The quantity of unrefined sugar imported from the British West Indies and Guiana in a series of years since the emancipation, is shown by the following abstract:—
| Cwts. Sugar. | Cwts. Molasses. | |
| 1831 | 4,103,800 | 323,306 |
| 1832 | 3,773,456 | 553,663 |
| 1833 | 3,646,205 | 686,794 |
| 1834 | 3,843,976 | 650,366 |
| 1835 | 3,524,209 | 507,495 |
| 1836 | 3,601,791 | 526,535 |
| 1837 | 3,306,775 | 575,657 |
| 1838 | 3,520,676 | 638,007 |
| 1839 | 2,824,372 | 474,307 |
| 1840 | 2,214,764 | 424,141 |
| 1841 | 2,148,218 | 430,221 |
| 1842 | 2,508,725 | 471,759 |
| 1843 | 2,509,701 | 605,632 |
| 1844 | 2,451,063 | 579,458 |
| 1845 | 2,853,995 | 491,083 |
| 1846 | 2,147,347 | 477,623 |
| 1847 | 3,199,814 | 531,171 |
| 1848 | 2,794,987 | 385,484 |
| 1849 | 2,839,888 | 605,487 |
| 1850 | 2,586,429 | 470,187 |
Mauritius.—In the year 1813 the exports of sugar from this island were but 549,465 lbs., and increasing gradually to 128,476,547 lbs. in 1849, or two-hundred fold in thirty-six years.
The equalisation of the duties in 1825, and the admission of Mauritius sugars into England on the same footing as those from the West Indies, had the effect of stimulating the sugar trade of Mauritius, and advancing it to its present remarkable success. Notwithstanding its immense crops, scarcely more than three-fifths of the island is yet under cultivation; but it has the advantage of a cheap and abundant supply of labor, and much improved machinery has been introduced. The planters first commenced introducing Coolies in 1835, and were for some time restricted to the single port of Calcutta for their supply.
The recent advices from Mauritius furnish some interesting information regarding the progress making in the sugar production of that colony. In reference to the cultivation of the cane, it is stated that by the introduction of guano upon several estates in the interior, the production has been very largely increased; but as the value and economy of manure has not been hitherto sufficiently estimated, its introduction has not been so general as could be desired. The importance of free labor to the cultivation of the estates, has now become fully appreciated by the planters; it being found that an equal amount of work can be obtained by this means from a less number of hands, and that at lower rates of wages than were current in previous years, the average of which is shown in the following table:—
| Years employed. | Number of Aggregate Coolies paid per week. | Average amount of wages per week. | wages per head | |
| £ | s. | d. | ||
| 1846 | 47,733 | 33,484 | 14 | 0 |
| 1847 | 48,314 | 35,338 | 14 | 9 |
| 1848 | 41,777 | 26,627 | 12 | 9 |
| 1849 | 45,384 | 27,625 | 12 | 2 |
| 1850 | 47,912 | 31,664 | 12 | 3 |
| 1851 | 42,275 | 27,832 | 12 | 2 |
In 1826, to make from 25 to 30,000,000 lbs. of sugar, it required 30,000 laborers (slaves); at the present time, with less than 45,000 (from which number fully 5,000 must be deducted as absent from work from various causes), 135,000,000 lbs. are produced, or about five times the quantity under slavery. The coolies are found to be an intelligent race, who have become inured to the work required, and by whose labor this small island can produce the fifth part of the consumption of the United Kingdom, and that with only about 70,000 acres under cane cultivation. About 10,000 male immigrants, introduced since 1843, are not now working under engagement, but are following other occupations, and thus become permanent consumers. Some cultivate land on a small scale, on their own account, but very few plant canes, as it requires from eighteen to twenty months before they obtain any return for their labor; but the most important fact established by this and other official statements is, that only a small number of immigrants leave the colony at the expiration of their industrial residence. In the manufacture of sugar from the cane, considerable improvement has been effected by the introduction of new methods of boiling and grinding. The vacuum pan and the system of Wetsell are all tending to economise the cost of production, and to save that loss which for years amounted, in grinding alone, to nearly one-third of the juice of the cane. The planters begin to find that they can increase the value of their sugar 30 to 40 per cent. by these improvements, and that their future prosperity depends upon carrying them out. Unfortunately, however, here, as in many other of our colonies, a very large number of planters do not yet appreciate the advantages to be obtained by the adoption of improved machinery and manufacture, or by improved cultivation, and still struggle on under the old system of waste and negligence, which can only result in the ruin and destruction of their property.
In 1827, the number of sugar estates in operation in Mauritius, were 49 worked by water power, 50 by cattle or horses, and 22 by steam—total 111; in 1836, this number had increased to 186, viz.—64 moved by water power, 10 by horse, and 112 by steam. In 1839, the number was 211, of which 138 were worked by steam power—70,292 acres were then under cultivation with sugar. There are now about 490 sugar estates, whereof only 231 have mills—42 are worked by water power, the rest by steam.
The annual Mauritius crops, as exported, for the last ten years, have been as follows. The shipments frequently extend beyond a year, hence a discrepancy sometimes between the year's crop and the year's export:—
| Tons, | |
| 1842-43 | 24,400 |
| 1843-44 | 28,600 |
| 1844-45 | 37,600 |
| 1845-46 | 49,100 |
| 1846-47 | 64,100 |
| 1847-48 | 59,021 |
| 1848-49 | 50,782 |
| 1849-50 | 51,811 |
| 1850-51 | 55,000 |
| 1851-52 | 65,080 |