Hi Sherban!
Here is my story about the sale. The same as the one you mention, but with more details.
Hope yoy enjoy to learn a little more.
Why did Denmark sell the islands?
Denmark occupied STT about 1666, a few years later STJ was occupied too, while STX was bought from France in 1733.
But after having owned the islands for nearly 250 years, the islands were sold to the Americans.
But why did DK sell? That I think is an interesting story. I have told parts of the story here.
Perhaps some of you would like to know a little more about the history of the islands.
The economy
The first many years DK didn’t have much money from the islands, too many ships were lost,there were conflicts with the planters etc.. But the time from about 1750 until about 1830 was a “golden age”. The sugar prices in Europe rose, and the harbour in STT was very busy. At that time there were many wars in Europe,but DK remained neutral, which meant that Danish ships could sail with goods without being attacked. Many businessmen made a fortune, and in Copenhagen and other places there are still many beautiful buildings, which are built for the money earned at that time.
From about 1830 the economy wasn’t so good anymore. Especially in STX there was problems, more countries had begun to produce sugar, and the harvest failed for some years. And the planters had lived a luxury life without saving money for bad years. In STT it was better, the harbour was still busy with many coal depots. After the emancipation in 1848 things get worse, and in DK the interest for the islands felt.
1852
For the first time it was discussed in the parliament, if DK should sell the islands, but the majority was against a sale - thought that the islands still could be useful for the country.
1864
DK had been in war, had lost and know that we probably would loose a part of the country. So confidentially the government asked Preussen (now Germany), if DK perhaps could avoid giving land up, if Preussen got the islands. The answer was no. The rumour about that reached USA. Here there was war between North and South, and ships from both places used the harbour in STT. The North American navy found it important that they had a strategic strongpoint in the Caribbean, also they didn’t want that Preussen and Austria got influence in the territory. So the Danish Foreign Minister in USA was invited to a dinner party and asked, if we perhaps would sell the islands. However, the Danish king, who just had lost a part of the country, said no, not now, perhaps later. But shortly after all negotiation stopped, Lincoln was murdered!
1866 - 70
A new government in DK propose USA that they buy the islands for 25 million dollars.But the Congress in USA tells the new president Johnson that the price is too high. USA has just bought Alaska from Russia for 7 million dollars. After many discussions it ends up with a treaty, after which USA only should buy STT and STJ for 7,5 million dollars. There were voted about a sale in both the islands and the two houses of the Danish parliament. Both in DK and on the island it was a yes for a sale. But in 1867 there is a hurricane and later on an earth crake on STT, which destroys a lot. The press in USA began to criticise the treaty, why pay so much for a ruined island? So in 1870 the case stops, the American senate refuse to ratify the treaty! The Danish are disappointed, but there was nothing they could do.
1895-1902
Both in DK and in USA there are still some influential persons, who work for a sale. In DK some of these persons hire an agent, a Danish - American journalist, who has contact to the republicans in USA. One of them, senator Henry Lodge, is a keen spokesman for USA’s buy of the islands. But the negotiations with the agent are making slow progress. So another agent tries to use the situation. He makes an arrangement about buying a big part of the properties on STJ, and then he communicates with the German. He proposes that they secretly shall colonize STJ, so it will be difficult for the Americans to prevent a takeover. But the German do not agree. After that he tries if he can persuade the Americans to buy. Some rumours starts about the methods, and now the press in USA again plays a roll. They insinuate that the republicans have accepted to receive bribery from the first agent. And again the case stops for a while, and none of the agents have luck despite of their efforts.
But there are still rumours about a German purchase, and the foreign minister in USA John Hay
get interest in the island. He can see that STT has some strategic advantages, especially due to the
coming Panama canal. So the negotiation starts again. And this time it ends up with a treaty so that USA only shall pay 3,5 million for all three islands. Compared to the further treaty where the price was 7,5 million for STT and STJ, it’s a very low price.
The treaty has to be ratified in both countries. In USA the answer is yes, but in DK it doesn’t go so easy. One of the houses in the parliament says yes, but in the other house, where there are many conservative members, there is a strong opposition. The day for the voting an ambulance drives to Jutland to bring two conservative, elderly, (83 and 96 year), very weakened members to Copenhagen, so they can take part in the voting. And their votes became decisive. There was the same number of votes for a yes as for a no, which means that the treaty is rejected. This time it's the Americans there are disappointed, but there are nothing they can do.
The economy after 1902
There are still problems with the economy. The planters try to get income from other activities than the sugar for example different crops and animal husbandry. A dairy is started. But it’s not enough. Also the harbour in STT has a fall. There are strikes, and there is a bad hurricane, so the future doesn’t look promising. People were looking forward to the opening of the Panama Canal, but when it finally opened, First World War started.
1916-1917
The Danish government wish more and more to sell the islands. Not only because they loose money on the island, but also because of the fear that Germany just will take the control over them. DK is not strong enough to resist. So perhaps they wouldn’t get any money for the islands at all. In USA the government also was afraid that DK itself perhaps would come under control of Germany. So very secretly new negotiations were started. The government in DK made it clearly that the price had to be high, so that Germany understood that caused the economy, they couldn’t say no to the offer.
The final treaty
After many negotiations a treaty was signed for the third time. The price was now 25 million dollars and what was very important for us, USA agreed to recognize our right to the whole of Greenland.
In USA the treaty get acknowledged very easy. But in DK there are problems. The government has several times denied that negotiations about a sale were going on, they were afraid of Germany’s reaction, but when the public found out that it wasn’t true, it cost a scandal. An election is mentioned. The king intervenes and the result is that a commission shall investigate the different opportunities, come with a conclusion, after which a referendum shall take place. After some month the commission has finished their work, and they are for a sale. Now the referendum is prepared.The discussion about a sale has made a great stir, and there are very strong and different opinions about it. The newspapers take emotional part in the discussion, and different well-known persons tell their opinion. Some say that it is a national catastrophe to sell out of Danish land, what will the next be? Other say that it’s much more important that we now have the right to the whole of Greenland. A temperance society means that it’s fine, if we sell these rum infested islands, and many say that if the population on the islands wish to belong to USA, we have to respect that. The referendum takes place in December 1916, and it’s the first time the women are allowed to vote!!! The result is a yes for the sale! So later in December the Danish king can sign the treaty and in January 1917 president Wilson can sign too.
The transfer
The transfer ceremonies were held in both STT and STX in March 1917. On STJ the ceremony didn’t take place before in April, when the new governor arrived.
The ceremony in STT was the most impressive. It took place in front of Legislature Building near the fort. From DK it was a Danish general, substituted as governor, who formally should hand over the islands. USA was represented with commander Pollock. The general later on told in his memories that it was the saddest moment in his life, he couldn’t understand the decision of selling the islands.
But I have to admit that to day I would have found it very strange, if little Denmark still should be the owner of these special islands so far away. I think it’s better for them to belong to USA. But of course it could have been funny, if our vacation last year was to a part of Denmark instead of a part of USA.
But I don't claim the islands back.
Linne