At the beginning of the 18th century, about a quarter of all galley slaves were salt smugglers, the others being common criminals, army deserters, or Protestants persecuted after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
Pārējie bija kriminālnoziedznieki, dezertieri un protestanti, kuri tika vajāti pēc Nantes edikta atcelšanas.