Chap. V.] TRIXCOMALIE. 48<J 



diate vicinity of the sea, is rich and productive, and the 

 numerous rivers which flow eastward from the mountain 

 zone afford tlie amplest facihties for the cultivation 

 of every species of produce ; and the forests abound 

 with an exhaustless supply of timber available either 

 for local consumption or for foreign export. On the 

 western side of the island, the land has been cultivated 

 for an indefinite period uninterruptedly, and to such 

 an extent that it now exhibits symptoms of exhaustion. 

 Besides which, its eager occupation and minute sub- 

 division amongst innumerable small cultivators, and its 

 unsuitabihty for the production of more than a very 

 Hmited number of articles, serve to show that over 

 population has been added to the other evils of po- 

 verty of soil and deficiency of capital. On the eastern 

 coast, on the contrarv, cultivation has been so louir 

 suspended that everything wears the aspect of a new 

 country, presenting not only a ready outlet for the over- 

 crowded or impoverished population of other districts, 

 but capable of affording increased facilities and advan- 

 tages for the general benefit of the island. 



As a harbour, Trincomalie is renowned for its extent 

 and security ; but its peculiar superiority over every 

 other in the Indian seas consists in its perfect acces- 

 sibihty to eveiy description of craft in eveiy variation 

 of weather. It can be entered with equal facility and 

 safety in the north-east as in the south-west mon- 

 soon, and the water within is so deep that vessels 

 can he close to the beach, and discharge or receive 

 cargo witliout the intervention of boats. Its geo- 

 graphical position has already caused its adoption 

 as the most favourable point for a naval rendezvous 

 and dockyard ; whence instructions and intelligence 

 can be most ra])idly comnumicated to the various forces 

 in the eastern seas. Eegarding Ceylon at the present 

 moment as the centre of all o])erations for jDostal com- 

 munications Avith Madras and Calcutta, tlie Straits 

 settlements, Chma, and Austraha, as well as Avitli tlie 



