Catalogue of the British Section.
198
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 10th 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 10th April and 31st December, the excess of births over deaths in the former class 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 31st 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 10th April, 1871, the Indian population on the sugar estates was as follows, according to the census taken on that day:—
Immigrants—From Calcutta
Males.
36,815
Females.
.. 12,836
Total.
49,651
,, Madras
..
18,086
9,090
27,176
,, Bombay Indo-Mauritians
..
5,035
2,143
7,178
16,192
14,863
31,055
Free Indian Passengers
••
40
. . 12
52
Total
. •
•.
76,168
38,944
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:—
1867
Tons.
100,000
1868
99,000
. .
1869
107,000
. •
1870
102,000
. .
. .
1871
123,000
. .
. .
The goods exhibited are as follows:— GROUP II.
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.
Value.
^2,156,950
Average price per cwt.
.. i8j. 4 d.
2 ,I 43> i6 6
21
IO
2 , 599,815
. . 22
IO
2 , 549 , 88 i
. . 24 II
2,819,944
. . 22
7
HORNE, J., Sub-Director, Royal Botanica Gardens. —Collection of Fibres sent from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Mauritius.
HORNE, J., Sub-Director, Royal Botanical Gardens. —63 Sections of Wood, of which 43, from No. 1 to No. 43, are from indigenous trees.