<xi MONTHLY. 
Vol. XIII.l 
COLOMBO, MARCH isi, 1894. 
No. 9. 
PIONEERS OF THE PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN CEYLON." 
JOHN WALKER, 
PIONEER ENGINEER, INVENTOR AND PLANTER IN CEYLON. 
FTEK John Walker had re- 
tired from business, and 
made a liome for himself 
in Stirling-, it was always 
a fjreat pleasure for him 
to meet an old Ceylon 
man. Siirlinj^', as one of 
the show places of Scotland, lias for the 
stranger much to attract. Not to speak of 
its great natural l)eauties — the view from tlie 
Castle and tiie Back Walk ; the Carse,* the 
Links of the Forth ; the Abbey Craig and the 
irrand anipliithcatre of hills around — the whole 
neiglilioinhood is simply redolent of Scottisli 
history, and satui-ated with the best traditions 
of Scotland. To John Walker it was a 
high day wIk'h lie Iimi! a Ceylon mau fresh to 
the ground, licni <iii >iglit seeing ; and if the 
visitor had time to spare, the ordinary tourist's 
circle u:is wiiliMiPil, aiul the village of Doune 
would claim [lai i of a day. That was John 
Walker's l.irthiilace : -iCth August, ISU), being 
llic date when be was born. 
He one Ml ,1 huge family, and in due 
lime he attejulcd ihc stliool in Deanston, a, 
mile distant from Doune village, and picked up 
his education there. That he was ah apt 
scholar is evidenced from the fa(!t, that for two 
years he was engaged as pupil teacher ; and 
when he elected to throw up the scholastic 
piofession into wliicii he was diifting, and 
apprentice himself as an engineer, the Deanstou 
ilominie, was by no means sure that the 
choice was a good one, and argued strongly 
against it. 
Doanston in those days luul a large 
cotton mill, and besides the spinning and 
weaving department, Messrs. James Finlay 
and Co., the proprietcu's, had also attached an 
engineering shop, and were large agricultural 
machine-makers. The then manager, the late Mr. 
James Smith, was rather a distinguished man, 
highly esteemed, and of consitlerable inventive 
ability. He was said to have assisted Sir 
Richard Arkwright in inventing his spinning 
frame, which perfected Margrave's .spinning- 
jenny : he was also liic iin cntor of the system of 
Agri'Mili ural tlrainini; yei in \ i>i;ne and the im- 
mense water-wheels which ^till diivc the Deauston 
