MAURITIUS (ma-rishrius), or ISLE OF FRANCE, an island in the Indian Ocean, a colony of Great Britain, 500 miles E. of Madagascar; of an oval form, about 40 miles long from N. E. to S. W., and 25 miles broad, and surrounded by coral reefs; area, 713 square miles; pop. about 380,000, two-thirds originally coo lies imported to work the sugar estates. It is composed chiefly of rugged and ir regular mountains, the highest, the Mon tagne de la Riviere Noire, 2,700 feet, and the isolated rock Peter Botte, 2,600 feet. Between the mountains, and along the coast, there are large and fertile plains and valleys, having a rich soil of black vegetable mould or stiff clay. The cli mate is pleasant during the cool season, but oppressively hot in summer, and the island is occasionally visited by severe epidemics. In its vegetation Mauritius resembles the Cape in the number of suc culent plants, cactuses, spurges, and aloes. The principal objects of cultiva
tion are sugar, rice, maize, cotton, coffee, manioc, and vegetables. The exports in clude sugar (much the largest), rum, vanilla, aloe fiber, cocoanut oil. The im ports consist of rice, wheat, cattle, cot ton goods, haberdashery, hardware, etc. The exports and imports are each valued at over $10,000,000 annually; the revenue is about $3,500,000. The government is vested in a lieutenant-governor and legis lative council. The island has two rail ways crossing it, in all 87 miles. Mauri tius was discovered in 1505 by the Portu guese. The Dutch took possession of it in 1598, and named it after Prince Maurice. After occupation by the French it was captured by Great Britain in 1810. Principal towns, Port Louis and Mahebourg. May, 1892, it was visited by a terrible hurricane, one-third of Port Louis being destroyed.