184 
THE MASCARENES 
Local industry seeks to satisfy the chief wants of the 
island (baking, tanning, manufacture of clothes). Cabinet¬ 
making forms an object of Industry worth mentioning, very 
beautiful articles being made from the wood of the jack 
tree. The manufacture of rum has become of great impor¬ 
tance, some 40 distilleries turning out 22,000 gallons of 
rum, chiefly for exportation to Madagascar, where unfortun¬ 
ately it has already wrought great harm. The chief 
imports are wine, oil, soap, live stock, rice, tools, woven 
goods and articles de luxe. 
From 240 to 250 vessels, French and foreign, annually 
visit the roadsteads of Reunion. A line of steamers 
belonging to the Messageries 77 taritmies keep up a regular 
intercourse with Mauritius, the coasts of Madagascar and 
Zanzibar. 
The total amount of trade was put down as something 
over T 1,640,000 in 1886; an import of T 1,125,000 
standing against an export of T 540,760; the position 
of the colony was then far from favourable and the 
colonists had become poor. Since then the position has 
somewhat Improved, for In 1895 less must have been 
imported—viz., only T871,040; while the exports had 
a marked increase—viz., to T628,760. French trade is 
credited with T 360,000 of the imports, while nearly the 
whole of the exports (T592,000) go to France. 
Intellectual culture, which was formerly somewhat 
neglected, has recently made progress. T 40,000 is 
allotted annually for purposes of education. 12,000 children 
of both sexes are taught in 157 primary schools. The 
capital, St. Denis, possesses a Lyceum attended by 400 
pupils, the professors of which have to obtain in France 
their proofs of efficiency as teachers. 
The press is represented by various journals besides 
the Journal officiel. The Album de r Isle de la 
Reunion^ published by Roussin, Is an excellent product 
of Creole literature. Science is fostered by a special 
