Supplement to Commerce reports

SUPPLEMENT TO 19 MAR195E


COMMERCE RE T

ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC-C( MNERC i
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Annual Series No. 65a Mray 14, 1918

BRITISH EAST AFRICA.

SEYCHELLES.
By Consul James G. Carter, Tananarivo. Madagascar.
Statistics now available show that both the imports and exports of
**. the British colony of the Seychelles Islands showed increases, during
1916, compared with those of the year 1915, when both the imports
and exports showed decreases. In 1916 the import-, were valued at
$482.195, against $359,270 in 1915, and the exports at $5-42,475, against
$457,393 in 1915.
Distribution of Foreign Trade.
As in previous years, the trade of the Seychelles was controlled in
1916 principally by India and other British possessions, France, and
England. The following table shows a comparison of values of
imports from and exports to the principal countries sharing the
trade of the Seychelles in 1915 and 1910:

Imports from. Exports to.
Countries.
1915 j 116 1915 1916

United States............................................... $4..14 S5. 5 )2 .......... .........
A rabia......................................................... .5,5 9 5 9, 1 ....... ........
British possessions........................................ 190. 511 31n 994 | S11., 4;1 $33,066
Dutch colonies................................................ 2, 'I1'0 9,i ........ ...
France ...................................................... 39, ,i'j. 3.,3. 3 29, ).'7 2wi, (100'
French colonies............................................ I N, 2.4 1 I, N'7 5N. 174 14*,.12'0
United Kingdom................................................. 77, 17 7,. 197 7s, 60
All other countries........................................... 7,9S0 ,.317 9In 1,421
Total..................................................... 359,270 4., 195 457,.9 542, 175

The principal articles sent by British possessions were cotton
goods, dholl and lentils, rice, and sugar from India and sugar from
Mauritius; exports to British possessions consisted chiefly of guano
to Mauritius and copra and whale oil to South Africa. England
sent principally cotton goods, manufactured metals. and soap and
received vanilla and essential oils; France sent chiefly wine and
spirits, cotton goods and other textiles, andc manufactured metals and
received 95 per cent, or $257,821 worth, of the total exports of copra,
some vanilla, and other articles. The $5,002 worth of imports from
the United States represented petroleum oil and benzine, against
$4,498 worth of petroleum and benzine and $316 worth of sugar-mill
machinery in 1915. There were no exports from the Seychelles to
the United States in either 1915 or 1916.
56548--18---5a


~- ----









SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.


Principal Items of Import and Export.
iThle value of the principal articles imported into and .exported
fr'lomi tlil .Sv\rhelles.in 191. and 1916 is shown in the foil6wihg table:

A\rt11 e1 I 191 1916 Articles 1915 1016

[PI i'r' 1 I E' PORTS
lcverages ........................ S'2,773 5!', 423 Cinnamoin Iark................... 5,060 $4,009
lBreadstul Ts: i onpra .......................... 281,094 271,468
Dholl and lentils.............. 19r. W) 26 -',4-ll ('etton goods (reexported ........ 2,780 70,043
-'l iur.......................... I 10l,37 11,. -12' Dholl .nii lentils reportedd .... 1.1,S 21,223
Gram ....................... 12.421 I. 3 (Ghee Irexportedi................ 2,06) 6,418
1L '" ................... ....... I70, 195. liYJ,07; (Z Gram trecxported)............... 11,611 10,163
1111 1n urnl *i. ......... ...... ....... I iian!o............................ 1.9,075 9,537
' 1iillte............................. .. .J 9, 101) Hali erdashery ireexpurted i....... 220 9,014
li u eii l (lc i- l. l ii 0l ............. I ,37i 5,t Oils-
;ll:.......................... ........ .,.1 7.273 Coer.nit ..................... 9,635 0, 151
Haberd t ........... U 1.,1t2 Essential................ ... 13,662 30,558
Metal in latl li r<;- ', I W h le. ....................... 33,620 6,812
Iro: ............. ......................... 959 .......
M.Lchinery............... .. 2,41I Shells. urtle..................... 4,4 5,263
', lher........... ...... ...... i, 11,9. a Soap. coconut-oil................ 10,149 12,821
1'etril.ii u and other nitii( ial nt 1 1 .' .,,29) Vanilla ....... ................. 8,811 53,224
1'ro\ i ......... .. .... .... ....... 292 3, 36 All other art ls.................. 3S,263 22,771
Soap.........................1 ,4.31 11,5.0 ----
.u r.............................. 22,t36 3 ,3; 3G Totl ....................... 457,393 52,475
Te %xiI le mianil.i fact ur : I:
Clot in lg ... ................... 4, Fi 6 S. III
Cotrtn .-s I I .................I 54. 2 .. l,., .1 I
Other... .................... 4,7 .,21
A ll ui her :ri it .................. i : 32 .' I
'r,. l ...................... 27i l 1 1' i5

