APPENDIX. 



207 



The local Government having had its attention drawn to the scanty 

 supply of facts connected with the progress and condition of the 

 Colony, have seen the necessity which exists for obtaining more va- 

 luable data, and to this we may no doubt trace the Governor's 

 Minute of 3d December last, calling upon the Agents of Govern- 

 ment in the several Provinces for quarterly reports on the condition 

 of their districts. These returns we anticipate will lead to important 

 results in connection with our inquiries. 



The next step which your Committee took was to address Go- 

 vernment on the subject of the Annual Returns of the Imports and 

 Exports of the Island, published in the Government Gazette, as sent 

 in by the Officers of Customs. In this communication it was pointed 

 out that whilst the Quarterly Returns of the Imports and Exports, 

 were drawn up in reference to quantities, those for the entire year, 

 were made up according to the value of the goods passing through 

 the Custom House. This it was shown, might lead to much mis- 

 conception on the part of any one wishing to draw ? conclusions from 

 these Tables, for it was clear that articles subject to much fluctu* 

 ation in value, the money amount for which they were entered at 

 the Custom House could form no standard whereby to judge of 

 the extent of the trade. This is especially the case in Cotton goods, 

 and more recently we know how low Coffee has fallen in value. 

 In addition to this the Quarterly Returns were made out for the 

 Port of Colombo only, whilst those for the year related to the 

 whole Island: and moreover the confusion existing by classing Rice, 

 Gram and other grains together, was pointed out. The result of 

 this was that the Government intimated that a better arrangement 

 should be made in future with reference to the Annual Cus- 

 toms Returns. 



Your Committee have been also in correspondence with several 

 gentlemen in various parts of the Island, from whom are expected 

 some valuable contributions on Statistical subjects. 



A manuscript has been received from Mr. Taylor of Batticaloa 

 on the Statistics of that District, which would have been printed 

 amongst your Society's papers, but from the circumstance of the 

 work having been previously communicated to the Statistical So- 



