CEYLON. 181 



"It is very difficull to make any conjecture as to the 

 cause of the prevalence of the crime of murder. The 

 offenders do not, as lias been repeatedly pointed out, 

 belong to the criminal class. They are. as a rule, men 

 without previous convictions, who up to the time of the 

 crime have led a comparatively blameless life. The 

 offense is not generally committed with the delibera- 

 tion of the hardened criminal, but in the fiery heat of 

 passion or under the influence of liquor, and it is a mat- 

 ter of regret that even the death penalty brings with it 

 no direct effect.'' 



The knife is the implement most frequently used 

 when violence is resorted to. The number of persons 

 committed to prison for all kinds of offenses during 

 the year 1903 was 2,396, a figure which shows well for 

 the morale of the island. Of 2.508 convictions during 

 the year 1903, 49 were Protestants. 361 Eoman Catho- 

 lics, 1,509 Buddhists, 311 Hindoos, 260 Mohamme- 

 dans; other religions 15. Notwithstanding the heroic 

 labors of missionaries of different denominations for 

 the last two centuries and the expenditure of millions 

 in efforts to convert the natives, the results have been 

 very unsatisfactory. The mass of the people cling to their 

 Buddhist faith with great tenacity. The bareheaded, 

 barefoot., yellow-robed priests remain in power and at- 

 tend to the spiritual needs of the people. The Eoman 

 Catholic church has accomplished more than any other 

 denomination. Those who have abandoned Buddhism 

 and have joined a church do not always live in accord- 

 ance with the teachings of the new religion and continue 

 many of their former customs and practices, which 

 perhaps unconsciously cling to them from force of habit. 

 For instance. Christianity has made very little impres- 

 sion on the morality of the people. The natives are a 

 temperate people, as the teachings of Buddha prohibit 

 the use of alcohol in any form, and with few exceptions, 

 indeed, the Buddhists are total abstainers. The Sin- 

 ghalese have taken kindly to the professions. The 



