No. 11.— 1858-9.] STATE OF CRIME IN CEYLON. 



293 



A STATISTICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE 

 STATE OF CRIME IN CEYLON. 



By John Capper. 



PART I.— The Western Province. 

 The amount and character of Crime existing in any 

 country, is a study of so much importance, as to be well 

 worthy the researches of the Statist and the Political econo- 

 mist. This is especially the case amongst a people who, like 

 the natives o£ this island, are in a transition state ; governed 

 by laws dictated by the civilization of the West, yet dwelling 

 amidst, and deeply imbued by the customs and superstitions 

 of the East. 



It is to be regretted, that in Ceylon, as in many other parts 

 of India, the materials for statistics exist in a very crude and 

 defective state, especially those relating to population. At 

 the same time, it may be observed, that native society in this 

 island exists in such widely different forms from the condi- 

 tion of any European communities, and the springs of action 

 affecting their good or evil conduct are so dissimilar, as to 

 render it far less necessary to enter into the very minute 

 statements and comparisons as regards this branch of enquiry, 

 which are to be found in works on the criminal statistics of 

 European countries. 



The scattered nature of the Ceylon population, the primi- 

 tive habits and limited wants of a larger portion of the 

 people, the absence of any densely populated towns, the 

 cheapness of food and clothing, the facility with which a 

 livelihood may be obtained, and the consequent small extent 

 of pauperism, are all circumstances so widely different from 



