The gold paid by the United States to Denmark for the Virgin Islands
weighed 48 tons. Like everything else, the islands have gone up in
price since the first negotiations undertaken, fifty years ago, but it
was necessary for us to have them, as with St. Thomas in our possession
and fortified no foreign power without a naval base in this part of the
world would dare attack the Panama Canal without first capturing St.
Thomas. Without it they would leave a fortified base in their rear, an
extremely dangerous situation for an attacking force.
The value of the harbor of St. Thomas and its strategic advantages have
been recognized since the days of the Spanish buccaneers. Once the
headquarters for ships sailing under the black flag, the memories of
those days will always form a romantic and fascinating side of the life
that was. Today there are modern harbor works, floating docks, marine
slips and wharves provided with electric cranes, oil reservoirs, coal
depots, fresh-water tanks, machine shops, and many other things that
contribute to the commercial advantage of St. Thomas as a port of call.
We must not overlook the political importance of extending American
jurisdiction over islands situated in the Caribbean Sea. The
possibility of a change of sovereignty of any of the islands under
foreign jurisdiction is of grave concern to this country.
The Monroe Doctrine, a settled national policy, would have caused this
country to look with disfavor upon the acquisition of the Danish West
Indies by any other power. The treaty of cession of these islands to
the United States is therefore a matter of no small moment.
[Illustration: A BAY RUM CARRIER