No. 58.— 1907.] 



NUWARA-GALA. 



149 



It is very significant that the measurements of the stones 

 cut for this aqueduct and their other specifications as regards 

 widths, distances apart, &c, all have a most remarkable 

 analogy to our systems of measurements. For example, I 

 found measurements to follow closely the order of a foot 

 divided by 2 or 3 ; thus, I got 1 ft. 2 in., 1 ft. 4 in., 1 it. 8 in., 

 and 1 ft. 10 in., or by the second system of division I got 

 1 ft. 3 in., 6 in., 9 in., &c. In no case did I get a compound 

 figure such as 1 ft. 7J in. I attach a table of slab measurements 

 in illustration. 



List of Stone Measurements. 



Maha Wattawalla Kandiya Channel. 



Length. 

 Ft. in. 

 11 6 

 16 6 

 11 

 10 

 13 6 

 15 



Width. 



Ft. in. 

 by 6 

 6 



Thick- 

 ness. 

 Ft. in. 

 by 2 6 



by 

 by 

 by 

 by 

 by 



6 



6 



6 



6 



by 

 by 

 by 

 by 

 by 



1 3 



2 9 

 2 9 

 2 9 

 2 8 



Length. 

 Ft. in. 

 17 

 17 

 23 

 10 3 

 8 2 



Width, 



Ft. in. 

 by 6 



by 

 by 

 by 

 by 



6 



6 



6 



6 



by 

 by 

 by 

 by 

 by 



Thick- 

 ness. 

 Ft. in. 

 2 8 

 2 8 

 2 6 

 2 8 

 2 6 



One row numbered twenty-nine stones, of which the 

 smallest was 8 ft. 2 in. by 6 ft. by 6 ft. This peculiarity may 

 have significant bearing on our standard of length, as I can 

 hardly suppose that it could be only a mere coincidence. 



Again, the length of the channel, even in its seemingly 

 unfinished state, has a curious relation to the number of days 

 in the year or leap year, but I do not venture to advance any 

 theory on this point. 



The tank that lay beyond the stone channel just referred 

 to is known as Maha Wattawalla Kandiya. If it ever was 

 completed, its object was to hold back the waters of the 

 Rambukkan-oya, when that stream was in flood, and to 

 distribute the same later. 



