DIVISION OF COLESBERG.

Archdeacon B. Kaffraria, Ven. H. Kitton.

1st Clerk, H. Okes, 2951.

2nd Clerk, W. B. Wiley (probationary), 1457.

DISTRICT OF HANOVER.

Resident Magistrate, C. R. Beere, 4007.

Clerk (on probation), W. A. Hudson, 1207.

DIVISION OF ALBERT.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Webb.

Roman Catholic Bishop, Capetown, Rt. Rev. Dr. Leonard.

Roman Catholic Bishop of Grahamstown, Rt. Rev. Dr. Ricards.

Convict Stations.

TABLE BAY BREAKWATER WORKS. Visiting Magistrate, J. Campbell, 367.

W. Andrews, 6007.

1st Clerk, H. Halse, 1907.

2nd Clerk,

1457.

DIVISION OF ALIWAL NORTH.

Chaplain, G. H. R. Fisk, 275l. and allowances. Surgeon, W. H. Wood, M.D., 1321.

KOWIE.

Visiting Magistrate, A. R. Innes, 251. Superintendent, A. Aitchison, 2007.

1st Clerk, F. Philpott, 2351.

2nd Clerk, F. P. Jervis, 1457.

DISTRICT OF HERSCHEL.

Surgeon, T. J. Dillon, M.D., 55l. and allowances.

EAST LONDON.

Visiting Magistrate, A. R. Orpen, 50%.

Superintendent, J. Dallas, 2207. and allowances.
Chaplain, J. W. Sloane, 547. 128.
Surgeon, J. Paley (acting), 2007.

GARCIA'S PASS.

1st Clerk, Herbertson Jenner, 1907.

2nd Clerk, A. S. van Coller, 1457.

DIVISION OF QUEEN'S TOWN.

Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate, J. Hemming, 600%.

1st Clerk, W. B. Blenkins, 2201.

2nd Clerk, E. A. Fielden, 145.

DISTRICT OF CATHCART.

Resident Magistrate, G. G. Meurant, 4007.
Clerk (on probation), H. McA. Blakeway, 1207.

DIVISION OF KING WILLIAM'S TOWN. Civil Commissioner, Resident Magistrate, and Registrar of Deeds, J. R. Innes, 6007.

1st Clerk, Acting Civil Commissioner, L. G. Rawstorne, 4007.

An island situated in the Indian Ocean, off the southern extremity of Hindostan; lying between 5° 55' and 9° 51' N. lat., and 79° 41' and 81° 54' E. long. its extreme length from north to south, i.e., from Point Palmyra to Dondera Head, is 266 miles; its greatest width 140 miles, from Colombo on the west coast, to Sangemankande on the east.

The climate for a tropical country is comparatively healthy; the heat in the plains, which is nearly the same throughout the year, being much less oppressive than in Hindostan. Along the coast the annual mean temperature is about 80° Fahr.; at Kandy, 1,465 feet above sea level, it is 76° (average of ten years); at Colombo the annual variation is from 760 to 869; at Galle 70° to 90°; and at Trincomalee 74° to 91°. In the mountain ranges there is of course a great variety of climate, the thermometer at the hill station, Nuwara Eliya, which is some 6,000 feet above the level of the sea, falling at night as low as 32°.

Ceylon was visited in early days by the Greeks, Romans, and Venetians: in 1505 the Portuguese formed settlements on the west and south of the island in the next century they were dispossessed

by the Dutch. In 1795-6 the British took posses

sion of the Dutch settlements in the island. They

were then annexed to the Presidency of Madras, but five years later, in 1801, Ceylon was constituted a separate Colony. In 1815 war was declared against the native Government of the interior; the Kandyan King was taken prisoner, and the whole island fell under the rule of the British.

By letters patent under the Great Seal, April, 1831, a Council of Government was appointed, and by a supplementary commission to the then Governor (March, 1833) the form of Government almost as now existing was established.

The Government is administered by a Governor, aided by an Executive Council of five members, viz., the Officer Commanding the Troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Queen's Advocate, the Treasurer, and the Auditor-General; and a Legislative Council of 15 members, including the members of the Executive Council, four other officeholders, end six unofficial members.

In the Legislative Council no vote or resolution can be passed, and no question be admitted to debate, when the object of such ordinance, resolution, or question is to dispose of or charge any part of the revenue of the Island, unless the Governor shall have first proposed such vote.

£130,000 per annum is paid to the Imperial Government as a Military Contribution.

The population of Ceylon was ascertained by the Census taken in 1871 to be 2,401,066, exclusive of military and shipping, the total being made up as follows:

British, 2,703,; Burghers, 5,771; Eurasians, 3,431; Moors, 534,339; Sinhalese, 1,669,998; Tamils, 534,339; others, 21,308.

The number of Indian coolies on coffee estates was estimated at 115,092, but the number employed at present is probably over 150,000. They are under no indentures, and are free to quit on giving

a month's notice.

The area of the Island is 24,702 square miles, or 15,809,280 acres; and rather more than one-sixth of this, after deducting backwaters, &c., is under cultivation, the most important productions being

Rice, 700,000 acres; other Grain, roughly estimated at about 100,000 acres; Coffee, 290,000 acres; Cocoanuts, 260,000 acres; Cinnamon, 26,000 acres; Tobacco, 19,000 acres; Areka, Palmyrah, and other Palms, 60,000 acres.

The upset price of Crown land is ten rupees an acre, and forest land suitable for coffee cultivation has fetched as much as 230 rupees.

The revenue is principally derived from Customs duties, land sales, a tax on the production of Grain (usually one-tenth), Licences (under which head is entered the amount realised by the sale of Arrack Rents), Salt (which is a Government monopoly), Stamps, and Railway Receipts.

