CEYLON. 
2,99 
The Candian war, however disastrous as it was, produced the 
good effect of breaking the King's power in our territories. He had 
before a nominal undefined authority over the whole island, and the 
Dutch had submitted to be termed his door keepers. This gave 
him consequence in the eyes of the Cingalese, resident in our 
districts ; and enabled him to create disturbances. Two rebellions 
have been excited by this influence ; one, in 1 7 9 8, by the late King, 
and one in 1.800 by the present. After the massacre of Candy the 
whole body of natives revolted from us, probably under the notion 
that our situation was desperate, and that they must conciliate the 
conqueror; for their experience of our equitable government could 
scarcely have rendered them really hostile to us. At present, the 
King has not only lost all influence over our districts, but his conse- 
quence is much diminished among his own subjects. The repeated 
destructive incursions of small bodies of our troops into his terri- 
tories, unopposed on his part, have shewn his people that he is 
incapable of protecting them, whence they have naturally been in- 
duced to seek security in our territories. 
These and other considerations lead me to conceive, that it is still 
by no means impossible to place our possessions in Ceylon upon a 
more secure footing, and even to obtain a paramount authority 
over the whole island. After the perfidious massacre of Major 
Davy's corps, it will scarcely be contended, that we are under any 
obligations to consider the interests either of the usurper on the 
throne, or of the ambitious minister who placed him there. The 
little attachment of the Candians to the present cruel and arbitrary 
government, is proved by their frequent emigrations to the parts of 
the island under the British dominion. If, therefore, the good will 
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