THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 563 



carrying salt cargoes. Thus the profit of carrying the product, together 

 with that of importing it into the States, was taken by Americans. These 

 carriers were reported to have talcen Bahama salt to Canada as well as to the 

 States."' A greater vexation to the inhabitant of the Turks Islands lay in 

 the local regulations of the salt shipping. The Bahama government con- 

 sistently exacted the payment of the old-time duties on the export of the 

 product and took from the producers a great part of the profit of their in- 

 dustry. In 1845 the market price of salt at the Turks Islands was 3|d. per 

 bushel. The same export tax M'as then collected that had been collected when 

 salt was selling for Is. 3d. per bushel.°°' What made it all the more vexing 

 to the salt producer was the fact that so small a portion of the revenue that 

 was collected in the Turks was expended there, or in any way that would 

 benefit the Turks Islands. Eemonstrance against it was without avail.™ 

 The pressure of this burden was removed only on the imminence of the sepa- 

 ration of the Turks Islands from the Bahama government. 



ENSLAVEMENT OF BAHAMA NeGEOES. 



After the slave system had passed away in British territory it continued 

 in the neighboring States and the colonies belonging to other nations. Inter- 

 course with these territories was now beset with difficulties, owing to the con- 

 tinued application of the old regulations against the introduction of free 

 negroes. Many of the sailors, on the vessels belonging to the Bahamas, were 

 negroes and it was perilous for them to visit the neighboring ports. In 1835 

 William Forster, a Bahama negro, was seized in Florida and sold as a slave, 

 under a law of that state forbidding a free negro to visit its territory."" 

 The seizure was brought to the attention of the British minister at Washing- 

 ton, and Forster was released by the courts of the state of Florida.™ 

 Eumors were afloat that other seizures of the same kind had been made in the 

 same state. The ignorant people of these Islands were not unlikely to be- 



'"'Nesbitt to Stanley, No. 11 (1847). 



"'''H. v., 1848 (app.), p. 27. Letter of Smith, agent of the Turks Islands in 

 London. 



"' Ds., S. St., 1849, Ds. of Nov. 30, and enclosed memorial and petition. 



°" The law under which proceedings took place provided that any negro who 

 might come to that state should be sent away with a warning not to return. 

 Forster had received the warning, but on his return he had not landed. He was 

 seized on board a vessel in one of the harbors. The seizure was thus Illegal 

 H. v., 1835-6, pp. 88-91. 



™ Cockburn to Russell, No. 37. 



