Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-05-28
GREAT LOSS oE LEE.

Over 1,e0O Persons Said to Have Per-
isb In the Hurricane Which Swept the
Island of Mauritius.
LONDON, May 2t.-As reports come
In from the recent hurricane which
swept the island of Mauritius the de-
vastation wrought increases in magni-
tude. 1t is known that in the city of
Port Louis alone 600 persons were
killed. In the various country districts
thus far heard from 300 persons
lost their lives, and these fig
ures are more than likely to
be added to when news is received
from the remote districts In the
mountains. 1t is believed that when
the death roll is completed it will be
found that over 1900 persons were
killed. The great part of the fatalities
were among the laboring classes.
The latest official estimates confirm
the previous statement that 1000 were
killed. 1t is thought that many of
those who were injured will die.
One-third of the capital city, Port
Louis, was destroyed. Among the
buildings wrecked was the Royal col
lege and twenty-four churches. Many
sugar mills in the country were demol-
ished and the valuable machinery en-
ployed in the grinding of the cane and
in boiling the product, vacuum pans,
centrifugals etc, were badly damaged.
Mauritius, or Isle Of France, is one OF the
English possessions in the Indian ocean. 1t is
about 500 miles east OF Madagascar and has an
area of 1l3 square miles. The island is divided
into nine districts Port Louis, in the north
western part OF the island is the capital and
fhn a1l tb,
carried on The population is made up
of various Asatic African and European
races, and OF every conceivable admixture OF
them all. Among these are several thousand
Hindoos, by whom the sugar estates are mostly
worked. The English element is generally con-
fined to English functionaries and u few mer-
chants and has not penetrated the mass OF the
population, which in 1881 was estimated at $780,
si1. English is little spoken.
Mauritius is exceedingly picturesque having
lofty ranges OF hills, with bold and grand out
lines. 1t is intersected by three chains of
mountains, with spurs radiating to the coast
which vary from 800 to $500 feet above the
sea. The rainy season is from January to
April, but showers and storms are frequent at
times, particularly in the interior.
Between December and May the island is
subject 10 hurricanes, for which its neighbor-
hood is famous. In lT73 the church and 800
houses were destroyed at Port Louis by hur
ricane. The sea opposite Port Louis rose
10 letU NJ lHaI U1ne. In 1915,
and February, 1924 great hurricanes did i'm
mense damage to the plantations and shipping
and caused the loss OF many lives. During
cyclone March 1912, 1862 nearly 5000 valuable
buildings, including some Of stone and iron, and
more than 10000 huts of the laboring population
we're destroyed. The number OF persons killed
was eighty-nine.
The vegetation OF the island is abundant In
iigo, cotton and spices have been successfully
cultivated. The native timber is OF excellent
quality and considerable variety, including
ebony, which is considered the finest in the
world Nearly every beautiful tree OF the
tropics fiourishes there. Thirteen kinds OF
bananas, peaches and pineapples are raised on
most OF the plantations. Horses, mules,
ionkeys, horned cattle sheep and hogs are ex-
ported. The largest quantity of sugar ever inn
ported from the island was in 1868 to the
amount OF a96, 100000 pounds.
The Church of England is represented by q
oishop with the title Lord Bishop of Mauri-
titus and Its Dependencies. The Roman Cath
olc is, however, the prevailing religion.
The government OF the island is vested in a
governor aided by an executive council and a
legislative council consisting OF seven Official
members and ten non-oficial members chosen
| from the chief landed proprietors OF the island
and confirmed in the appointment by the crown.