176 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON), [Vol. IX. 



John Arinitage, who previously to the advent of Dr. Gygax 

 was stirred to action by the supposed existence of anthra- 

 cite in Ceylon. But, curiously enough, Mr. Armitage, 

 accompanied by Mr. Wm. Tindall, applied to the Emigra- 

 tion Commissioners in 1846 for concessions to mine for 

 anthracite in Ceylon, not because of any specimens of the 

 mineral he had seen in the island, whether in museums or 

 cabinets, or in situ, but because the very finest specimen of 

 anthracite in the British Museum, " presenting a flat surface 

 of nine to twelve inches, and beautifully iridescent like some 

 of the best descriptions of coal," was labelled as fromSabara- 

 gamuwa, Ceylon, and because, as Mr. Armitage was assured 

 by the curator, it was genuine, it having come from the collec- 

 tion of a Col. Greville. The name of Greville does not to my 

 knowledge occur, it is certainly not prominent, in the annals 

 of Ceylon, 



To show how confusion may arise, I need merely mention 

 that through the dropping of a comma, plumbago is 

 represented in successive works, including the Encyclopedia 

 Britannica^ found in "Travancore Ceylon," as if the locali- 

 ties were one. There is the case of columba root, too, which 

 received that name because ships touching last at Colombo 

 brought the bitter root to Europe from India. But the crown- 

 ing absurdity was that the Emigration Commissioners, who 

 had in 1846 the ordering of such matters, instead of saying to 

 Messrs. Armitage and Tindall, "We will refer to the Governor 

 of the colony for information," or " You go and prospect and 

 let us know what you find and under what circumstances, 

 make your offers, and we will consider them," jumped instant- 

 ly to the conclusion that anthracite of such quality, in such 

 plenty, and in such circumstances of cheap acquirement, 

 existed in Ceylon, that 40 per cent, would be a fair royalty to 

 charge ! The gentlemen who were prepared to embark capital 

 in the enterprise were naturally disgusted and deterred, and, 

 what is to be especially deplored, Mr. Armitage seems never 

 subsequently to have practically tested, personally or by his 

 agents, the actual existence of anthracite in Ceylon, although 

 he was resident in the island when the discovery of this species 

 of coal in quantity was authoritatively announced. 



Dr. Gygax did not hazard a mere guess, but gave full 

 scientific details of the existence of anthracite not only in 



