John Thomas Watson Bacot

“ The extraordinary difference between the normal trade of the islands and that due to blockade-running, will be seen by comparing the imports and exports before the closing of the southern ports in 1860 with those of 1864. In the former year the imports were 234,029, and the exports 157,350, while in the latter year the imports were 5,346,112, and the exports, 4,672,398. The excite ment, extravagance, and waste existing at Nassau during the days of blockade-running exceed belief. Individuals may have profited largely, but the Bahamas probably benefited little. ”

“ The fruits and spices of the Bahamas are very numerous,—the fruit equalling any in the world. The produce of the islands includes tamarinds, olives, oranges, lemons, limes, citrons, pomegranates, pine-apples, figs, sapodillas, bananas, sowersops, melons, yams, potatoes, gourds, cucumbers, pepper, cassava, prickly pears, sugar cane, ginger, coffee, indigo, Guinea corn and pease. ”

“ But the increase in exports is due to the development of trade in articles, such as pine apples andoranges, the production of which is uncertain, since a season s crop may perish in a hurricane. The sponge trade is not so prosperous as it should be, the Spanish authori ties, it appears, interfering with the spongers working on the reefs near Cuba; while the excessive duty levied in the United States on salt has almost paralysed the salt-making trade of the Bahamas. The total number of pine-apples exported to the United States and England in 1873 was 422,994 dozen, valued at 38,767. ”

“ The formation of all the islands is the same,—calcareous rocks of coral and shell hardened into limestone, honeycombed and perforated with innumerable cavities, without a trace of primitive or volcanic rock; the surface is as hard as flint, but underneath it gradually softens and furnishes an admirable stone for building, which can be sawn into blocks of any size, these hardening on exposure to the atmosphere. The shores are generally low, the highest hill in the whole range of the islands being only 230 feet high. The soil, although very thin, is very fertile. ”

“ There are 35 Government schools in the Bahamas, 5 of which are ia New Providence, and 30 in the out islands. These schools are managed by an education board composed of 5 or more members, with the governor as president. The legislative grant for educational purposes is 2200 a year, exclusive of the salary of the inspector of schools, who is borne upon the civil establishment on a salary of 200. ”

“ There is no Roman Catholic place of worship in the islands, and the members of that church are very few in number. The constitution of the Bahamas consists of a governor, aided by an executive council of 9 members, a legislative council of 9 members, and a representative assembly of 28 members. The qualifications of electors are full age, a residence of twelve months, six of which must have been as a freeholder, or a resi dence of six months and a payment of duties to the amount of 26, Os. ”

“ He passed through the islands, and in one of his letters to Ferdinand and Isabella he said, " This country excels all others as far as the day surpasses the night in splendour; the natives love their neighbours as themselves ”

“ The inhabitants derive their water supply from wells, the rain-water in which appears to have some con nection with the sea, as the contents of the wells rise and fall with the tide upon the neighbouring shore. ”