Pondicherry

pon-di-sher'i, the capital of French India. When driven out of India by the British, France retained certain trading stations. Since the treaties of 1814 and 1815 these tracts, including in all an area of about 196 square miles, have been known as French India. They are mere ports, situated on the east coast and the west coast of southern Hindustan. The total population in 1907 was estimated at 287,402. The colony is represented in the French Assembly by one senator and one deputy. Pondicherry, the capital, has a population of about 46,000. A French governor resides here. Pondicherry is well built, and maintains a public school system. There are cotton and jute mills, employing over 6,000 persons. Pondicherry and the other ports send on to France vegetable oils and other minor exports to the value of about $5,000,000 a year.