Prospects of Ceylon. ^Arl 



formerly impeded the more active development of agriculture 

 and commerce. The harbour of Point de Galle (also called 

 only Galle for shortness) has become a central station for the 

 steam-boat trade with the East Indies, the Burmese Archipe- 

 lago, China, and Australia. A telegraphic wire will ere long 

 stretch from Ceylon to England, such as even now unites the 

 island with the Coromandel Coast and India ; a railway is in 

 course of construction between the most important commercial 

 centres of the island, and so obvious are the fundamental 

 benefits it must confer, that ere long the classical and incom- 

 parably beautiful island of Ceylon is destined to shine a star 

 of the first magnitude in the azure of the Indian Ocean, one 

 of the most prosperous, wealthy, and blest of islands ! 



The scientific researches of all kinds, which have in modern 

 days been instituted in Ceylon, have been attended with the 

 most important results, bearing upon its history and its various 

 tribes, as well as on its natural wealth ; and the masterly and 

 marvellous work Sir Emerson Tennent lately published on 

 the isle of Ceylon, seems intended to compensate for many 

 instances of neglect which Ceylon and its inhabitants have 

 experienced from the English since they seized on it. 



Embracing all the three kingdoms of nature, and following 

 up with learned accuracy the history of the inhabitants, from 

 the obscure traditions attending their earliest settlement down 

 to the present day. Sir Emerson Tennent's work is a perfect 

 pattern of a monography, although upon this subject the 

 German inquirer will involuntarily, and not without an emotion 



