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JOUKNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. II., PART IL 



By means of circulars freely distributed, in Sinhalese and 

 Tamil as well as in English, the inhabitants of this Colony have, 

 it is believed, been fully apprised of the nature and objects of the 

 great Industrial Exhibition to assist in promoting which this 

 Committee was appointed ; and though in some few cases 

 misapprehensions are said to have existed amongst the least 

 informed Sinhalese, who appear to have looked upon the 

 collection of information regarding works of industry as a step 

 towards new Fiscal regulations, the proper intention of the 

 exhibition is believed to be entirely appreciated by the great bulk 

 of intelligent natives. 



With a view of affording encouragement to native talent, and at 

 the same time to impart, as much as possible, a local character to 

 such objects of art as may be sent from the Island, premiums 

 have been offered for designs for carvings and ornamental works 

 of Ceylon artists, and embodying Ceylon objects. Although a 

 limited number only of these have been received, your Committee 

 trusts that by the selections which have been made from them the 

 intention will have been at least partially realised. 



Communications have been received from Her Majesty's 

 Commissioners of the Industrial Exhibition of 1851, through the 

 local Government, to which your Committee have replied. The 

 principal points contained in the printed circulars of the Com- 

 missioners have been embodied in a paper circulated through the 

 Colony for general information, a copy of which accompanies this 

 Keport, together with a classified, though imperfect, list of objects 

 to be forwarded from Ceylon to the Exhibition. Consequent 

 upon the distribution of the catalogue, much new and valuable 

 information has been received by your Committee, especially in 

 reference to the vegetable productions of this Island. Amongst 

 those who have voluntarily tendered their assistance may be 

 named Mr. J. B. Misso, Mr. W. Ondaarjie of Puttalam, and Mr. 

 T. A. Pieres of Kandy. 



It would be premature at this moment to enter into details of 

 such works as are in course of execution upon orders, or of those 

 which have been presented by various contributors in their own 

 names. Your Committee, however, indulge in the hope that 

 within two months from this date there will be formed a considerable 

 collection of interesting articles ready for shipment by sea, which 

 it would be desirable to exhibit in Colombo previous to their 

 being despatched to Europe. 



Not the least interesting portion of the collection will be the 

 medicinal substances, gums, resins, and oils, most of which are 

 as yet little if at all known to Europeans. In fibrous materials 

 experiments are being made, the results of which it is hoped 

 may prove of practical utility and value. In manufactured 

 articles Ceylon can scarcely hope to approach the many more 

 highly favoured countries of the Indian continent ; such, however, 



