624 CEYLON 



Agriculture. Messrs A. M. & J. Ferguson, the authors of the Ceylon Handbook and Direc- 

 tory, estimate that out of a total of 15,809,280 acres in the island, there were in January 

 1912 about 3? million acres under cultivation, a slight increase on the corresponding es- 

 timate made by them in July 1908. Coco-nuts occupy 770,000 acres, rice 620,000 acres, 

 and palms, other than coco-nuts, about 300,000 acres. 



The acreage under tea, about 395,000 acres, has not varied much since 1909, any increase 

 due to newly planted fields being cancelled by the dying out of those where rubber has been 

 interplanted. The crop for 1911, 187,674,990 Ibs., though 6,000,000 Ibs. in excess of that 

 for 1910, fell short of the record crop for 1909 by 4,000,000 Ibs. The estimate by the Planters' 

 Association of the 1912 crop is 193,000,000 Ibs. 



In rubber planting there has been very rapid development. An area of 184,000 acres 

 in 1909 has risen to 217,000 acres in 1912, while the shipment of l^ million Ibs. in the for- 

 mer year increased to over 7 million Ibs. in 1911. It was estimated that in 1912 the ship- 

 ments would again be more than doubled. In cocoa, about 32,000 acres, and cardamoms, 

 about 8,000, there has been no increase of area under cultivation. Coffee and cinchona 

 bark, once leading products, have practically disappeared from the list of exports. In 

 cinnamon no change is recorded. Immigrant labour, brought over from southern India under 

 a system of money advances, has from the first been the life blood of Ceylon planting. In 



1910 the arrivals and departures were respectively 118,000 and 64,000: in January to June 



1911 they were 40,000 and 36,000. The system has for the most part worked admirably. 

 But in the last few years an excessive strain has been thrown on it by the vast area brought 

 under cultivation for rubber both in Ceylon and in the Federated Malay States; and in the 

 keen competition for coolies the amounts advanced have so increased as to leave small hope 

 of recovery in full. To meet this proprietors of tea and rubber estates have formed "The 

 Ceylon Proprietors' Labour Federation" with the object of limiting the amount of advances, 

 and ultimately of substituting for the present system one under which all the initial expenses 

 of the immigrant shall be paid in such manner that he shall start work in Ceylon free of debt. 



Commerce. The last Government Blue Book, in place of giving figures as previously 

 for the calendar year, gives them for 18 months, January I, 1910 to June 30, 1911 as follows: 

 Imports, 164,864,703; exports, 173,717,722. The increase since 1900 is about 18%. 



Finance. The public revenue has risen from Rs. 27,325,930 in 1900 to Rs. 39,332,860 

 in 1909 and to Rs. 65,612,640 in the 18 months, January i, 1910, to June 30, 1911. Assuming 

 that the figures for 1910 must have exceeded Rs. 41,000,000 the increase in the present 

 century has been fully 50%. Public expenditure has risen to correspond. 



The public debt on June 30, 1911 was: loans raised in London 5,962,700, equivalent, at 

 is. 4d. to the R., to Rs. 89,440,500; local loans, Rs. 3,064,027; the total debt, Rs. 92,504,527; 

 less sinking funds, Rs. 12,425,330, making a net debt of Rs. 80,079,197, or the equivalent of 

 5.338,613, equal to about 2 years' revenue. 



Railways. The mileage open for traffic increased from 563 in 1908 to 604 in 1912, and 

 130 miles more are either in course of construction or have been sanctioned. Sanction 

 has been sought for other 72 miles which should be complete within four years. The railways 

 have from the first been a fruitful source of revenue to the government, to which they belong. 

 In the 18 months from January I, 1910 to June 30, 1911 the receipts were Rs. 13,583,160 

 and working expenses Rs. 6,337,583, showing a profit of Rs. 7,245,577. It is calculated 

 that this is a return of "]\ % on the capital expended. 



Shipping. The total tonnage of vessels calling at Ceylon ports in 1910 was 9,371,097 

 as against 8,453,236 in 1909. Over 90% was entered at Colombo, where the harbour, like 

 the railways (though in a less degree), has become a source of government revenue. The 

 estimated receipts for 1911-12 (July I to June 30) were Rs. 2,609,380, and the estimated ex- 

 penditure Rs. 2,085,656, showing an estimated profit of Rs. 523,724. As the x annual 

 charge for the public debt only slightly exceeds Rs. 4,000,000, or not much more than half 

 the profits of the railways and harbour, the financial condition is quite sound. 



Political and Social Progress. The Legislative Council, hitherto consisting of the gover- 

 nor, ten official members and eight unofficial members, has been reformed by Ordinance. 13 

 of 1910. In the past the unofficial members were all nominated by the governor, who as a 

 rule placed the nominations in the hands of the various representative bodies of the island. 

 Three of the eight scats were held by Europeans, the other five by natives. The reformed 

 council consists of the governor, eleven official members and ten unofficial members. The 

 new official member is the government agent for the time being of the Southern Province. 

 Of the unofficial^ four are elected by constituencies created under the above ordinance and 

 arc styled the European urban member, the European rural member, the burgher member 

 and the Educated Ceylonese member, the electors being (i) Europeans resident in Colombo, 

 Calle and Kandy; (2) other Europeans resident throughout the island; (3) the Burgher com- 

 munity; (4) natives who can read and write English. The other six unofficial members are 

 nominated as before by the governor. 



The first elections took place in November and December 191 1. For the European seats 

 there was no contest, and as under the old system, leading members of the Chamber of Com- 

 merce and Planters' Association were elected. The native seats were warmly contested. 

 The reformed council held its first sitting on January 16, 1912. The reduction of the num- 



