BRITISH RULE. 217 



when the whole island came finally into the hands 

 of the British Government, being converted into a 

 Crown colony in iSOo. 



The army of Roman Catholic teachers brought in 

 under Portuguese auspices had little difficulty in 

 " converting " a good many thousands of a people who 

 were only too ready to embrace a religion which gave 

 them high-sounding baptismal names, and which in 

 no sense prevented their continued observance of 

 Buddhistic feasts and ceremonies. Besides, no appoint- 

 ments under the Government could be obtained 

 without profession of Christian (R. C.) faith. 



Little was done, therefore, by these teachers for 

 the moral condition of the heathen, and very little 

 was done by either the Portuguese or the Dutch to 

 advance their material or intellectual condition. 

 How great the contrast since the island came under 

 British rule! In 1815 the total trade (exports and 

 imports) was 4-73,000; in 1887 it was over 8,000,- 

 000. Shipping tonnage (entered and cleared), 75,000 ; 

 in 1887 it was 4,000,000. In 1815 there were only 

 170 schools; now there are 2,200. Then there were 

 2,000 scholars ; now there are 120,000. 



Not only do we here see great material growth, but 

 in this last item of statistics we see the present and 



future moral improvement of the people. One hun- 

 15 