The statement of revenue for 1875 shows the following amounts under these heads:

Imports (there is no duty on exports), 2,936,533 rupees; Land Sales, 900,887; Grain Tax, &c., 984,056; Licences, 2,061,820; Salt, 810,633; Stamps, 1,157,093; Railway Receipts, 2,965,459against which should be set off Contribution to Sinking Fund and Interest on Debentures, 618,218 rupees, and Working Expenses, &c., 1,088,857

rupees.

The grand total-14,443,980 rupees-is exclusive of the local revenues raised by the Municipalities of Colombo, Kandy, and Galle.

The imports were valued at 57,186,554 rupees, of which 12,358,505 rupees is represented by specie,

and the exports (deducting specie, 1,001,701 rupees) at 56,336,005 rupees, of which 51,725,566 rupees is returned for Ceylon produce, and 4,610,439 rupees for imports exported. Coffee to the value of 45,069,019 rupees, or about four-fifths of the total exports, passed through the Customs; the bulk of it, to the value of 36,117,103 rupees, being shipped to England. The aggregate tonnage of the shipping entered inwards and cleared outwards during the year was 1,129,219 and 1,087,184 tons, respectively. A large increase may be expected when the Breakwater at Colombo, already commenced, has been finished.

For purposes of general administration, the Island is divided into seven Provinces, presided over by Government Agents, who protect the rights of the Crown and promote the welfare of the people, and, with their Assistants and subordinate Headmen, are the channel of communication between the Government and the natives.

Justice is administered by the Supreme Court, which has an original criminal jurisdiction and decides appeals from the inferior Courts both in civil and criminal cases; the Police Courts and Courts of Requests, which dispose, respectively, of trivial criminal and civil suits; and the District Courts, which have a criminal jurisdiction intermediate between that of the Supreme Court and the police Courts, and a civil jurisdiction in all cases not cognizable by the Courts of Requests. In addition to these there are the Gansabáwas, or Village Councils, instituted under the Ordinance No. 26 of 1871, with powers to deal with petty offences and trifling claims. They have worked admirably, being thoroughly adapted to the genius of the people, and, besides settling a considerable amount of litigation, have provided a valuable They are empowered to make rules, subject to the machinery for carrying out local improvements. approval of the Governor and the Executive Council, relating to their village economy, and it is noticeable that in many instances they have not only voluntarily provided school buildings and undertaken the cost of the necessary upkeep and repairs, but have made elementary education compulsory.

Satisfactory progress is being made in education, the number of scholars at the end of 1875 in schools aided and inspected by Government being 35,193, and the cost 352,849 rupees, as compared with 1868, when the number was 6,879, and the expenditure 161,660 rupees. The improvement is due to the institution of a Department of public Instruction, and the adoption of the system of payments for results.

In the matter of communication, great efforts have been made to keep pace with the growing requirements of the Colony. The principal towns are connected by the telegraph. There is a railway from Colombo to Kandy (74 miles) and a branch line of 17 miles into the coffee districts.. Of metalled roads, there are 905 miles; of gravelled and natural roads, 529 and 922 miles. This is exclusive of roads within Municipal limits and of minor roads which are not in the charge of the Department of Public Works. The cost of construction is great, and the expenses of upkeep inferior quality of the metal available. The upkeep enormous, owing to climatic influences and the of a mile of metalled road costs, on an average over 900 rupees (£90) per annum, and it has not unfrequently exceeded 2,000 rupees where the traffic has been very heavy. Every male between the ages of 18 and 55 is bound to perform six days' labour in the year on the roads, or to contribute a

rupee and-a-half by way of commutation; but the amount derived from this source is inconsiderable, as compared with the outlay. The total expenditure on public works (not including the railway) in 1875 was 4,238,862 rupees; the cost of the establishment bring 372,648 rupees, or about 9 per cent. on the estimates.

The daily average number of criminals in jail during the year 1875 was 2,582, of whom 50, or about 019 per cent., were women. The strength of the Police was 1,360; and the cost, 381,524 rupees.

A fortnightly mail service is carried on by the steamers of the P. and O. Company between Ceylon and Brindisi, Venice, Southampton, and intermediate ports and Bombay on one side, and Madras, Calcutta, Straits, and China on the other; also a monthly service between Ceylon and Australia. There is also a fortnightly mail service by the steamers of the M. M. Company between Ceylon and Marseilles, and between Ceylon and Calcutta, Straits and China. The passage to Southampton generally occupies about 30 days, to Brindisi or Marseilles 23 or 24 days, and to Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Singapore, and China 4, 2, 6, 7, and 15 days respectively.

Further facilities are afforded by the British India Steam Navigation Company for communication with ports in India. These steamers leave Colombo weekly for Bombay and Calcutta, calling at intermediate ports.

British Governors.

1796 The Honourable the Governor of Madras in Council.

1867

1868

4,403,177

3,786,721

1798 The Honourable Frederick North (late Earl of Guildford).

1869

4,635,023

3,631,065

3,803,731

1805 Lieutenant-General Right Hon. Sir Thomas Maitland, G.C.B.

3,634,853

3,139,060

5,439,591

4,687,388

5,733,770

Executive Council.

1811 Major-General John Wilson, LieutenantGovernor.

1812 General Sir Robert Brownrigg, Bart., G.C.B. 1820 Major-General Sir Edward Barnes, K.C.B., Lieutenant-Governor.

1822 Lieutenant-General the Hon. Sir Edward Paget, K.C.B.

The Right Hon. Sir William H. Gregory, K.C.M.G., Governor.