THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 571 



ernnient as the cause of this new difficulty and clamored for a separation from 

 the Colony. The agitation begun over this really wise change in'the conduct 

 of the salt ponds led to a long series of complaints, and in urging the question 

 of the separation, the people reiterated all their past grievances. 



The authorities at London and the Governor at Nassau investigated the 

 conditions and found that there were legitimate causes of complaint. Chief 

 among these was the financial grievance, already mentioned. Attempts were 

 made to remedy the evils and to reconcile the people to the Colonial govern- 

 ment. They were not, however, to be thus diverted from the real oljject of 

 their petitions. They were not discouraged by the refusal of a hearing to their 

 agent in London or l)y tlie rejection of their petition for the separation. 

 They were detonnincHl. if ])osslbIe, to be severed from the oppressive Colony. 

 They never lost the confidence that their object would be attained if the actual 

 conditions could be brought to the attention of the authorities. 



Governor Mathew at first minimized the importance of their grievances 

 and represented that the agitation was due to a few disaffected individuals. 

 But upon a thorough investigation of the conditions he admitted the existence 

 of the evils, and in 18-1:7 recommended the separation. The Turks Islands did 

 not cease, however, in their efforts to secui-e the great object they desirocL 

 Earl Grey, who took charge of the Colonial Department in 1846, was the 

 third Colonial .Sccretai'v to whom they had applied for this ])urpose, and at 

 last in 1848, lie sent to the Governor plans for the separation. The latter 

 framed a bill embodying the terms on which it was to be allowed, secured its 

 passage through the reluctant legislature, and the connection of the Turks 

 with the Bahamas was severed. The Caicos Islands, which lie near the Turks, 

 were placed with them. The two groups were henceforth to l)e ruled by a 

 President and Council, directed by orders of the Crown-in-council, and under 

 the supervision of the Governor of Jamaica. 



This division of the territory of the Colony relieved the Turks Islands of 

 the burdens under which they had been lal)oring. They were now to be free 

 to manage their own affairs. To the Bahamas the principal result was that of 

 causing a temporary depletion of the public revenue, together with a slight 

 decrease in the expenditures on account of the withdrawal of the Turks Islands. 

 But a few years later the pultlic revenues ^\■erc as large as they had ever been. 



The Public Blijial-Grounds. 

 The established church of the Bahamas continued to exist. The contest 

 over the control of the pul^lic schools, noticed in the preceding chapter, was 



