356 JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON). [Vol. Ill 



The Portuguese do not appear to have devoted any attention 

 to these matters : we can find no trace of any efforts on their 

 part to improve the agriculture of Ceylon. It is true, the 

 greater part of the ancient works of the Sinhalese monarchs 

 were situated in districts beyond the territories of the Por- 

 tuguese, but Avith those which were in their immediate neigh- 

 bourhood, nothing whatever appears to have been attempted, 



The Dutch, far more skilful as Colonists than their prede- 

 cessors, and ever mindful of work connected with Agriculture 

 and Commerce, devoted much time and labour to canals, and 

 we have good reason for believing to some of the nearest tanks. 



The only light thrown upon their labours in the matter of 

 Irrigation works, is contained in the despatches of the Dutch 

 Governors, published at intervals ; but there is no doubt much 

 more valuable information contained in the Dutch records 

 lying in the almirahs of the Colombo Kachcheri. Several 

 reports on the Giant's and other great tanks, by Dutch engi- 

 neers, are in existence, and have proved of use in the recent 

 engineering operations of our Government. 



Although surveys and reports on several important tanks 

 were made in the early part of: the British rule, Sir Edward 

 Barnes ma} r be said to have inaugurated Public Works under 

 our Government, by the commencement of the great Kandy 

 Road in 1821. The Peradeniya Bridge, and other useful 

 works followed, but it was not until coffee had drawn so 

 many enterprising cultivators to the Island, that the Depart- 

 ment of Public Works assumed any great importance. 



