No. 61.— 1908.] ANNUAL REPORT. 



55 



In the first place, reference has been made in the Report to 

 Papers on Coins prepared by Mr. Still, the Assistant to the Archaeo- 

 logical Commissioner, Mr. H. C. P. Bell. Mr. Still's state of health 

 was such that he could not continue his work in connection with 

 the archaeology of the Island ; and he has tendered his resigna- 

 tion. I was sorry to lose the services of Mr. Still, and addressed 

 telegraphic communication to the Secretary of State offering him 

 an appointment as one of the Assistant Land Settlement Officers. 

 This Mr. Still has accepted. 



The Report calls attention to the fact that the Society has only 

 253 Members, and appeals especially to the officers of the Services 

 that they should become Members. I cordially endorse the remark 

 which has been made. I shall do all I possibly can to show Govern- 

 ment officers how important it is to take part in the proceedings of 

 the Society, even in a small way. Looking at the opportunities 

 that officers of the Government Service have, in out-of-the-way 

 places, to study subjects of interest to the Society, they should be 

 able to contribute to the proceedings, and at all events take an 

 interest in its welfare. 



On looking into the matter since my arrival in the Colony, 

 I found that the Reports of the Archaeological Commissioner 

 were much in arrear. In view of the fact that Mr. Bell is getting 

 on in life, as several of us here are doing, I thought it was very 

 much more desirable that the Annual Reports connected with the 

 excavations, &c. , that he had made for so many years should be put 

 on record, rather than that he should, by continuing excavations, 

 accumulate an additional mass of undigested matter. I gave 

 directions, therefore, that before further excavations were made 

 Mr. Bell should bring his Reports up to date. Mr. Bell is already 

 making up leeway, and all the records of the valuable researches 

 he has made in the past will be brought up to date before fresh field 

 work is undertaken. 



As regards the question of the restoration and preservation 

 of ancient ruins, I think it a duty which we owe not only to the 

 Society, but to the whole body politic of Ceylonese^ that the 

 Government should help and push forward the matter. The 

 amount which has been put on the Estimates during the last few 

 years has been a very limited one; but in the programme of 

 works to be charged to surplus balances which I propose to lay 

 before the Secretary of State provision will be made — and I hope 

 it will meet with His Lordship's concurrence — for a much larger 

 sum each year during the next five years for the work of restora- 

 tion and conservation of the Island's ancient monuments. 



The remarks in the Annual Report made about Mr. Bell having 

 had to work single-handed leads me to inform you of the arrange- 

 ments which have been come to in consequence of Mr. Still's 

 retirement. Lately whilst at Anuradhapura I consulted Mr. Bell 

 as to what arrangements should be made to best further the 

 work of archaeological research he is carrying on. I am glad to 

 say that he has reported to me that two native gentlemen, who 

 have been assisting him for years past in the work, are qualified to 



