British Colonies.
149
MAURITIUS.
An island in the Indian Ocean, 400 miles east of Madagascar, captured by the
British in 1810. The area of the island is 676 miles. The resident population of
Mauritius, according to the census taken on the ioth of April, 1871, was composed of
51,771 males of the general population and 48,013 females, and 141,804 males of the
Indian population and 74,454 females—total, 316,042. Between the ioth April and 3ist
December, the excess of births over deaths in the former dass amounted to 479 males,
and 579 females. In the latter there was an excess of 136 deaths in the males, and an
excess of 823 births in the females. The arrivals, however, of Indian immigrants exceeded
the departures by 433 males and 364 females, thus raising the total resident population to
318,584 classified as under:—General population, males, 52,250; females, 48,592. Indian
population, males, 142,101 ; females, 75,641. It has been found impossible to follow the
movements of the general population, or even of those of free Indian passengers, since
the repeal of Ordinance No. 24 of 1850. The total estimated population on the 3ist of
December, male and female, may be taken as correct; but as the births and deaths of some
Creole Indians, number at present uncertain, have been registered as belonging to the
general population, the latter is probably a little over-estimated. Revenue (1871),
616,952; expenditure, ^"600,961. The principal article of produce is Sugar, and the
cultivation of the cane is carried on in plantations, which employ 60,000 or 70,000
immigrants, introduced from the Presidencies of India. On the ioth April, 1871, the
Indian population on the sugar estates was as follows, according to the census taken on
that day :—
Females.
Males.
Total.
Immigrants—From Calcutla
12,836
9,090
49.651
27,176
7,178
31,055
Madras
Bombay
Indo-Mauritians
Free Indian Passengers
12
Total
38,944
76,168
115,112
The value of imports and exports during 1871, deducting specie, has been respectively
£ 1,807,382 and ^"3,053,054. There is little doubt that the value of exports given by the
Blue Book last year was under-estimated. A comparison with those figures, therefore,
will not be of much use. The exports in 1871 may, however, be roundly stated as having
exceeded those of 1870 in value by ^450,000, and this excess is accounted for by the
larger quantity of sugar shipped in the former year. The quantities and value of the sugar
exported during the last five years are given below :—
Tons.
100,000
99,000
107,000
102,000
123,000
/2,156,950
2,I43,l66
2,599,815
2,549,881
2,819,944
Value.
Average price
per cwt.
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
i8j. 4 d.
21 10
22 10
24 ii
22 7
The goods exhibited are as follows :—
GROUP II.
HORNE, J., Sub-Director, Royal Botanica
Gardens.—Collection of Fibres sent from the Royal
Botanical Gardens, Mauritius.
CALDWELL, J., & Mrs. de CHAZAL
MOON.—Lithographs of Canes, introduced into
Mauritius by Mr. Caldwell, coloured by Mrs. Moon ;
Report on New Caledonia; Classification of Sugar
Canes; Plates of Paintings made in Queensland,
New South Wales, and Mauritius; Sugar Canes
painted from nature in Queensland, in New South
Wales, and Mauritius.
HORNE, J., Sub-Director, Royal Botanical
Gardens.—63 S ections of Wood, of which 43, from
No. i to No. 43, are from indigenous trees.
