THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 575 



merce, it was engaged in entirely at the risk of its carriers. But reports of real 

 violations of neutrality, which were undisputed, came to the American author- 

 ities. Mr. Adams also complained that the same port was being used as a place 

 of deposit for munitions of war for the rebellious states, and that a gunboat 

 built in England had resorted to Nassau to receive a crew of Confederate sailors, 

 and thence to prey upon American commerce. 



Severe treatment was accorded to vessels and crews that fell into the 

 hands of the blockading squadron. One-half of the vessels that tried to make 

 the trip in 1862 were captured. In May, 1863, the Margaret and Jessie, ply- 

 ing between Nassau and Charleston, was fired upon and sunk near the island 

 of Eleuthera by the man-of-war Rhode Island. Her commander claimed that 

 she was engaged in legitimate trade and that she was fired on within one mile 

 of the shore line of British territory. These claims were not sustained by the 

 findings of the American prize court and no redress was given. In spite of the 

 frequency of the captures the trade increased. The profits to be derived from 

 a successful trip were so great that many were willing to undergo the risks. 

 Great quantities of supplies were carried to Nassau from British and even 

 from American ports, which were destined for the use of the Confederates. 

 Trade from Liverpool and Cardiff, that could not otherwise have hoped to reach 

 the southern States, was conducted with comparative safety through the port 

 of Nassau. The customs officers at New York required security for the good 

 faith of certain shipments made from there to the Bahamas. Great Britain 

 protested against the bonding of British carriers in this way. 



In the latter part of the war, the frequenting of Bahama ports by United 

 States warships formed the subject of protests from London. Abaco, Inagua, 

 the Biminis and other places Avere visited, and complaint was made that a 

 virtual blockade was maintained at some of them. But the Bahamas were not 

 the sole transgressors. Other parts of the British West Indies were also 

 used as bases of the same kind of semi-hostile operations against the United 

 States. Both sides were guilty of infractions against proper conduct. The 

 British islands, however, profited more by it than did the American navy. 



Nassau flourished. Her prosperity was altogether due to the part which 

 her harbor and geographic position played in this commerce with the south- 

 ern cities. Both imports and exports rose to a high point. The imports 

 amounted to 274,581, in 1861, to 1,250,322 in 1862, and to 3,368,567 in 

 1863. The exports had stood at 141,896 in 1860. In 1861 they rose to 