Agriculture and Live Stock-Other Industries.
According to the Blue Book of the Seychelles for 1916, there
were 41,000 :nrces of laiild tnder ,.1illi\iti 60,000 acres of lnctlltivated land. Abulit, 23.530 acres of the culti-
vated land i- estimated to be devoted. tio coconuts, for use in the local
copra industry. The :;pplroxilmate number of cattle on the island at
the end of l'.i( was 1,000; of goa:ts. 5(.u; sheep, 200; and horses, 150.
Coconut oil is expressed in primitive mills, but little is now pro-
duced, as nearly all of the copra is exported. Various new types
of copra-curing houses for drying copra within 48 hours without the
use of fans are reported to have been successfully established. In
one. factory at Victoria coconut oil has also been obtained recently by
hydraulic pressure. There are 14 essential-oil distilleries reported
to be established in the colony, with a production of 20,000 liters
(5,2S3 gallons). Citrate of lime is manufactured on a small scale
at Silhouette Island; whale oil and fish guano, which were formerly
manufactured, are no longer produced in the colony.
There are five soap factories on the island, the product being ex-
ported principally to Madagascar and East Africa. There are four
mineral-water establishments, one-ice factory, and several masonry
curing houses for tile preparation of vanilla, the curing being ef-
fected largely in a type of hot-air furnace.
Banking-Movement of Vessels.
The only bank in the colony is the Seychelles Government Savings
Bank, at Victoria. Male, with a branch at Baie Ste. Anne, Praslin.
There was $29,089 deposited in this bank in 1916, by 383 depositors;
$24.702 was withdrawn: and the total amount at the credit of de-
postors on December 31. 1916, was $25.405. The rate of interest al-
lowed on sums under 1.000 rupees ($324) was 2- per cent and on









BRITISH EAST AFRICA-MAURITIUS. 3

suns from 1,000 to 3,000 rupees ($324 to $073), 2 per cent. The
amount of the bank's invested funds at the end of the year 1916 was
70,000 rupees ($222,708), and its revenue and expenditures for the
year were $623 and $500, respectively.
In 1916 the colony's revenue amounted to $136;;.23 and the ex-
penditures to $147.680. compared with $123.691 ;and 1- 'I1...':3, respec-
tively, in 1915.
The number of merchant vessels entered at IPom Vii'turia in 1916
was 41 steamers, registering 110,795 tons, and -1 sailing vessels, of
485 tons: the number cleared was 42 steam ves-el.. of 110.S30 tons,
and 3 sailing vessels, of 401 tons.
MAURITIUS.
The total trade of the British ('rown colony of Mauritils in 1916
amounted to $41.613,049, compared with $33.SL29,01l(; in 191). an in-
crease of $7,783,433. The imports in 1916 were valued at. $17,-
506,869, compared with $15,591,8 0 in the previous year, and the.
exports. $24.106,10S, against $18.237.776. The imports were made up
largely of farinaceous foods, l)incipally rice for the la rge Indian
population. chemicals, fertilizers for sugar-cane plantations, manu-
factured metals. textiles, and beverages. As in previous years, more
than 95 per cent of the exports of Mauritius in 1916 "represented
sugar. of which 230.560 tons were exported, against 225.440 tons in
1915.
Of the $17.506,869 worth of imports in 1916, British colonies sent
$8,375,976 worth (chiefly rii'e and other farinaceous food from In-
dia), the United Kingdoml. $5..27.947 worth, and foreign countries,
$3,872.940 worth. Of the exports, valued at $24.106.1FI). France's
share was $11.195.375, United Kingdom'. $7.831.073. British colonies'
(chiefly India) $4.228.1109. and all other collntries' t -".51.723.
Leading Articles Imported from United States.
In 1910 the import- from th, Unlnited States wcere valued at $879,-
420, compared with $704.5s3 in 1915. There werI no exports to the
United States in 1916. compared with $23.7)9 wlrth of- sugar and
aloe fiber in 1915.
The valiies of the principal articles of ii'ler'hnndise imported into.
Mauritius from the United States in 191, and 1910 are ,shown in
the following table:
Articles 1913 191 Article. 1915 191;

