Show island of st john the island of st john in the virgin island group has an area of about 21 square miles and lies about four our miles east of st thomas although it is the least important in size of the major islands st john possesses a harbor at coral lay bay which according to engineers requires only development to make it a rival of the better known harbor at charlotte amalie sugar cane is grown on a very small acreage but the chief industry is the growing of bay leaves and the distillation of the day bay oil from which bay rum is made the inhabitants about are colored or of mixed blood with few exceptions |