The Sponge Fishery of the Bahamas. 177 



business will have to withdraw, as even now it hardly com- 

 pensates them for their labour. 



The rapid strides made in sponging within the Bahamas 

 group appears almost incredible. It only commenced in 

 1841. The early stages of the trade a quarter of a cen- 

 tury ago, and its progress since, are shown in the following 

 statistics : 



VALUE OF THE EXPORTS FROM THE BAHAMAS. 



1849 

 1850 

 1851 

 1852 

 1855 

 1856 

 1857 

 1858 

 1866 

 1869 

 1870 

 1871 



1873 

 1874 

 1875 



Cwts. 



2399 

 1800 

 2657 



3357 

 8630 



3887 

 2836 



5000 

 2472 

 1940 



Value. 



2,217 



5,700 



14,000 



11,257 

 9,615 

 6,723 



II,O25 



17,254 

 40,OOO 

 28,000 



14,868 

 32,938 

 15,551 

 15,638 



About half the quantity collected is shipped to the United 

 States, and half to England. 



Before sponges pass into commerce they are trampled 

 on, pressed, washed a great many times in salt and fresh 

 water frequently changed, until the gelatinous mucus with 

 which they are covered has disappeared. They are then 

 passed through boiling water, with the view of ridding them, 

 if possible, of the peculiar smell arising from the animal 

 matter attached to the fibrous tissues. 



To bleach sponges, they are steeped in a dilute solution 

 of sulphuric acid of I to rc>3 degrees, and they are left to 

 steep five or six days, taking care to press them from time to 



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