262 



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



Council Board, that is, excepting the Commandeurs of Jaffna 

 and Galle, who, when present, took precedence of all the other 

 members. The strained relations between Loten and Lebeck 

 would appear to have begun from the very moment of Loten's 

 landing in Colombo. When the Giesenburg with the Governor 

 on board arrived at the Colombo roads on the 30th September 

 1752. it is said that, upon Lebeck's proposal, the castle guns, 

 instead of, in the first instance, opening the salute with the 

 usual discharge, were made to await and to answer the salute 

 fired from the ship. Again, Lebeck, it is stated, objected to 

 the temporary suspension of the state mourning which was 

 then worn for the late Prince of Orange, William IV., when 

 this was suggested as a compliment to the incoming Governor. 

 Whether in these matters he had acted in good faith or with 

 the determined intention of offering a slight to the Governor, 

 it is clear that Loten was not a little put out by the circum- 

 stance. What private explanations or recriminations passed 

 between the Governor and the Hoofd Administrateur do not 

 appear, but that a good deal of rancour existed between 

 them throughout their intercourse with each other is abund- 

 antly manifest. Yet the smouldering fire did not burst forth 

 till nearly four years had gone by. Accumulated charges 

 were then brought against Lebeck, among which may be 

 mentioned (1) the failure to forward rice to Trincomalee, 

 where it was urgently wanted for the garrison and the estab- 

 lishment, (2) not having the cinnamon intended for export 

 properly packed in bags, (3) the excessive expenditure of 1,000 

 guilders in the repairs of the Rotterdam Bastion of the Colombo 

 fortifications, and (4) the taking of every opportunity to 

 wilfully mislead the Governor, whereby he was led to commit 

 several errors of administration. Lebeck, who appears to 

 have considered himself very much ill-used, and who looked 

 upon the action taken against him in the light of a persecution, 

 showed anything but a submissive spirit under these proceed- 

 ings. When pressed very hard in the Council on one occasion 

 he burst forth with the words : "I shall now risk everything, 

 yea, everything, even if it be my life."* When charged by the 



* " Nu sal ik er alles aanwaagen, ja ik sal er alles al wat het myn 

 leven aanwaagen." 



