NO. 37.— 1888.] CAPTURE OF COLOMBO. 



393 



I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that the Officers Commanding 

 the Naval and Land Forces have His Majesty's orders to cultivate the 

 friendship and goodwill of the inhabitants, who may thus be placed 

 under His royal protection, and to convince them of His Majesty's 

 disposition to grant them all such indulgences and immunities as can, 

 consistently with the general interests of the Empire, be extended to 

 them ; and that it is His Majesty's intention that their laws and 

 customs should not be infringed, nor fresh taxes or duties imposed, 

 relying, however, that proper provision will be made for defraying the 

 expense of the internal Government of the Settlement. I am also to 

 inform you that it is His Majesty's gracious intention that the internal 

 trade of the inhabitants shall be entirely free, and that permission 

 will be granted to them to trade to and from the English Company's 

 possessions, in the East Indies, with the same advantages as the 

 subjects of the most favoured nation ; and that whilst the Settlements 

 under your Government shall continue in His Majesty's possession, the 

 inhabitants will be treated in the most favourable manner, and will be 

 admitted to a full and free use of all the commercial advantages 

 of which the situation and circumstances of the settlement will admit ; 

 and with a view to give every proof of His Majesty's desire to render 

 the situation of the inhabitants as satisfactory as possible, he has 

 directed that the officers of your Government should be left in the full 

 and free possession of their employments, until His Majesty's pleasure 

 shall be known. 



With respect to the European corps serving under your Government, 

 His Majesty has been graciously pleased to authorise that it should be 

 proposed to them to be taken into the pay of Great Britain, and 

 engaged for his service, on the terms on which they are now 

 employed. 



Having made this communication, it is my duty to apprise you that 

 if, contrary to His Majesty's expectations, resistance should be made 

 to deliver up the several Colonies and Settlements upon the Island of 

 Ceylon, the Officers Commanding the Naval and Land Forces have the 

 express command of the King to take possession of them by force, in 

 His Majesty's name, a measure which, being the result of your 

 disregard to the orders of the Prince Stadtholder, will render you, and 

 those who may be concerned with you, responsible for the con- 

 sequences. 



I have further to acquaint you that a considerable body of troops 

 will sail from hence in the course of a few days to rendezvous at 

 Trincomalee, and that any communication you may have to make upon 

 the important subject of this despatch you will address to the 

 Commanding Officers of the Naval and Land Forces assembled at that 

 place, who have full authority to adopt such measures, in conformity 

 to the orders above-mentioned, as the exigency of the case may 

 require. 



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