89
In the time of Mahé de Labourdonnais, Port Louis
became a busy town. More people came to live here.
The port was well equipped. Ships were repaired and new ships were also built.
Goods from India and the East were stored in the warehouses. Later, they were sent to Europe.
Many ships coming from Europe called at Port Louis. From here, they went to India and other
countries in the East for trade. When they called at Ile de France, they sold and exchanged
goods with the traders.
Port Louis became the most important town and port of the Mascarene Islands.
Carry out a class discussion on the port of Port Louis.The following questions will guide you.
a) What did Port Louis look like when Labourdonnais became the governor?
b) What did he do to make Port Louis a good port?
c) What facilities did the port offer?
d) Why can we say that Port Louis was a very important port?
Write a few sentences in your copybook about what you have discussed.
1.6 port louis: An important trading centre
Mozambique
AFRICA
ASIA
AUSTRALIA
France
Holland
United
Kingdom
Goa Goa
Arabia
Jakarta Jakarta
(Batavia)(Batavia)
India
INDIAN
OCEAN
Madagascar
Comoros
Pondicherry Pondicherry
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
British trade routes
French trade routes
Dutch trade routes
Portuguese trade routes
Port Louis Port Louis
Mauritius
Map2: Map showing Port Louis as an
important trading centre
Portugal
Cape of
Good Hope
ACTIVITY 1.6 Discuss & share
At the end of the French rule, Port Louis became an important port and town.
The shops were full of valuable goods from many countries: cotton cloth and spices from India,
and silk and porcelain from China. Warehouses were built to keep the goods in a safe place.
Cereals and other foodstuffs were brought to Ile de France from Madagascar, Réunion and
Rodrigues.There were also big stores to keep cereals and other foodstuffs.
There were always many ships in the port. Sometimes ships came to trade from countries as
far as America.
The French also used Port Louis as a base toghttheBritish.Strongforticationswitharms
and cannons were built at the entrance of the harbour.
Table 1 shows the number of ships visiting Port Louis in the 18th century.
Observe the table and answer the questions that follow.
1.7 port louis at the end of the french rule
ACTIVITY 1.7
YEAR ships visiting Port Louis
1769 78
1773 103
1783 176
1789 203
1803 347
table 1
Pic. 8 port louis at the end of the 18th century Source: Mauritius on the spice route 1598 - 1810:
Denis Piat