the President as you instructed me to do. They were not surprised at this, as I had previously given them to under- stand that It was improbable tlit't the President would take the matter up when his Administration was so near its close. Each, however, spoke of the pendin<' negotiations regarding Hawaii, and suggested that perhaps they may liave had some influence in the matter, and reference was made to a statement that has appeared in the newspapers that we are looking to the acquisition of Samana Bay, etc., and that this may perhaps influence our Government unfavorably in regard to St. Thomas, etc. Of course I could express no opinion in regard to this, but it seemed to them, as it appears to me, that with a canal across the Isthmus the acquisition of Hawaii makes it even more important that we should have a station in the West Indies. _ Of course any action will depend on the views of the incoming Administra- tion. Should it be regarded as worthy of further consideration, while it would be a great satisfaction to me to be permitted to pursue a matter to which I have given some considerable thought, it will be a pleasure to me as well as my duty to aid my successor in office in every way in my power to attain the end that may seem desirable. It seems to be the opinion of all those who are informed as to the needs of our new Navy and of our growing commerce that the time has arrived when we require a naval station in the West Indies. For such a station, in location, accessibility, amplitude, and natural strength, the harbor of St. Thomas pre- sents far greater advantages than any other that is available. With its natural advantages it can be made impregnable, and it is ray delib- erate opinion that with these advantages, and its wharves and docks and build- ings and machinery already established by private enterprise, the acquisition of this splendid harbor upon the terms suggested, and its equipment, would in the end be far less expensive than that of any other in that region. I have, etc., Clakk E. Caer. Hon. John W. Foster, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Legation of the United States, Copenhagen, January 1/f, 1S96. Sir : Several New York newspapers, of dates about the 1st instant, arrived here yesterday and created considerable interest by certain contents to the effect that Denmark was offering, through Mr. Henrick Cavling, a newspaper editor of this city, but now in Washington, to sell to the United States the West India Islands, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John; and intimating that if the United States did not buy them Germany would probably do so. Some newspaper reporters called at this legation and asked to be informed whether any such negotiations were pending. Of course I declined to say anything whatever on the subject. During the day I had an entirely informal conversation with Mr. Vedel, the director-general of the ministry of foreign affairs, in which he exhibited to me copies of the articles in question, which he said had been sent to him by one of the city newspapers with a request for information ; but he said he would say nothing about it to the press. To me he said, however, that Mr. Cavling was a self-appointed agent and had no authority nor instigation from the for- eign office, nor was there any negotiation whatever pending between Denmark and Germany for the sale or transfer of the islands. Thinking that in the changed condition of affairs it might be or might become desirable for the United States to reopen the negotiation for the purchase of 20 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. the islands, I said tliat, while I had no instruction whatever on the subject from mv Government, I would personally be glad to be informed whether Den- mark was inclined to reopen the matter. He replied that certainly Den- mark, having met with a disastrous failure in the elfort of 1S6S, could not pro- pose to reopen it ; but if the United States should choose to do so, he was of opinion that his Government would be inclined to sell them, though he was personally opposed to it. I am aware of the action taken by the Department and my predecessor in the early months of 1893, but the subject was dropped then because of the approaching close of the Administration of President Harrison. It is wholly unnecessary for me to discuss the value of these islands to the United States. It is quite apparent that in certain contingencies they might be very useful, but whether on the whole it w-juld be wise to purchase thera I do not presume to express an opinion. All I desire to say is that if our Gov- ernment shall wish to take up the matter I b'^lieve it can be brought to a more speedy conclusion and with more secrecy ar!d safety by carrying on the nego- tiation here rather than in Washington. I have, etc., John E. Risley. Hon. Richard Olney, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Legation of the United States, Copenhagen, Jannary 18, 1896. Strx: I have the honor to report that early this afternoon Baron Zytphen- Adler, from the Danish foreign office, called at this legation and said the minis- ter would be much obliged if I would call at the ministry at 3.30 o'clock. On complving with the request, the minister told me he had received two cable- grams" from Mr. Bruu, Danish minister at Washington, in regard to the sale of the Danish West India Islands. Tlie lirst, received yesterday, was to the effect that Mv. Brun had a conversa- tion with yourself, which his excellency said he did not clearly understand and had awaited further advices ; the second came to-day and was to the effect that a resolution on the subject had been offered in the Senate. There was no explanation of the character of the resolution, nor was the name given of the Senator who offered it. The minister said he wished me to clearly understand that no one had been authorized to offer the islands for sale to any power whatever, nor would they be offered for sale. The minister continued, however, to say that if the United States should make an offer for them he could assure me that it would be fairly considered ; that the great publicity given to the subject would no doubt increase the difficulties here and make it more difficult to carry the matter through to success; and there might possibly be an objection from France as to the island of St. Croix, from whom it was acquired some two hundred years ago. He thought not, but deemed it right to mention the possibility, as it was better to have everything as clearly understood as possible before proceeding further. The foregoing is the substance of what his excellency said. I .eplied that I understood the position of the Danish Government to be that they would make no offer, but that if an offer should be made by the 'Government of the United States it would be considered in a friendly spirit, and I informed him I had already written to you to that effect, substantially, on the strength of an in- formal conversation had with Mr. Vedel, the director-general. The impression made on my mind is that the minister will gladly welcome an offer from the United States. Thougfli not a word was said on the subject in this connection, I think the condition of political parties here would make It rather desirable to the ministry to carry to a speedy success such a negotiation. Awaiting any instructions you may have to give, I have, etc., John E. Risley. Hon. RicHAKD Olney, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. o