The Sugar Plantations: The soil of the island is a fertile ferruginous red clay in which stones are abundant. The greater portion of the plains is now a vast sugar plantation. The soil is suitable for the cultivation of almost all kinds of tropical produce, and increased attention is being paid to the growing of the coconut palm, aloes, tobacco, tea and cotton. Guano is ex tensively imported as a manure, and by its use the natural fer tility of the soil has been increased to a wonderful extent. There is an agricultural department of the Government. The output of sugar for 1925-26 was 233,00o metric tons. The export of sugar represents over 9o% of the total exports. The trade is chiefly with India, Burma, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Next to sugar, aloe-fibre is the most important export. In addition, a considerable quantity of molasses and smaller quantities of rum, copra and poonac, vanilla and coconut oil are exported. The im ports are mainly rice, wheat, cotton goods, wine, coal, machinery, woollen goods, tobacco, hardware and haberdashery and guano. The rice comes principally from India and Madagascar; cattle are imported from Madagascar, sheep from South Africa and Australia, and frozen meat from Australia. In 1926 the imports were valued at 14,128,821 and the exports at 12,977,630. Nearly all the aloe-fibre exported is taken by Great Britain and France, while the molasses goes to India. This industry is chiefly in Chi nese hands. The great majority of the imports are from Great Britain or British possessions.
The currency of Mauritius is rupees and cents of a rupee, the Indian rupee ( = i6d) being the standard unit. The metric sys tem of weights and measures has been in force since 1878.
There is a regular steamship service be tween Marseilles and Port Louis by the Messageries Maritimes, with Southampton via Cape Town by the Union Castle, and with Colombo direct by the British India Company's boats. There is also frequent communication with Madagascar, Reunion and Natal. The average annual tonnage of ships entering Port Louis is about 750,00o, of which five-sevenths is British. Cable communi cation is maintained with Zanzibar, Australia, Reunion, Mada gascar, Durban and so with Europe, etc.
Railways connect all the principal places and sugar estates on the island; that known as the Midland line, 36 m. long, beginning at Port Louis, crosses the island to Mahebourg, passing through Curepipe, where it is 1,822 ft. above the sea. There are in all over 144 m. of railway of which 24 m. are narrow gauge, all owned and worked by the Government. The first railway was opened in 1864. The roads are well kept and there is an extensive system of tramways for bringing produce from the sugar estates to the railway lines. There is a complete telegraphic and telephonic
service.
Mauritius is a crown colony. The governor is assisted by an executive council of officials, and a Council of Government of 27 members, 8 sitting ex officio, 9 being nominated by the governor and 1 o elected on a moderate franchise. Two of the elected members represent St. Louis, the 8 rural districts into which the island is divided electing each one member. At least one-third of the nominated members must be persons not holding any public office. The legislative session usually lasts from April to December. Members may speak either in French or in English. The (1924-25) revenue was £1,311, 523, and the expenditure was £1,157,058. Up to 1854 there was a surplus in hand, but since that time expenditure has on many occasions exceeded income, and the public debt in 1925 was L1,699,057, mainly incurred however on reproductive works.
The island has largely retained the old French laws, the codes civil, de procedure, du commerce, and d'instruction criminelle being still in force, except so far as altered by colonial ordinances. A supreme court of civil and criminal justice was established in 1831 under a chief judge and three puisne judges. Mauritius occupies an important strategic position on the route between South Africa and India and in relation to Madagascar and East Africa, while in Port Louis it possesses one of the finest har bours in the Indian Ocean. A permanent garrison is maintained in the island, and the colonial contribution to the expenditure was in 1926-27 L55,249.
The majority of the European in habitants belong to the Roman Catholic faith. Anglicans, Roman Catholics and the Church of Scotland are helped by State grants. At the head of the Anglican community is the bishop of Mauri tius; the chief Roman Catholic dignitary is styled bishop of Port Louis. There are many Mohammedans, but the majority of the Indian coolies are Hindus.
The educational system, as brought into force in 1900, is under a director of public instruction assisted by an advisory corn mittee, and consists of two branches (I) secondary instruction, (2) primary instruction. Education is free but not compulsory. For primary instruction there are Government schools and schools maintained by the Roman Catholics, Protestants and other faiths, to which the Government gives grants in aid. Secondary and higher education is given in the Royal college and associated schools at Port Louis and Curepipe.