June i, 1889.] 
fHF. TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
847 
CEYLON'S NEW INDUSTRY: 
COTTON SPINNING AND WEAVING 
AT COLOMBO. 
A VISIT TO THE MILL. 
Hitherto Ceylon's periods of prosperity and de- 
pression have depended almost entirely upon the 
state of agriculture in the country ; a new era is 
about to be commenced — the era of an industry 
which has wrought so many changes wherever 
introduced. It is not very long ago since the 
idea of following in the train of Bombay and other 
Indian cities in respect to the manufacture of 
cotton goods was first mooted, but when the 
question was fairly put, and the various advan- 
tages Colombo would enjoy as a cotton manufac- 
turing town fully set forth, a good many of the 
most practical and successful men in the island 
were not slow to show their interest and belief in 
the benefits that would result from the es- 
tablishment of this industry. A Company was 
therefore floated, and after much careful inspection 
a site for the proposed mill was selected, and 
building operations commenced, Mr. W. Atherton, — 
a gentleman of great experience and good judg- 
ment, having been engaged in mill work 5 years 
in Bombay and 2J in Madras, besides a long 
experience in Lancashire, being appointed manager. 
It was to see the progress that had been made with 
" the mill " that our representative journied down 
to Weliewatta on Saturday afternoon, meeting 
Mr. Atherton, by appointment, on the spot. 
THE SITE. 
It would have been very difficult, if not 
impossible, to select a more suitable site 
for the mill than the one which has 
been decided upon. It is only after looking care- 
fully round, and noticing all the various conditions 
that are required, that the wisdom and judgment 
exercised in the selection strike one the most 
forcibly. A plot consisting of about 29 acres has 
been purchased along the south side of the Welie- 
watta canal, and ^close to its junction with the old 
Bambalapitiya road. The greater portion of this 
space has now been cleared of the cinnamon 
jungle that grows so thickly in this neighbourhood. 
The whole leDgth of the building is intended to 
front the canal, so that it has not been quite 
possible to build from east to west as mills 
are generally built. A good cartroad has been 
made from the main-road to the site of the build- 
ing operations. The scene is thoroughly a country 
one, and might be a hundred miles from Colombo, 
so very quite it is. From the mill a pleasant 
view is commanded over stretches of cinnamon 
and paddy fields and patches of thicker jungle 
and taller trees. 
THE BUILDING. 
With the building a good deal of progress has 
been made. The first sod in connection with the 
work was turned on February 1 5th last, and now, 
in fact, the walls are finished with the excep- 
tion of the two end ones, which will be put in 
after the roof and pillars are fixed. These end 
walls when put up will, however, only be temporary 
ones, so that in case of extension being necessary they 
can either easily be pulled down, or allowed to 
remain as partition walls. The ground, of course, 
admits of extension almost indefinitely on all 
sides, except that on which the engine room is 
situated. The present length of the structure is 
'230 feet, with a width of 170 feet. The cinnamon 
soil has been found a substantial ground for build- 
ing upon, though the walls have had to go down 
to a depth of 10 feet in some places. Under the 
surface there is a red sandstone rock all through 
the cinnamon gardeng, and they have gone down 
to that in all important places. In point of 
security Mr. Atherton evidently prefers to err on 
the sate side. The walls — which are of brick — are 
17 feet high, and the top of the roof will be 22 
feet 6 in. — i.e. the top of the ridging. As a matter 
of fact the average height of the building will be 
17 feet, like the walls, for in some places the roof 
will be only 14 feet and in others 22 feet. The 
ridges are 22 feet 6 in. The roof will be of iron, 
and very little wood work will be used in any part 
of the building, which will be thoroughly fire proof, 
so that the rate of insurance will be very low 
indeed. The window frames even would have been 
of iron had it been possible to get them con- 
veniently, but as it was not they will be of wood. 
Windows will be placed round the sides, and 
also in the roof, being made to open for venti- 
lation. It might be thought that the sun shining 
upon the glass would make the place fearfully 
hot, but the windows in the roof will be so 
arranged that they will get scarcely any sun, being 
protected by the ridges. The chimney is already 
two or three feet above the surface of the ground, 
work on this important factor being only com- 
menced on Friday. Below the brick-work a 3 feet 
thickness of concrete was placed — 100 barrels. The 
base is 30 feet square, and the height of the 
chimney will be 100 feet, with a 5 feet opening. 
The contracts have all been placed in good hands. 
The supply of materials and the building have 
been taken by separate persons, Mr. Bastian 
Fernando having the former, and Mr. Joseph 
Fernando of Moratuwa the latter, and Messrs. John 
Walker & Co. of the Colombo Iron Works, will 
supply the roof. With respect to the latter it may 
be mentioned that part of the structure is now up, 
including the pillars and trusses. The foundations 
of all the pillars are completed. The spinning 
section will be divided from the weaving sec- 
tion by a rope alley, in which the ropes and 
pulleys communicating with the engine at the 
end will be placed. 
A START IN AUGUST. 
If all goes well, Mr. Atherton hopes to have 
made a start with the manufacture of cotton in 
Colombo in August next. Some of the machinery 
should be here early in July, if not in June. 
The engine arrived a month ago, and he is only 
waiting for the engine-room to be got ready. The 
roof is already on the ground, and will shortly be 
put up. 
THE ENGINE. 
The engine is a compound horizontal one, 
which was working at the Glasgow Exhibition, 
where it drove the dynamo machinery. Having 
been made for the exhibition it is altogether a 
very beautiful engine, of 300 horsepower, with all 
the latest improvements. 
THE MACHINERY. 
The first order is for 10,000 spindles, and 150 
looms, all of which are to be of the best and 
latest pattern, the former being supplied by Messrs. 
Dobson & Barlow of Bolton, and the latter by 
Messrs. Wm. Dickinson & Sons of Blackburn. 
None of them have come yet, but the first portion 
of the spinning machinery is expected early in 
July, as it should be delivered in Liverpool on 
the 1st of June. Of all sorts there will be close 
upon 1,000 tons of machinery, and it will be 
rather a heavy undertaking getting it all down to 
Weliewatta from the Colombo wharf. Tbe site along 
the canal bank admits of so much extension as 
to accommodate 100,000 spindles, and the necessary 
looms. The spindles will always be well in advance 
