Extracts from 

 " The Ceylonese]' Friday } June \th, 1915. 



There are nearly two thousand troops of all sections mobilised 

 to meet the present situation and more are needed. The rioting 

 in the put-stations has been so serious that batches of C.P.R.C., 

 Punjabis and C.L.I., are being dispatched to the different places 

 where the trouble is worse. 



Of the casualties we must speak with caution, since official 

 figures are not yet available. As it is, we can only give the most 

 reasonably correct number from the statements made to the press- 

 men by those engaged in the work of quelling the riots. Yesterday 

 we stated that the number of deaths was between fifty and sixty, 

 and the number of those wounded between three and four hundred. 

 The figures have, of course, increased. The wild attempts of the 

 villagers to get through the troops who were stationed at different 

 points on the outskirts of Colombo to stop the crowds coming in, 

 forced the troops to fire on the mobs, and Maxims were also used. 

 As far as we have been able to find out, the number of deaths so 

 far is about a hundred. This includes eighteen wounded men who 

 died at the General Hospital after admission. The wounded 

 number several hundreds, and even the floors of the hospital are 

 littered with the wounded men. There are nearly five hundred 

 just now at the General Hospital, and only extremely serious cases 

 are now admitted. The other wounded men are being treated by 

 the batches of C.V.M.C. men who are stationed at the more im- 

 portant corners. 



Out of the town itself, the place where most trouble, occurred 

 was near the two bridges leading to the town, viz., Victoria Bridge 

 and Wellawatte Bridge. At the two latter places the military are 

 very strongly posted, and a couple of Maxim guns, too, have been 

 mounted at each of these places. The situation at Victoria Bridge 

 developed very serious, it is reported, yesterday. A strong force 

 of Sinhalese, numbering about 700, attempted to cross the bridge 

 and come to town to join the rioters here. The military threatened 

 to shoot, and for some time the crowd kept back, but gradually 

 they became bolder and pushed forward. The military had no 

 other alternative but to shoot. Many were wounded. The mob 

 then dispersed, but collected again. Some tried to swim across 

 and were shot in the water. 



It is now reported that they are determined to cross the bridge, 

 and for this purpose they are building boats. Up to late yesterday 

 nothing very serious occurred ; after the men were shot in the water 

 nothing has happened. Other places where Maxim guns have been 

 mounted are at Kuruwe Street, the junction opposite the Tow r n Hall 

 (commanding a greater part of Sea Street and Wolfendahl), Mes- 

 senger Street, etc. All these guns are in charge of European units. 

 The Moors are very strong in Old Moor Street, the New Moor 

 Street, Wolfendahl," Sea Street, Peer Saibo's Lane. The Sinhalese 

 this side are on the qui vive. Several Sinhalese families have left 

 Hultsdorf and are making their way towards the interior, where 

 the Sinhalese are more numerous. 



At Maradana, near the Junction Bridge, a number of European 

 Town Guards were posted on duty with fixed bayonets. Their duty 

 specially was to search all suspicious characters before allowing 

 them to proceed further. Anyone found having in his possession 

 any sort of missile was marched off. 



