USVI Public Records

Document text

St Croix Avis i P e \\_/ / {] éx\ ?é:\\\?' J J M“g‘o 75TH YEAR. CHRISTIANSTED., V. I. U.S. A., MONDAY 29tH MARCH 1920. : THE ST. CROIX AVIS 18 printed and published daily (Sundays and Holidays excepted) by G. Johansen at the Avis Office. TERMS=3OBITs monthly wn advance, : 2 cents per single copy. Entered as second-class matter May 26th 1917 at the Post Office at Christian- sted, St. Croix, V. I of the U. S. A.. un der the Act of March 3. 1879. Contribution to this paper will be glad- ly received when the same deals with mat- ters of general interest, and is accompa- nied with the author’s name, as a quar- antee of good faith. The editor cannot be responsible for the views of his correspon- dents nor does he necessarily endorse them. From the West India Commaittee Circular. THAT CABLE SERVICE! The West Indian cable systemn— with the notable exception of that part of it connecting Jamaica with Bermuda, re- garding which we hear nothing but praise—is really past praying for. At the time of writing it is in a state of complete chaos. The Jamaiza Porto Rico cables, which were interrupted in July and August last, again broke down on September 30th, cutting off the whole of the West Indies east of Jamaica from ca- ble communication. From that date un- til January sth, when communication with Barbados via Porto Rico was re- stored, it was possible to telegraph be- tween the West Indies and the Mother Country only by means of the local Gov- ernment wireless when in action, or via Santiago and the French cables connec- ting Cuba, and Haiti and Porto Rico, and thar at a cost of 3s. 10d. per word as e awzainst the normal rate of 2s. 6d, pro- vided so: in the agreement of August 19th, 1914 with the West Indies and Pan- ama Telegraph Company. Since then the French iines referred o shave broken down, and messages can only be sent via New York and Haiti. But this is not all, the cable between British Guiana and Trinidad has been nut of action since De- cember, and since November T7th Barba- dos has been unable to get into touch by eable with eicher f'rinidad or Demera- ra. 's a result ‘telegraphic’” communi- cation between those parts of the West Indies can only be effected when the Government wireless stations are work- ing. For the rest telegrams are being No. 72. 1S 2TED THEATRE CHRISTIAN: 830 I'HIS EVENING 830 Continuaticn of the Great Serial: “The L f the Circus” I’ he Lure of the Circus The "*Lure of the Circus’’ is gen iinely different, ot only a strong story, but a pic- ture unique wiry the most marveloust "ick photographiec effect that you have ever seen in your life. Jus' think how you will t - fascinated, delighted, amazed by those astound- ing effects so woven into this big dr ima of the picture as to give them an obsorbing thrilling new kird of entertainment. Epicode 9: THE I.WAP OF DEATH Epicode 10: EL Tl.°o DECISIVO ~HOW CONCLUD NG WITH 2 REELS COMIC. (X 4 . 2y Behind The Front ADMISSION: R o e General Entianesus. ....... o sent on from Barbadns by stea ner and schooner—-i preposterous state of affairs in thic enlightened Twe ‘i- eth - Ceptury. . £an it be won ler- ed at that tce West India Com:it- tee is being bombarded wiih prot cts and complaints! Naturally, these von- stant breakdow-s and the mutilatior o~ messages invoh¢ loss and inconvenie ce; but the grave d vadvantages of that azk of ecable comn inication does not ©ld there, and we neced only recall the fan- tastic rumours hich wer> circulatec in this country on :he oceas cn of the re- cent strike disturbances n Trinidac to emphasise the anxiety which the absence of effective means of communica 5n must cause to a | interested in the V :cst Indies. Sir Edward Davsoa, in his recent address before .1e Royal Sociery of \ ‘s, rut the maiter in a nutshell when ae said that, granted that the cable wa: to the business firin what the voice wa: to the individual, the West I1 dian firms re- cently had been almost inarticulate. ‘re- quently broken cables, alieviated sc ne- times by spasmodic efforts of the wire ess communication, and more frequently on- ly by the resort to guch archaic mett Hds as sending messnggs b ships, have ie- sulted in increzible delays, ani sone- times even in tl e total disappearance of messages en rotie, and alriost invari: Hle in their mutilaticn. While such a s ate or affairs ecntinues to e:isg, it is not surprising that :ae decision of the Colo- ulal Office not (o undertake the expense of laying fresh cables has caused pro- fourd disappcintment. We have never wavered in our opinion that the only way to remedy these disquieting conditions is for the Government to provide an all-red cable service via Bermuda or St. Luecia, and linking up the other West Indian ~olonies by efficient cablesor- ireless. We are assured that the existing subsidies already being paid by Canada and the West Indies would go far towards meet- ing the necessary capital outlay, and we trust that this view will be endorsed by the Associated Chamber of Commerce at its forthecoming meetir gin Barbados. The present cable contract has still four years to run, and it seems to us incredible that the West Indies will tolerate the contin- uance of the present state of chaos until its expiration in 1924. We are satisfied that ro other cour.trv would do €O, and venture to throw out the hope that the Colonial Office may possibly see its way to appointja committee of those prominent- ly interested to consider and report \upon the best mean« of securing some amelior ationp of the present state of affairs Barbados Globe. i dZ Richard Zakers is asked to call at the Post Office, Christiansted.