San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-29
BAHAMA ISLANDS
CALLED SOURCE
Of RUM RUNNING
Over Million Gallons I'm
ported Annually, Con-
gresham Says.
BRITISH DON'T CARE
Islanders and Government
Growing Rich on Or
ganized Traffic.
BRITISH DON'T CARE

Washington, ID. C., Jan. 29.-Liquor
is now being struggled into the United
States from the Bahama Islands at the
rate of 100000 gallons annually, while
the government and population of that
British colony, getting relatively i'm
mensc revenues from the traffic" are
absolutely indisposed to sympathize with
efforts to check it, according to a state
ment issued by Representatives Rogers,
Republican, Massachusetts,, based, he
declared, on official data furnished him
by the State Department.
From the duties on whiskey alone,
Mr.. Rogers said. the islands are deriv-
ing IN income three times as great as
their government revenues from all
sources in 1915, while the estimated
profits of those interested in tire traf-
fic, including members of the elected
legislative body, are said to be enor
nous.
Mr.. Rogers declared the State De-
partment report read like a book Of
fiction" in describing the mushroom
growth Of what he classed - AN estab- |
lished practice, with great capital and
organized procedure" of running liquor |
into the United States through the
screen erected by prohibition enforce
ment agents.
Oasis Of Dry America"
Up TO 1919, Mr.. Rogers asserted, the
annual imports Of liquor t. the Ba-
hamas were $4,000 gallons. while for
1922 they amounted to 100000 gal
Ions.
The Bahamas are certainly the oasis
of dry America" his statement said
ITO the last quart, am advised, the
liquors are shipped to the United States.
All told, 100000 gallons have found
their way into the country, all the way
from Norfolk, Philadelphia and New
York as far east as Boston. When the
would lie off the port of Nassau, would |
be secretly loaded and would depart
without papers. Other ships would be
cleared in ballast. but, subsequent to
clearing, would be loaded with liquor.
The practice is different now that |
the illicit trade has been '"lly organ
lied. The vessels, nearly all flying the
British flag, will clear for the French |
port of st. Pierre. MiQuelon, or for |
Tampico, Mexico. In the first instance
the vessels really unload their cargoes |
off New York or some other North At |
lantic port; this was the case of the
ships which kept the dry navy 20 busy |
beyond the three-mile line OF New York |
week or two ago. In the second in
stance, that Of Tampico clearance, the
actual destination is New Orleans or I,
some Gulf port.
Met Outside Three.NIile Limit.
As a matter of fact, the ships never
,nnnnnI 60 Nha n.Ne Co.. N,~htah fhny I
have cleared but lie off the American |
coast and are met by Encouragement |
outside the three-mile limit by small |
but 81 sedy American motor boats. I'm
der an old practice, introduced by boats
engaged in sponge gathering, the ships |
are allowed to enter from the high |
seas Truly this Bahaman practice
is magma charta for the whiskey |
smugglers. OF equal advantage to the
smugglers, il any OF their vessels are
driven into Americans ports by stormy |
weather, they are technically British !
ships. whose papers disclose legal voy-
age, and they are permitted to depart
with their cargoes. may say in this
connection that SO vessels of 1920 net
tons were engaged in this traffic in the
year 1922.
1.-THE average annual shipments for :,
tue idsN stdIs WIFI Ithllg wv
600 gallons. The shipments for 1922
amounted to nearly 100000 gallons.
Whether this great increase will con-
tinue is not known, but even the island
ers believe the peak has been nearly |
reached.
II am advised that the rye and bour-
bon whiskeys, shipped to Europe /
when liquor was ordered exported from
the United States on January 20, 10l0.
and Te-imported into Nassau and mar
keted, have been nearly exhausted. Be
fore this year ends. shipments from
Nassau will consist of Scotch WHISTLES
alone. Most of this is of ~ proof,
against the American standard of 100.
and is new and inferior. 1t sells at
Nassau at about $21 case Of twelve
reputed quarts. The freight to the
American coast is $40 per case, usual!
price over the ships rail off the Amer
lean coast, Is from Si1 to $50.
No Help From Bahama.
my information is that serious CO.
operation in checking traffic cannot be
from the Bahaman government.
The Bahamas are a self-gOverning col
ony with an elected legislature, some Of
the M mbers Of which are colOrcd and
almost illitcrate. Its executive council /.
is composed of officials and local resi-
dents, of whom one has made great
profits out Of whiSley running. The
merchants who have enriched themselves
are held in increasing respect and there
is no public sentiment against the prGc-
tice. The officials are British. who
have been promoted from colony TO
colony. anu assured that they are alb
honest but without incentive
10 take a strong hand on moral grounds
49,. r,,nAAn. .,-h;sl, nt.nnll fnrln Hid