3 2 



33 Within an interval of about twelve days, on June 2ist 

 last, at early dawn, the following leading gentlemen, among 

 others, were arrested by armed Town Guards accompanied by 

 police, and committed to prison : 



Messrs. D. B. Jayatilaka, John de Silva, F. R. Senanayake, 

 D. C. vSenanayake, D. S. Senanayake (brothers), Charles Batu- 

 vantudawe, VV. H. W. Perera (Proctor), A. Reginald Fernando, 

 manager of the " Morning Leader " newspaper, and editor of 

 the Sinhalese " Lakmina." Also Drs. W. A. de Silva and 

 C. A. Hewavitarane. Mr. Arthur Dias was arrested some days 

 previously. 



34. On enquiring on what charge he was arrested, 

 Mr. D. B. Jayatilaka was only told by the Town Guard, who 

 took him into custody, that he was arrested under Martial Law. 



This is typical of the other cases. Mr. Charles Batuvantu- 

 dawe, when he sought to put a few things into his hand-bag, was 

 told by the Town Guard who took him that it was unnecessary, 

 as he was going only for half an hour to the Police Superinten- 

 dent, Mr. Daniell, andjie would be brought back. All these 

 gentlemen were taken out of their beds between 4 and 5 in the 

 morning by European Town Guards, hurried into motor-cars, 

 escorted by armed Punjabi soldiers and police, and cast into the 

 common prison at Welikada in Colombo, and have not yet 

 (July 4th) been produced before any court of law. All access 

 to them was at first denied, and they were confined in prison, 

 served with prison fare, regulated as a penal dietary for the 

 convicts drawn from the lowest classes of the population. The 

 latrine arrangements, which are for the dry-earth system, were 

 without the least regard for sanitation three buckets served for 

 several hundred convicts. This, the writer understands, has 

 now been modified. An application to provide their meals from 

 their homes was originally refused by the Inspector-General 

 of Prisons, though allowed later. The writer is informed that 

 the Special Commissioner, Mr. R. W. Byrde, has by questions 

 in prison sought to secure evidence and information from the* 

 arrested gentlemen. 



(N.B. The conviction and incarceration of thousands 

 charged with looting- have helped to fill the jails to overflowing, 

 and, as might have been expected, disease has sometimes broken 

 out.). 



