Blockade running is similar to rum running because both of them caused prosperity to the country. If you look at it, blockade running brought prosperity because first of all the blockade-runners needed a storage place. So to aid the blockade-runners the Bahamas constructed houses, houses and warehouses. Also since weary blockade-runners needed a place to stay, the Royal Victoria was completed to serve this purpose. Now, in 1861 the streets of Bay Street were filled, the Royal Victoria was filled to capacity and people were buying goods and storing goods. All these activities brought money into the economy. Therefore causing a boom in the economy. Rum Running brought prosperity because Liquor merchants such as Bethel’s, Symonette’s and Collin also prospered. Government, charging an import duty of 12 schillings on every case of liquor, quickly paid off the public debt of ₤69,000 and went on to make over ₤1,000,000 a year between 1926 and 1930. Also a casino and a golf course were opened on West Bay Street. Also in 1922 the Colonial Hotel was built, the Fort Montagu Beach Hotel and Prince George Dock. Electricity plant was enlarged and city water and sewage systems were installed.
Another similarity between rum running and blockade running is that they all resulted in depression and poverty. Rum running ended because of a number of reasons. Americans were feeling the effects of the Wall Street crash. Most of them lost their money. In the Bahamas the Bahamas was hit by a devastating hurricane. All these events caused money to be scarce and since money was scarce, you could say that the alcoholics were forced to be sober because they had no money to be alcoholics with. Blockade running resulted in a similar fashion. When the war stopped, there was no more need for blockade-runners. When there was no more need for blockade-runners and storage, the streets of Bay Street became scarce once again. The shops, harbour, the warehouses, the shops and the hotel soon became deserted. Also there was an increase in pestilence, mosquitoes, yellow fever, typhoid fever, death and pollution of water.
Rum running and Blockade running are different because Rum running was illegal and Blockade running was legal. Rum running was illegal because liquor was prohibited, so that meant that the sale, promotion, buying and transport of liquor were illegal. But Blockade Running on the other hand didn’t really have a law prohibiting the transport of liquor.
Rum Running was also different from Blockade running because rum running dealt with the transport of one item. But blockade running dealt with the transport of multiple items.
Compare the effects of Blockade running and Rum running on the Bahamas?
Blockade running and Rum running had both positive and negative effects on the Bahamas. Blockade running had some positive effects on the Bahamas.
On the Positive side, Blockade running brought prosperity to the Bahamas. When Bahamians started to Blockade run, it brought immediate capital to the economy. This led to other projects, such as the building of warehouses, hotels, houses, shops etc, also the paying off of the public’s debt. Also street lights were constructed and the size of the police force increased. The government spent money on warehouses, hotels etc. because the blockade runners had to store their goods and the Bahamas was perfect for this because it was the nearest foreign country. The government spent money on streetlights etc because in the 1860’s the inhabitants and visitation of people to the Bahamas increased rapidly. So with tourists visiting the Bahamas more than ever they had to renovate the Bahamas to make it look presentable. The government spent money on hotels because since East Bay Street was incredibly packed, they figured that they might want to stay hear and rest for a little while. This plan worked. The Royal Victoria was filled to capacity almost every night.
Also on the positive side, Rum running also brought prosperity to the Bahamas. Since the Government put twelve schillings on the import of every case of liquor, the Bahamas quickly became prosperous. This duty quickly vanquished the Bahamas’ debt and also caused the Bahamas to make 1,000,000 pounds a year between 1926 and 1930. Also, a casino and a golf course, Fort Montagu were erected with some of the money.
But, on the negative side, Blockade Running also brought depression and poverty. When the war ended with the surrender of Confederates forces on April 8th, 1865, the need for blockade running ceased. The harbour, warehouses, shops and hotels soon became deserted; the boom was over. Also at the end of the war, many Bahamians died, some of yellow fever (which was carried by mosquitoes), other by Typhoid fever (from drinking polluted water).
Rum running also had a negative side. Rum running also caused a great depression and poverty. Also, all the money the American rumrunners made was put in the banks. But in 1929 all they saved was lost in an event called the “ Wall Street Crash”. But In 1933, every rumrunners dream not to come true came true. In 1933, the National Prohibition was repealed. Meaning that liquor was now legal to be sold, promoted etc. SO the art of rum running was now phased out.
