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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XI. 



lands, as they had never made any demand for their restitu- 

 tion. It was quite necessary that all these facts should be 

 clearly represented to the King, so as to make it understood 

 that the Netherland people were not his subjects but his friends 

 and allies, and that the term of servants referred to them only 

 to the extent of the actual service they performed in the Island 

 as administrators, to preserve and cultivate the friendship 

 between the King and their Excellencies. 



The Commissary further maintained that the small fort of 

 Poeliandivoe, in the district of Batticaloa, the fort of Trinco- 

 namale, and in fact none of the forts situated near the sea, 

 including Calpetty, should be abandoned, as the Singalese 

 might afterwards contrive to drive the Company from the 

 Island altogether, and reinstate their enemies. 



Concerning the free navigation of these ports, the King's 

 own vessels (if he wishes to despatch any of them) must be 

 provided with the Company's passports ; for the greatest 

 King of all the lands between Arakan and Persia, the Great 

 Mogul, was glad to obtain these for his vessels. Provided with 

 these, the King would be allowed to transport all kinds of 

 products of this Island of Ceilon, to all quarters of the 

 globe, and import such curiosities and merchandise as he 

 desires to purchase from abroad. 



With regard to cinnamon and arecanuts, an understanding 

 should be entered into with the King in order to silence the 

 complaints of various Singalese chiefs that we were keeping 

 the King like a slave in the interior. But as regards the 

 permission to all Singalese subjects to sail from the said ports 

 when provided with the Company's passports, this could not 

 bind the Governor of Cormandel and other places, they 

 being separate Governments, and having their own rules and 

 regulations. It must therefore be left to the Company's 

 discretion, whether to give them passports or not ; also con- 

 cerning the free navigation of foreign vessels to the ports as 

 mentioned before, that free traffic should be allowed to the 

 Company's subjecis. 



But that these three distinct conditions should not be 



