The New York herald., 1921-08-26


".
Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
NASSAU, n. p, Bahama Islands, Aug.
25.-Preyious to 1920 the Bahamas
felt that the world was marching on
if the Governors report TO the British
Colonial office showed that the total
imports and exports through the port
OF Nassau had aggregated five or six
hundred thousand pounds sterling
with the exception of a few unex-
painable years the imports always ex-
ceeded the exports by half or even
better. And these imports consisted
principally Of those supplies that make
life possible. Raw materials did not
figure; the Bahamas do no manufac-
turing. They consumed but did little
producing.
II the Governors report showed that
the net receipts from the general reve-
nues amounted to 100000 Nassauvian
pride began to manifest itself. The
periodic talk about civic improvements
u.
perity would pervade Bay street.-the
only business thoroughfare in Mas
rau, the only commercial centre in the
whole coral-limestone archipelago.
The limit would be raised at the local
business mems club and somebody
would begin talking once more about
tho projected municipal ice plant and
the moving picture theatre that is al
ways going to come to pass, but never
~ does.
SO you don't have to be the closest
student of economics to realize how
these Nassauvians felt when Gov.
Cordeaux made public his annual re-
port to the Crown last March. For
the first time in Nassau's history (and
when you speak OF Nassau you talk
Of the Bahamas) imports had reached
and even bettered the 100000 mark.
That there may be less confusion we
shall talk in dollars from now on.
Liquor Third of Imports.
Keeping in mind the fact that the
Bahamas have 10 import all their food.
even milk. potatoes. corn, eggs. Ice and
the like. and everything OF clothing
household supplies and, to be brief,
everything except few tropical fruits
and fish consider this:
Her total imports for 1920 amounted
IN value to about s3,S0o0 900. Just a
little less than one-thrd of that con-
sisted Of whiskey, gin. rum, brandy,
wine, beer and cordials. The Bahamas
do not produce sufficient food to keep
a Chinese family on the comfortable
side OF hunger. Yet nearly one dol
lars worth Of every three dollars of
imports in 1920 was booze.
And the most conservative business
men i'm this super-conscrvativ town as
Sured THE NEW YORK HERALD reporter
that such was the initiation in the first
six months Of 1921 that just about half
the imports in that time consisted Of
hard liquor. Incidentally the Bahamas
are producing less foodstuffs this year
than they ever did-a sum total so close
10 nil that it requires intense research TO
discover its dimensions
There is no profit in considering Mas
saus exports. outside OF booze they
are as a tear shed in the middle OF the
Atlantic. Besides the report Of Gov.
Cordeaux fails to include revenue re-
ceipts from liquor exports. The Acting
Comptroller or Customs, J. Herbert Peet
PAYS no attention to exported booze In
his report.
Tho truth OF the matter is that the
booze is exported In a manner that frees
IL OF local outgoing imposts. II is car
ricd In ships clearing for another British
port or the ship clears ia ballast and
ottf IL t0lsf AZ a,.I .ft -
has cleared or IL is carried in smaller
motor boats to those islands nearest the
path OF the American coastwise steam
ship traffic and picked up In passing by
those nonchalaut bottoms which there
upon become our beloved mystery ships.
Prosperity Replaces Poverty.
Against this background then. con-
slider Nassau to-day. IT Is perfectly true
that she finds herself overstoclsed with
whiskcy. 1t Is likewise true that the
Royal Bank OF Canada, for reasons that
may be traced to Downing street, Lon
don, has decided that the crazy infla.
ton has gone far enough and has noti.
fled the Nassauvian merchants that they
reed not expect further extensions on
their paper and must get busy and lift
portions thereof before September I.
Likewise there is much apprehension
hereabouts and deal Of resentment
You can't drag half starved man away
from his first dinner IN weeks and ex.
pect him TO smile. In this case. how.
ever, this particularly undcrfed Nassau
has packed away sufficient finencia
provender 10 last her over several lear
seasons. Tho main thing Is that shf
has supplanted her poverty with pros
perity.
So the renascence of this erstwhils
nioribund colony Is told here az II wai
told to THE NEW York HERALD reporter
by liquor dealers and representatives oi
tho British Crown. They tell theii
stories with huge satisfaction.
Tho Eighteenth Amendment TO tn,
American Constitution was their saliva
ton.
They call upon the world 10 obscrv'