Automobiles ................ l '6, 3S2 $26q9?,9) Iron ainl stcl etc.-Conld
Beef, salted and preserve'd.... 12,W56f 1,70S Wiei netting............. 44 S1,f67
Cart grease ................... 2,009 5,326 their ................... .111 -497
Chemicals.................... 15,i4 J,965 i Mncuinerv .................... 121,.".2 121, 6
Clocks and watches...........7 21 ....l. .. ....... 3,99S
Copper................................... 9,24 Oil-:
Cotton manufactures: Edible ............... .. .4 2 26
Hosiery .................. 9 2, 34 l'etroleiim and othlcrmin-
Piece goods- cral ................. li', 116 234,369
Gray or white........ -04 4,141 Pipei nijniitu rti.r iher
Printed .............. .......... l, l j than static n ry ............ 1,549 6.290
Electrical accessorcs ......... 357 4.3.3 i nIu Ller coo l ............. ... .' u 4,923
Fish, dried, pickled, or stalled, 3.552 '27 Tc bacn. maniilacturel.
Flour......................... 22,173 .'ars .inl cle2rcllt l ..... 33,494 47,966
Hardware and cutlery ...... 3,161 20,5;) i.ther ................... 74,373 70,673
Iron and steel other than ma- Won.d, chlillv t r ier ......... 16..72 2,862
chinory: All other t icl I. ............. 7, 02 24,384
Bars ................ ..... ,522 3,614
Nails..................... 153 11,440 tult l................... 70 4,53 S79,420
Sheets................. 16,697 9,419
---





UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA


lllllllllll3 1262 08485 1657
3 1262 08485 1657


SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE REPORTS.


Value of Articles Imported and Exported.

The follo\\ing table gives a comparison of the values of the prin-
cilpal articless of merchandise imported into and exported from Mau-
ritilis in 1915 and 1916:


Article;.


IMPORTS.

Animals, chiefly beeves from
Madagascar .................
Beverages. chiefly wine.......
Chemicals, chiefly for manure.
Coal ........................ -
Coin and specie..............
Farinaceous food, chiefly rice,
dholl, and ran ............
Pish, dried, salted, or pickled.
Lard, margarine, etc..........
Manure anti fertilizers n. e. s.:
Animal wasle ..........
C iano....................
Nitrate of soda ..........
Other.. ..... ..........
Metals:
Manufactured-
Hardware and cutlery
Machinery.............
Other. ..............
tnmahufactured .........
Iltotpr cars.............. ...
Oils:
Castor...................
M ust ard ..................
Pettoleum, and spirits of..
Pistachio nut............
Other....................
Opium ................... ..
Paints and dyes.............
Paper and appliances.........
Soap, ordinary..............


i.
, ,


Articles.


~I --- -I --III


S5I, 770
376,64.
1,029.5S9
546,107
2,070,118

4,238,564
107,006
147, 877

63,402
39.327
71,765
28,954


207,729
938,516
416,965
S77,862
222,814

112,384-
152.414-
198,917
104.052
386,556
25,736
46,732
51,649
160,260


1142,591
321,705
1,322,935
866,165
113,919

5, R36, 893
111,951
176,937

142,975
11,877
137,631
43,192


166,760
545,138
S441.540
223.374
310,990

6f,609
S99,716
289.945
139.488
133,821
156,193
112.639
110,245
324,555


IMPORTS-continued.

Textiles and yarns, and man-
ufactures of:
Cotton-
Piece goods-
Gray or white....
Printed............
Other ..............
Gunny bags.............
Haberdashery...........
Other......................
Tobieco:
Manufactured-
Cigars..............
Other..............
Unmanufactured.........
Wearing apparel n. e. s.......
Wood and timber:
Manufactured ...........
Unman ulcItured .........
All other articles.............

Total...................
EXPORTS.
Aloe fiber.......................
Coconut oil ..................
Molasses.....................
Rum ..:......................
Sugar........................
Vanilla.......................
All other articles..............

Total ...................


$465,087
523,489
77,687
.J7,230
276,906
95.926

45,765
298,460
2,685
S113,633

83,570
162,734
1,171,859

15,591,840

154,455
29,485
59
11,331
17,551,822
9,265
481,359

18,237,776


1916


1385,243
595,506
85,270
790,545
377,700
120,261

66,433
416,19
3,061
133,997

85,764
154,674
1,840,440

17,506,869

139,913
46.100
27,549
41,479
22,484,154
7,521
1,360,468

24,106,180


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