were returned to France. Pondichéry had lost much of its former glory, and Chandernagore dwindled into an insignificant outpost to the north of the rapidly growing British metropolis of Calcutta. Successive governors tried, with mixed results, to improve infrastructure, industry, law and education over the next 138 years. By a decree of 25 January 1871, French India was to have an elective general council (conseil général) and elective local councils (conseil local). The results of this measure were not very satisfactory, and the qualifications for and the classes of the franchise were modified. The governor resided at Pondichéry and was assisted by a council. There were two Tribunaux d'instance (Tribunals of first instance) (at Pondichéry and Karikal) one Cour d'appel (Court of Appeal) (at Pondichéry) and five Juges de paix (Justices of the Peace). Agricultural production consisted of rice, peanuts, tobacco, betel nuts and vegetables. Independence movement (18th-20th century) and merger with India (1954) The Independence of India on 15 August 1947 gave impetus to the union of France's Indian possessions with former British India. The lodges in Machilipatnam, Kozhikode and Surat were ceded to India on 6 October 1947. An agreement between France and India in 1948 agreed to an election in France's remaining Indian possessions to choose their political future. Governance of Chandernagore was ceded to India on 2 May 1950; it was then merged with West Bengal state on 2 October 1954. On 1 November 1954, the four enclaves of Pondichéry, Yanam, Mahe, and Karikal were de facto transferred to the Indian Union and became the Union Territory of Puducherry. The de jure union of French India with India did not take place until 1962 when the French Parliament in Paris ratified the treaty with India. List of French establishments in India The French establishments of India are all located in the Indian peninsula. As of 1839, these establishments are On the Coramandel coast, Pondichéry and its territory comprising districts of Pondichéry, Villenour and Bahour; Karikal and its dependent maganams, or districts. On the coast of Orissa, Yanaon and its territory comprising dependent aldées or villages; The Masulipatam loge and a garden named Francepeth. On the Malabar coast, Mahé and its territory; The Calicut loge. In Bengal, Chandernagor and its territory; The five loges of Cassimbazar, Jougdia, Dacca, Balasore and Patna. In Gujarat, Surat factory. Under the French East India Company's regime, the name 'loge' was given