326 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [YOL, XVI L 



Yet, inasmuch as a person who has a thorough knowledge 

 of a thing is much better able to report concerning it by 

 word of mouth than by writing, seeing that the questions 

 and answers, the reasons and counter-reasons given on both 

 sides, lay open the true foundations of the matter ; 



And forasmuch as the present affairs of Ceylon are so 

 circumstanced, that unless other and more efficient means 

 are tried than has hitherto been the case, the Honourable 

 Company will never get indemnified for its expenses made 

 in the king's service and never get its claims settled, seeing 

 that the aforesaid Raja Singa more and more shows his 

 ruffianly character, and is always seeking pretexts for not 

 paying his just debts to us ; 



The Lord President afore-mentioned has submitted to the 

 judgment of the said Council the questions following : — 



Whether it would not be advisable to let their Worships at 

 Batavia have a full and circumstantial account of the state of 

 affairs over here, and point out to them what remedies would 

 be imperatively necessary in order to drive away our common 

 enemy, the Portuguese, and help the Company 



MS. page 86. 



to what is justly due to her ; 



To let one of the Councillors present, who should be 

 deemed to be best fitted for the task on account of his 

 experience and knowledge, make a voyage to Batavia in the 

 yacht" Venlo," sent out from the roads of Goa by the Com- 

 mander Claesz Cornells Blocq to make a voyage to Batavia, 

 and arrived here yesterday, thanks to God, with three packets 

 of opium forwarded to us by the Lord Director Paulus Croocq 

 from Surate, 



And who would be the best person to be charged with 

 the said mission ; 



All which having been duly and attentively weighed by 

 the Council, who deemed the measure proposed to be a 

 matter of the most weighty import — seeing that under the 

 present circumstances this place is only a burden on the 



