MAURI'T117S, or ISLE OF FRANCE, an island of the Indian Ocean, belonging to Great Britain, lies in lat. 19° 58' to 20° 33' s., and long. c. from Greenwich 57° 17' to 57° 46'. It contains about 708 sq.m.; pop. (1871), including the small dependencies of Seychelles, Rodrigues, etc., and exclusive of the military, 318,58-1, giving the very high average of 450 to the sq. mile. Of the total population, 210,636 were, in 1870, estimated to be Indian coolies. The surface is of varied formation, a great portion being volcanic; while its coast is fringed by extensive coral reefs, pierced in several places by the estu aries of small streams. Its mountains, although of no great height, are marked by the usual irregularities observed iu volcanic formations. Of these, the most celebrated is the Peter Bottc, situated in the rear of the town of Port Louis, and forming a remarkable cone, sustaining on its apex a gigantic piece of rock, which has the appearance of being poised upon its summit with the nicest precision. In the island are the remains of several small craters, and the traces of lava are numerous. The principal towns are Port Louis, the capital, and Grande Port, or Maliebourg, the southern port, the latter difficult of access for shipping, and much encumbered with coral reefs. Port Louis comprises a spacious harbor, and is provided with an inner basin, denominated the Fanfaron, wherein vessels can take refuge during the hurricanes, which occasionally occur here with exceeding violence. There is also a slip upon which- large vessels can be raised for the purppse of examination and repair.
Mauritius produces annually a large amount of sugar, which it exports to England. France, and Australia. The nature of the soil, however, in many parts prevents a more universal development of the culture of this article of commerce. In some districts, con siderable tracts of cane-growing land are encumbered with large bowlders; in many places these have been collected into rough walls, between which the canes are planted, while in others their size precludes their removal. The method ernployed in the cultiva tion of the cane is similiar to that adopted in the 'West Indies; but the bulk of the sugar is ultimately shipped in bags composed of the leaf of theVacoua palm. The climate of this island is remarkably fine. There are four seasons, as in England; but the tempera ture in the months of November, December, and January is very high. Throughout the year, the thermometer ranges from 76° to 90° in the shade. In some of the more elevated districts, however, the climate resembles that of the hills of India, and the thermometer usually stands 7° or 8° lower than in Port Louis. The southern portion of
the island, called La Savanne, is exceedingly beautiful, and diversified with mountain and ravine, clothed with luxuriant wood. The mountains themselves are bold and fan tastic, and present every possible form of outline. Few communities present so varied an admixture as that of Mauritius. The descendants of the original French inhabitants represent a considerable portion of the influential classes; government officials and merchants, or planters of English birth or extraction, make up the remainder. In Port Coins may be seen representatives of almost every eastern nation. Many Chinese find their way here, and there is now scarcely a hainlet that has not its Chinese storekeeper The Creoles, or native colored population, who derive their color from the African and Malagash slaves, form a very considerable portion of the inhabitants. Emigration of •coolies from British India, for the supply of the sugar plantations, still continues. There are two lines of railway, accompanied by telegraph lines. Some inueli-needed . sanitary measures have been carried out. Roads have been made, bridges built, and a light-house has been erected off Grande Port. At St. Louis are spacious docks. Hospi tals have been founded, and the establishment of savings-banks has proved beneficial. In March, 1868, the island experienced a most calamitous hurricane; and during three or four years previous to 1870, a fearful epidemic raged. The revenue for 1874 amounted to £720,130, the expenditure to £727,064. In 1873, vessels having an agg,regate burden of 517,89'2 tons entered and cleared the ports. The imports for 1874 (chiefly live-stock, rice, guano, grain, wine, machinery) were valued at 22,584,120; the exports (mainly .sugar, with some runt aud copper), at £3,020,353.
Mauritius was discovered in the year 1505, by the Portuguese commander, Don Pedro Mascaregnhas, and was subquently visited by the Dutch under Van Neck in 1598, who gave the island its present name in honor of Prince Maurice. The Dutch formed a settlement here in 1644, but subsequently abandoned it. A new and more successful attempt to form a permanent establishrnent was made by the French in 1721, already in in possession of the adjacent island of Bourbon, who re-named it " 1 Ile-de-France." Mauritius remained in French hands until near the close of the year 1810, when it was taken by the British in an expedition under gen. Abercromby, and has since remained a British possession.