APPENDIX. 



215 



Export? 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 misconception 

 on the part of any one wishing to draw conclusions from these Tables, 

 for it was clear that articles subject to much fluctuation 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 Customs 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 Society of 

 London, by whom an abstract of it was printed. Tour Committee would 

 recommend that Mr. Taylor be requested to furnish data up to the 

 present time, so as to enable the Society to make a fresh and improved 

 digest of its contents which are highly interesting. 



Your Committee cannot refrain from noticing amongst other 

 occurrences bearing upon the subject of this Society, the appointment 

 by the local Government of Dr. Gygax to the office of its Geologist and 

 Mineralogist. It is mentioned here, because your Committe believe that 

 it was the Society which first publicly directed the attention of the 



