'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎29] (58/524)

BOMBAY GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
XXIX
that the proprietor of the larger portion of Silhouette lives at Mauritius
in affluence upon an income drawn from cocoa estates on the islet.
When at Zanzibar, Captain Oldfield and I gave some encouragement to
an Indian merchant to run a small cargo of rice, coffee, and other
provisions to Mahe. The profit on the venture was considerable,
although the goods were sold out of hand. And I have no doubt
that, on a small scale, a remunerative trade might he driven between
Seychelles and the east coast of Africa. The goods from Zanzibar
were shipped in a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , which ran across in the month of May,
and this was, I believe, the first native craft that had ever made
the passage.
Politically considered, Seychelles, like the Amirante isles, are a de
pendency of the Mauritius Government. The subordinate administration
of Seychelles is in the hands of a Civil Commissioner, on an income of
about £ 1,000 per annum. The chief judicial functionary is a District
Magistrate, who becomes administrator ad interim in the absence of a
Commissioner. There is also a Medical Officer and an Inspector of
Police, with a detachment of some twenty-two constables. The cost of
the Seychelle administration I understand to be about £ 6,000 per
annum, against a revenue of from £ 1,300 to £ 1,500 per annum,
collected on the islands, and derived mainly from an excise on rum, to
gether with a customs receipt of about £ 100, being an import duty
at 6 per cent, ad valorem, gathered on the spot. It is asserted, however,
that the bulk of the Seychelle revenue should be customs, but that these
are principally collected at Mauritius, and appear in the Mauritius re
turns ; since nearly all imports, whether of provisions, miscellaneous
goods, and even coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. from India, are passed through the Custom
House at Port Louis before being transmitted to Seychelles.
The jurisdiction of the District Magistrate extends to all criminal
cases, wheresoever committed on the Seychelle islands. He can impri
son for any term, but in cases of murder, he simply institutes prelimi
nary proceedings, and the trial is held at Mauritius, wdiither witnesses
and accused are shipped as opportunity may offer. Complainants,
defendants, and parties criminally charged, on whatsoever island, come
to Mahe as the court of first instance. The Judge does not go on
circuit. Appeal lies to the higher court at Port Louis in cases of
imprisonment for more than one year, or of foe above £ 50 1 Hard
labour on the roads obtains, and is found to work w r elb The average