EUROPEAN  POSSESSIONS  203

counted  for  by  one  item—coal  from  the
United  States  amounting  to  $550,000.  Much
bay  rum  is  distilled  here.  The  Panama  Canal
may  revive  the  trade  of  this  island,  owing  to
its  location  in  the  lane  of  steamship  travel.
St.  Croix,  with  14,000  people  in  its  81
square  miles  of  area,  raises  sugar  and  cotton.
They  also  make  considerable  rum.
The  United  States  in  1913  exported  $600,-000
  of  St.  Thomas’s  $1,000,000  imports  and
$550,000  of  St.  Croix’s  $800,000  worth  of  imports. ­

No  fees  are  charged  in  these  islands  for
commercial  travelers.
American  money  is  used  here  as  much  as
Danish.  There  are  no  banks,  merchants
maintaining  credits  in  New  York  or  European ­
  markets  from  the  sale  of  their  exports
and  drawing  against  them.  English  is  spoken
universally.
The  Quebec  Steamship  Company  sailing
from  New  York  connects  with  St.  Thomas;
the  other  islands  being  reached  by  coasting
vessels  from  this  point.  There  are  many  op ­