Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/673

Rh MAURITIUS 641 by the following figures, giving values of the sugar ex ported : 1864. 2,126,511 1S71. 2,841,829 1877. 3,783,291 1878. 3,408,020 In 1877 the quantity of sugar exported was 189,164 tons; while in 1854 the quantity was 102,000 tons. The next item is rum, which was exported to the value of .45,386 in 1878; and the production of cocoa-nut oil has increased from 7569 gallons in 1864 to 253,263 gallons in 1878, the latter quantity being worth 37,263. The value of the coffee exported in 1879 was 25,064. The currency consists of rupees and cents; and on the 1st of May 1878, the metric system of weights and measures came into use in the island. Mauritius being an oceanic island of small size, its present fauna is very limited in extent, and does not contain much that is interesting. When first seen by Europeans it contained no mammals except a large fruit-eating bat (Ptcropus vulgaris), which is plentiful in the woods ; but several animals of this class have been introduced, and are now numerous in the uncultivated region. Among these are two monkeys of the genera Hacacus and Ocrco- pithccus, a stag (Cervxs hippelaphus), a small hare, a shrew-mouse, and the ubiquitous rat. A lemur and one of the curious hedgehog- like Insectirora of Madagascar (Centetcs ecandatus) have probably both been brought from the larger island. The avifauna resembles that of Madagascar ; there are species of a peculiar genus of cater pillar shrikes (Campephftgidaei), as well as of the genera Pratincole^ Hypsipctcs, Phcdina, Tchitrca, Zostcrops, Foudia, Collocalia, and C oracopsis, and peculiar forms of doves and parroquets. The living reptiles are small and few in number, but in the surrounding seas are great numbers of fish ; the coral reefs abound with a great variety of molluscs ; and there are numerous land-shells. The extinct fauna of Mauritius has considerable interest. In common with the other Mascarene islands, it was the home of the &quot;Dodo (Didus inept us), one of a group of birds incapable of flight ; there were also Aphan- ciptcryx, a species of rail, and a short-winged heron (Ardea mega- cephala), which probably seldom flew. The defenceless condition of these birds has led to their extinction since the island was colonized. Several species of large fossil tortoises have been dis covered ; but, strange to say, they are quite different from the living ones of Aldabra, in the same zoological region. Owing to the extensive destruction of the primeval forests of the island for the formation of sugar plantations, the indigenous flora of Mauritius is only seen in parts of the interior plains, in the river valleys, and on the hills ; and it is so much mingled with trees and plants introduced from other parts of the world that it is not very easy to distinguish between what is native and what has come from abroad. The principal timber tree is the ebony (Dios- pyros ebcncum), which grows to a considerable size. Besides this there are bois de cannelle, olive-tree, benzoin (Crotcm Benzoe), colo- phane (Colophonia), and iron-wood, all of which are useful in carpentry ; the cocoa-nut palm, an importation, but a tree which has been so extensively planted during the last hundred years that it is extremely plentiful ; the palmiste (Palma dactylifera lati- folia), the latanier (Corypha umbracidifcra), and the date-palm. The vacoa or vacois, a species of Fandanus, is largely grown, the long tough leaves being manufactured into bags for the export of sugar, and the roots being also made of use ; and in the few rem nants of the original forests the tree which is such a prominent one in the coast flora of Madagascar, the traveller s tree ( Urania spcciosa), grows abundantly. A species of bamboo is very plentiful in the river valleys and in marshy situations. A large variety of fruit is produced, including the tamarind, mango, banana, pine apple, guava, shaddock, fig, avocado-pear, litchi, custard-apple, and the mabolo (Diospyros discolor), a fruit of exquisite flavour, but very disagreeable odour. Many of the roots and vegetables of Europe have been introduced, as well as some of those peculiar to the tropics, including maize, millet, yams, manioc, dhol, gram, &c. Small quantities of tea, rice, and sago have been grown, as well as many of the spices (cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and allspice), and also cotton, indigo, betel, camphor, turmeric, and vanilla. Mauritius appears to have been unknown to European nations, if not to all other peoples, until the year 1507, when it was discovered by the Portuguese. It had then no inhabitants, and there seem to be no traces of its previous occupation by any people, either savage or civilized. The island was retained for most of the 16th century by its discoverers, but they made no colonies in it. In 1598 the Dutch took possession, and named the island &quot;Mauritius,&quot; in honour of their prince Maurice. It had been previously called by the Portuguese &quot; Ilha do Cerne,&quot; from the belief that it was the island so named by Pliny. But, although the Dutch built a fort at Grand Port, they made no permanent settlement in Mauritius, finally abandoning the island in 1710. Five years afterwards the French, in their turn, took possession of what had seemed so worthless to two European powers, but it was half a century before the Govern ment of France appreciated the value of their colony, since from 1715 to 1767 it was held by agents of the French F^ast India Com pany, by whom its name was again changed to &quot; lie de France.