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



remained the chief place for the trade in arecanuts, and not 

 the least change could be perceived in this particular. 



On the 11th May Heer Johannes Simons arrived as 

 Governor at Colombo, and took the reins of Government from 

 the Political Council. 



On August 11 of the same year it was resolved to bring 

 into operation the orders given by their Excellencies at 

 Batavia regarding the free navigation of some of the ports,. 

 For which purpose these instructions were sent to Cormandel 

 and Mallabaar, with orders that no passport should be granted 

 except to Colombo, Gale, and Jaffanapatnam : the adminis- 

 trator on the Madure coast also made similar orders. 



This was communicated by letter to His Majesty's courtiers 

 in the most becoming and inoffensive way ; pretending that 

 this had not been done to cause the King any displeasure,, 

 but was considered highly necessary as their High Mightinesses 

 the States-General of the Netherlands, being at war with the 

 King of France, the French might attempt to surprise the 

 ports. 



From the reply to this ola it appeared that the Court 

 did not attach much importance to the closing of the ports ;: 

 for in the following year, 1704, the Court also remained 

 quiet and did not show the least displeasure. 



At the end of the year an Ambassador was sent from 

 Colombo to Candia to inform His Majesty that a new Governor- 

 General of India had been elected in Holland. 



Meanwhile the arecanut trade was not yet restored to the 

 Company, not one amunam having arrived from the moun- 

 tains at Calpetty, which had until now been the chief place 

 for that trade. 



In the following year, 1705, the Ambassador of the past year 

 returned from the Court, and reported that the Court felt 

 quite indifferent to the closing of the ports, if they could only 

 get the same price for the arecanuts — three rixdollars per 

 amunam, — as was paid at Colombo : thus the friendly rela- 

 tions with the Court continued during this and the following 

 year, 1706. 



