THE MILITARY FORCE AT THE ISLE OF FRANCE. 
some aqHcduct, supported by several arches, nin- 
iiiiig across a small valley or low land. This aqiie' 
duct, it may be observed, appears to have been built 
of bricks ; and allhon<>li it has only been erected a 
short time, some accident had happened to ii, and 
i( was utideruoiiig repair when I saw it. I'his de- 
viation from the common practice in iisiii« biicks 
instead of stone, whicli is pleniiful, does not, there- 
fore, seem to have been successful, and it ivould 
appear very advisable to erect all such public woiks. 
In future, of stone, which is so mucli belter adapt- 
ed for pet inanent structures. This work is entire- 
ly due to the Biiglisb administration, and more 
pan iculatl) , I believe, to the present Governor, 
Sir Henry Cole.’* 
Our author states that the produce of the 
plantations is conveyed to the port at a very 
great expense by waggons and carts drawn 
by mules, bullocks, donkeys, and by boats. 
The carts are ill constructed andheavy, and the 
cattle yoked awkwardly. The coast vessels 
are numerous, and are from 30 to 40 tons. 
They bring produce from different parts of 
the island, as well as navigate between the is- 
lands of Rodriguez, Bourbon, and Seychelles. 
It appears, according to Mr. Stirling, that no 
attempts have been mads to improve the 
harbours in different parts of the island : 
canals cannot be constructed in conse- 
quence of the nature of the country, which 
prevents such an undertaking. It is re- 
markable that there is no post established 
in the island ; when a person wishes to 
communicate with his neighbours, or a 
more distant resident, he is compelled to 
hire a carrier. The barracks for King’s 
Troops and Artillery at Port Louis, as well 
as at Magdefaurgh, are represented as excel- 
lent. The principal public buildings consist 
of a well-built Roman Catholic and a Pro- 
testant church and a substantial Theatre. At 
a short distance from Port Louis are two 
strong fortifications in excellent order and 
repair; these command the entrance of the 
harbour. The Government House stands in 
a conspicuous situation, facing the quay : 
the Governor has a country house at Reduit, 
where he generally resides. The following 
remarks are worthy the notice of our com- 
mercial a'eaders. 
“ Tbe shiDpiii'^ of tlie Isle <>f France, Hie pro 
peny of colonial iiihaiMiaiiis, is, I am led to sup- 
pose, small and insullicient, for tlie extent of the 
commercial iransactions cariied on. Tbe island, 
therefore, depends very mucli on the good will of 
otlier pons, for fuinisbing it with a sntlicient sup 
ply of vessels, boili for the iransponatioii of its 
new produce, and tlie Impoiiaiion of the necessa- 
ries of life— its supeiflnites and agricuUmal stock. 
1 conceive lam within bounds when 1 saj, that 
there are not four thousand tons of shipping be- 
luQging to the poit, exclusive of the gmali coast 
S21 
vessels before mentioned. The vessels that come 
from Calcutta, frequently bring rice, wish the ex- 
pectation of receiving a cargo of sugar for Eng- 
land. Vessels from New South Wales and Van 
Diemaii’s Land, also bring coals with the same 
httpe. English vessels find it often convenient to 
take out a few articles tliatare likely to meet with 
a ready sale at the Isle of France, on their way to 
India; and, in some few instances, siiips are sent 
diiectly from London, and take back colonial pro- 
duce ill exchange for British manufacture. Some 
few ships arrive from the Cape with horses, and are 
either chattered to go to England with sugar, or 
leturii to the Cape w’ith colonial produce. As the 
shipping of the Isle of France can scarcely be said 
to possess a distinctive character from English ship- 
ing in general, to attempt a description would be 
useless; and as the Act of Parliament which sanc- 
tioned the iiitioductiou of the sugars into England, 
has, 1 believe, provided fctr the footing on which 
its shipping should be received, a reference to it 
will shew the terms prescribed on the subject." 
The Military force at the island consists 
of three King’s regiments stationed on the 
island: they are changed periodically from 
home, — the relieved regiments proceeding 
either to England, New South Wales, or to 
our Indian presidencies. Two regiments are 
stationed at Port Louis and one at Magde- 
burgh, on the S. E. coast or the windward 
side of the island. Several posts are 
supplied with men from these corps, 
" Which may be divided Into external and in- 
ternal commands. Under tbe former is Seychelles, 
fiodtigitp?., and viadagascar; the latter is, how- 
ever iioi pet maneiit, and maybe considered as 
merely forming the escoit of the rha-gd d’Affaiiea. 
Under the latter may be classed Flac, Pierre Poinf, 
and the detachments at the Grand River, soiitb- 
east, and Black Kiveron the west coast Theie 
is likewise a small guard on one of the small islands, 
at the eniiaine o( the grand port, or sonili-eastetn 
harbour. Besides these there are several giiarda 
that are furnished for various purposes, which itis 
unnecessary to specify, as most of them are riailf 
relieved, lam unacquainted with the exact details 
of the detachment of aitillery, but as they ate su- 
peiiiitended by an otllcer bolding llie rank <>f a 
Lieut. -Colonel. I suppose they are somewhat exten- 
sive. The streitgih of the whole force may be 
esiimated at about eighteen liundred men. In ad- 
diiion to the otlicers atlaclied to the several corps, 
liieie ate many others who hold siafif appoiiiirneiits 
in the Colony, either on the general or personal staff 
of the Governor.” 
(To be continued). 
Art. VII. — Results of an Enquiry respecU 
ing the Law of Mortality for British 
India, deduced from the Reports and 
Appendices of the Committee appointed 
by the Bengal Government in 1834, to 
consider the expediency of a Government 
Life Assurance Institution. By Cap- 
tain H. B. Henderson, Assistant 
