No. 12,-1860-1.] BADULLA AND ITS PRODUCTS. jg$ 



Badulla District which has risen from 10,000 cwts. in 1855 

 to 20,000 cwts., and would probably advance much more 

 rapidly, if a better line of communication with Colombo were 

 opened, give to this proposal a greater claim to consideration 

 than it had when first brought before me." 



The Hambantota road which runs southward, is in some 

 parts very steep and extremely difficult to be converted into 

 a cart-road. 



Batticaloa road. Carts may proceed twelve miles from 

 Badulla : beyond that distance it is a mere jungle path used 

 for tavalams. It proceeds in a north-east direction. 



The minor roads are numerous, branching off in various 

 directions to the villages around. 



The whole aspect of the District is rapidly undergoing 

 great changes. Numerous Coffee Estates are springing up 

 in all the available land adapted for the cultivation of this 

 staple article of the Commerce of this Island : consequently 

 the District is attracting great attention, and it becomes 

 necessary, that its interests be carefully studied. But it 

 must be observed that the improvement of the country has 

 not kept pace with its extent and importance as a Coffee 

 growing district. This has been owing to two causes. The 

 distance from the sea coast is considerable, and travelling by 

 the great mountain pass, via Nuwara Eliya, is both tedious 

 and expensive, the progress therefore, of the District, has 

 been much retarded. It labours under the disadvantages 

 ' consequent on the want of easier and cheaper transport 

 and the town is not so large and important as it ought to 

 be, considering the large capital laid out in the District for 

 the production of Coffee. The rate of transport is very high ; 

 cart hire from Badulla to Colombo varies from £6 to £7 

 via Nuwara Eliya, and a cart takes longer to reach Colombo 

 than the Overland Mail to England ; and even then it is 

 attended with uncertainty and losses, especially during the 

 wet weather. Owing to the expense and difficulty of trans- 



