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 

 1 841. 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. 



Cwts. Value. 



1849 — •■• ••• ;^2,2i7 



1850 ... ... — ... ... 5,700 



1851 ... ... — ... ... 14,000 



1852 — 11,257 



1855 2399 9,615 



1856 ... ... 1800 ... ... 6,723 



1857 2657 11,025 



1858 3357 17,254 



1866 ... ... 8630 ... ... 40,000 



1869 ... ... 3887 ... ... 28,000 



1870 ... ... 2836 ... ... — 



1871 ... ... — ... ... 14,868 



1873 5000 32,938 



1874 2472 15,551 



1875 ... ... 1940 ... ... 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 i '03 degrees, and they are left to 

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



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