MAURITIUS.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 323, 23 November 1860, Page 3

MAURITIUS.

We expressed in our last Overland Summary the hopes here entertained of the outstanding crop, which may, without exaggeration, be estimated at three hundred millions of sugar. The prospect still remains .the same, and will, doubtless, soon be realized; but, for the present, a general dulness prevails, the cause of which does not very clearly appear. It seems to paralyse everything. , The heavy rains have kept back the crop, so that the sugar comes into town but very slowly. What contributes to prolong the embarrassed state df affairs is that the planters have spent nearly all their available means during the season between the crops. That, however, is not the only cause of this restraint which every one suffers from and deplores. It is to be attributed, in a great measure, to the Banks who contract their credits without any reserve (demesurement), aud reject the best signatures, iv the hope of compelling the planters, for absolute want of money, to bring about a fall in the price of sugar, and a rise in a premium for accommodation, (fagio

des traites). Thus it is commonly remarked that the banks, which by the nature of their privileges are bound to assist commercial and industrial pursuits in moments of difficulty, do themselves create a restraint instead of preventing it by offering facilities for the discounting of bills. This is, happily, only a transitory and purely factitious embarrassment, which cannot be kept up very much longer, but it is not the less painful to all those who have engagements to fulfil. We hope by the next mail to be in a position to announce that business ha 3 again been restored to its ordinary course.

The small quantity of sugars sent in to the market does not yet permit us to state with exactitude what are current rates.

Three or four cargoes for Australia have been sold at from 5 dollars 70 oentimes to 6 dollars 75 centimes—the sugars partially streaked with yellow (pour lesjames suivant les nuances). The English market has only been opened for two days. The sugars known as " No. 12 Hollandais" hvae been sold at from 5 dollars 50 centimes to 5 dollars 75 centimes. The Wettzell sugar, of good quality, have been sold atthe same price. The inferior qualities of Nos. 8 and 6 have not found sale at higher rates than 4 dollars 50 centimes.

Freight to London has run up to £3, nevertheless many ships have taken cargo at &% 155., and it ia hoped that it will come down again to £2 10s., and even lower. In the absence of French ships there is no rate of freightage for France.

Numerous arrivals from India have brought about a fall in rice of 25 centimes. On account of ships expected, a still further diminution of price is looked for.

The very day of the departure of the last mail, the Union arrived from the Island De la Reunion, bringing news that the cholera had made its appearance in the neighbouring isle; she was accordingly placed in quarantine for twenty-one days, from which she was released a few days ago. The Turquoise arrived from St. Denis on the 25th of July, with a clean bill, and was allowed free access to the shore. We have learnt with pleasure that our neighbors have been spared by this scourge, which did not extend beyond the limits of tbe pest-house. This word cholera —formerly so terrible to us—begins no more to produce tbe effect upon the public mind whioh it used to occasion, the population generally being convinced that the local government and the municipality are perfectly agreed as to the sanitary measures which are to be taken in order to arrest contagion.

The constantly increasing dearness of provisions has attracted the attention of the Society of Arts and Soienoes as to the means (by the enactment of some salutary law) of preventing the def traction upon our coasts of the fish, which is, for the middling classes generally, a great portion of their food and sustenance. We have many laws for the regulation of this matter, but they have this one fault—they are dead, like Holland's mare, for want of active exercise.

The Legislative Council is, just now, giving signs of great activity. The necessity of a new law relative to the Rum Distilleries (Guildiveries) with the view of preventing, if possible, all fraud in rums, has given rise to much discussion which has not yet produced any serious results. It has been suggested that the better way would be to base the quantity of rum fabricated upon the quantity of syrup submitted to the still, according to the plan pursued, as it is said, in France. But the explanations in this respect not being complete, letters have been addressed to an honorable Mauritian planter now at Paris, who is authorised fully to inform the Council upon this subject. The principal measure which public opinion points* out as fa remedy is to raise to a proper rate the pay of the inspectors, who, as things stand at present, have not enough to lire upon with salaries at sixty dollars a month. But when there is any talk'of an aug. mentation of salaries, Government turns a deaf ear to such suggestions, and it is to be feared that this advice will not be followed.

The Council is equally occupied with the important question as to the prolongation of our postal line to the Suez. The Peninsular and Oriental Company has demanded through the Secretary of State, a supplementary subsidy of .£13,000 — which it has since reduced te £10,000. The Council here grants £8000, and one may be allowed to hope that the Company will accede to the proposition. Should it decline to do so, the contract will continue to be executed as it stands at present—not extending further than Aden.

The question as to the Royal College remains in statu quo. The Official Gazette contains in regard to this institution a new ordinance which will not be very productive of any result. The rector is already judged, and nothing in the world can set him up again in public opinion. We published in one of our late numbers, an account of the receipts and expenses of this establishment, which scarcely numbers on its books more than forty pupils, for whom fees are paid. In spite of everything there is a persistency in tbe desire to impose upon the community a man. who is notoriously incapable, without the least consideration, to the injury thereby done to the colony—and especially as regards the future of our rising generation. The fathers of families rely greatly upon the exertions of the Hon. G. Fropier, and hope that in his reports to the Secretary of State at London, every effort will be made satisfactorily to dispose of this question.

The question of railways here is now being seriously discussed. The Council was occupied with its consideration during one of its recent sessions, and the thing may, apart from details, be viewed as being decided upon.

The canal goes on with an activity worthy of all praise. The Mayor announced, at one of the late sessions of the Municipal Council, that on the fete-day of Port Louis (the 25th of August), the water of the Grande Riviere will be brought to the top of Rue Labourdonnais.

Great projects of publio works are being prepared by the committees appointed by the Government for the improvement of the quays. These works (the urgent necessity for which everyone now acknowledges) will not cost less than from £115,000 to £125,600—according to the official report which lies before us.

Notwithstanding the pre-occupations of the present time, the races are being got up with an unequalled ardor by the Turf Club, which is straining every nerve that the grand popular fete shall be celebrated with all desirable eclat. the dramatic troupe of M. Berger is expected to arrive next month.

Commercial.—Sugar (crop 1859-60): Great Britain, 108,648,335 livres; France, 59,898,141 livres ; Australia, 45,826,229 livres—of whioh 21,286,527 livres are assigned to Melbourne, and 2,810,313 livres to Sydney.

Animals.—Twenty-four horses from Australia were sold iD July, at the instance of Messrs. Gemmell and Company, at 392 dollars 95 cents,. SMhr^Sydney Mail.