No. 11:^-1858-9.] crime in ceylon. 303 



two Courts. The above figures, too, are borne out by the re- 

 turns from the Regalia Police Court, as may be seen below : — 





5 











Percenta 







03 















Instil 



*© 



A 



ctions 



}. 



+3 



X 



la 



CO 



ctions 



A 



>J 





■ji 



o> 



J. 



SO 



<u 



so 







sc 





o 



<! 







o 



o 



o 



<3 







1855 



1856 



932 

 1073 



1041 

 1087 



121 

 106 



77 

 96 



843 

 855 



111 



7£ 

 9 



1857 



857 



792 



97 



55 



640 



12 



7 



The convictions and dismissals, in both these instances, 

 approximate very closely ; and Ave may fairly presume, that 

 the much smaller proportions of convictions in these rural 

 Courts arises, not from any local defect in the administration 

 of the laws, but rather from a less efficient Police, and a 

 greater difficulty in collecting evidence amongst scattered 

 and distinct communities. 



The last of these Courts is that of Ratnapura, the work 

 in which, during the last three years, is given in the annexed 

 Table :— 



1855 

 1856 

 1857 



891 

 763 

 866 



678 

 1090 

 820 



90 

 165 

 75 



32 

 148 

 50 



556 

 777 

 695 



Percentage of 



If we now sum up the total crimes and offences on which 

 onvictions have been obtained throughout the Western 

 rovince of Ceylon during the last three years, and examine 

 the proportion which these bear to the population, we shall 

 be able to form an estimate of the relative criminality of this 