&quot; The Company was fortunate in having several able men as governors of its colony, especially the celebrated Mahe de Labourdonnais (1735-46), &quot;a man of eminent talents and virtue,&quot; who intro duced the culture of the sugar-cane, and thus laid a firm foundation for the future prosperity of the island. Under his direction roads were made, forts built, and considerable portions of the forest were cleared, and the present capital, Port Louis, was founded. Labour donnais also promoted the planting of cotton and indigo, and is justly remembered as the most enlightened and best of all the French governors. The colony continued to rise in value during the time it was held by the French crown, and to one of the later governors, De Poivre, was due the introduction of the clove, nutmeg, and other spices. Another governor was D Entrecasteaux, whose name is kept in remembrance by a group of islands east of New Guinea. During the long war between France and England, at the com mencement of this century, Mauritius was a continual source of much mischief to English Indiamen and other merchant vessels ; and at length the British Government determined upon an expedi tion for its capture. This was effected in 1810 ; and upon the restoration of peace in 1814 the possession of the island was con firmed to England by one of the provisions of the treaty of Paris. By the eighth article of capitulation it was agreed that the inhabit ants should retain their own laws, customs, and religion ; and so it happens that, although a British colony, the island is still largely French in language, habits, and predilections ; but its name has again been changed to that given by the Dutch. Perhaps the most distinguished of the English governors of the island was Sir Robert Farquhar (1810-23), who did so much to abolish the Malagasy slave trade and to establish friendly relations with the rising power of the Hova sovereign of Madagascar. Mauritius is one of the crown colonies of Great Britain, and at the head of its administration is a governor, who is assisted by an executive council of seven members, holding the most important Government posts. There is also a legislative council, which con sists of the same members as the foregoing, with three others, together with eight of the chief landed proprietors of the island, who are nominated by the crown. The average annual revenue of the colony for the ten years from 1871 to 1880 was 723,876, the average annual expenditure during the same period being 710,261. L T p to 1854 there was a surplus in hand, but since that time ex penditure has exceeded income, and the public debt is now r about 700,000. The island has largely retained the old French laws, the Codes Civile, de Procedure, du Commerce, and d Instruction Criminelle being still in ferce, except so far as altered by the later laws for the administration of justice of April 13, 1831. By these the court of appeal was reconstituted, and a supreme court of civil and criminal justice was established, under a chief judge and three puisne judges. The police force in 1880 included 689 men. During the last few years great improvements have been effected in the educational system of the colony. The department of public instruction has two branches, the Royal College, for higher educa tion, and the school department, for primary instruction. In 1880 the number of Government schools was 38, with 5077 scholars, and of schools aided by grants 54, with 4316 scholars, the total teaching staff numbering 178. The annual education vote is about 13,000 ; and of the scholars 73 per cent, are Roman Catholic, 14 per cent. Hindu, 8 per cent. Protestant, and 5 per cent. Moham medan. It will be seen from the above figures that the Roman Catholic religion is that professed by the large majority of the white population of Mauritius. The clergy supported by the state include the Protestant bishop of Mauritius,* with an archdeacon and seven clergymen of the Church of England, and three clergymen of the Church of Scotland ; and the Roman Catholic bishop of Port Louis, with a vicar-general and thirty-four priests. The population of the Island Is a very varied one, and consists of two great divisions : those of European blood, chiefly French and English, as well as numerous half-caste people ; and a large coloured population, chiefly Hindu coolies, but with representatives from various African and Asiatic regions, Negroes, Malagasy, Parsees, Singhalese, Chinamen, Malays, &c. The Hindu immigrants now form more than two-thirds of the inhabitants of Mauritius, as will be seen from the following figures for the year 1881 : General 111.783 Male. Female. 68,137 53,646 Indian 240,004 Male. Female. 151,423 97,641 Total 360,847 Male. Female. 200,560 151,287 The increase of population during the last thirty yearsus shown by the following figures : 1851. 1861. 1871. &quot;SI- 183,501) 313,469 317,069 . !(iO,847 The system of coolie immigration has been of great value to the colony ; and the arrangements for shipping ^ these Hindu people