Dec r, 1834] 
THtS TROPIC U. 
\GRICULTURIS S\ 
3 6 7 
Sums for military and other purposes, on the plea 
of past-due contributions from Ceylon, while 
ordering other votes as lie thought fit. To do him 
justice, Mr. Gibson never anticipated such a result 
to his under-estimating policy ; he was always a 
stout opponent of the imperial claims for an in- 
creased sum for military expenditure and it nearly 
broke his spirit when the arbitrary order came that 
the surplus revenue he had so carefully hoarded 
against an evil day— or to pay oft' Railway debt 
—was simply to be transferred and paid away 
at the bidding of the Secietary of State. 
We mention all this, simply to indicate the 
stirring period which was approaching when 
Mr. Wall entered the Legislative Council for 
a second time. In the session of 1863, he at 
once made his mark and although Messrs. Lorcnsz 
and Dias had rather longer experience as legisla- 
tors and the first-named especially was a keen, 
well-equipped debater, Mr. Wall speedily became 
the acknowledged leader of the Opposition against 
such veterans as Colonial Secretary Gibson, 
Queen's Advocate Morgan, Messrs. Saunders, 
senior, Pennefather, Layard (afterwards Sir 
Charles), Braybrooke, etc. 
RESIGNATION OF UNOFFICIAL -MEMBERS AND FOR- 
MATION OF THE CEYLON LEAGUE 1864-05. 
There was a good deal of exciting work during 
the session of 186.S ; but it was not till the session 
of the following year w hen Major-General O'Brien 
was administering the Government after the 
death at Spa. while on leave, of Sir Charles 
MacCarthy, that a crisis arose between the 
Official and Unofficial sides of the house on 
the Military Expenditure Vote Rather than 
countenance the arbitrary exactions of the Secre- 
tary of State, Mr. Cardwell, the Unofficial 
members resigned in a body. On the Military 
Question they had the sympathy of many of the 
Officials-— specially Messrs. Gibson and Morgan; 
— but when Mr. Wall and his colleagues supposed 
that their absence would prevent the Legislative 
Council doing any work at all, it was found they 
were mistaken. The necessary votes in supply 
were passed ami the action of the Council in legis- 
lating without Unofficials, was supported in Down- 
ing Street. Public meetings adopting Memorials 
on the Military Expenditure grievance were, how- 
ever, held in Colombo and Kandy during the next 
few months ; but without any immediate result. 
Many hoped that n new era would dawn with the 
advent in March 186") of Sir Hercules Robinson 
as that able Governor had written very strongly 
oil a similar Hongkong grievance. Without, 
however, waiting for the Governor to declare 
bis policy, Mr. Wall and bis colleagues hurried 
on the formation of "The Ceylon League " (on 
May] 26th) to secure the Reform of the Legisla- 
l ive J_( ' i i i sil ; an I tacitly binding its members 
to have nothing to do with the Council, pending 
such reform. This at once divided the commu- 
nity into two camps. The reform of the Council 
being, undoubtedly, a most desirable object, the 
League was at first very enthusiastically suppor- 
ted ; and Messrs. George Wall and Lorensz 
were especially delighted to get the aid of the 
Observer and the large majority of the planters. 
But there were not a few influential Colonists — 
with shrewd Mr. G. S. Duff, Manager of the 
Oriental Bank at their head — who felfc that the 
movement was scarcely fair to a new and untried 
Governor who was bound to advance cautiously 
and who had the undoubted power, to lill up 
the whole six unofficial seats with Ceylonese, 
even with his headmen if he chose. Accord- 
ingly Messrs. Duff, C. B. Smith (of the Ceylon 
Coy. Ltd ) and Alfred Wise (of Messrs. Geo. 
Steuart & Co.) took the European, while Messrs. 
Maartensz (Proctor) and Dehigama got the 
Native, seats, Sir Coomaraswamy, Tamil Mem- 
ber, who was absent in England, not having 
resigned. A very bitter feeling arose out of these 
appointments, and an agitation both here and in 
England was carried on for some years. We 
gave Mr. Wall our hearty support up to a certain 
point — working shoulder to shoulder with the 
Leaguers and we republished from the Observer, his 
Speculum letters condemning the mode of Gov- 
ernment and especially the Fiscal system of the 
Colony— the import duty on rice, be it noted, nearly 
as much as the paddy rents, salt tax, Ac* 
GOVERNOR SIR H. ROBINSON'S WORK 1865-1871. 
But, meantime, Sir Hercules Robinson had se- 
emed a Royal Commission of Inquiry, — on which the 
Colony >vas fairly well represented, Major Skinner 
being Chairman, — to settle the Military Contribu- 
tion grievance. He moreover began as one of the 
most active, and progressive of Governors to lay his 
mark on nearly every province in the island, and 
the planters were especially pleased with his 
activity in completing a system of roads for 
Uvaand in opening up Dimbula, Dikoya and Mas- 
keliya. Sir Hercules also got concession aftei 
concession for the Legislative Council which put 
a new face on its powers. The absurd locking- 
* W" maka tw) extract from "Speculum" to 
shew this : — 
" The dependence of Ceylon on foreign markets for her 
{Train, has a special bearing on the impolicy of an import 
duty. She wants grain, anil yet puts an impediment in 
the way of its import ! Her people cannot rai.se enough 
for the consumption of their own families and dependents 
and her paternal Government lays a penalty on their 
supplying themselves elsewhere! If some neighbouring 
country possessing superior advantages were deluging the 
Island with cheap grain, and destroying t he market for 
home-gprown produce, there might lie some excuse for 
imposing an import duty to protect native grain culture. 
Whether such protection would he wise or not, is im- 
material to my present purpose : it would certainly give 
the sellers of home grown grain a better market. ' This 
of course would be at the expense of the buyers, who 
would thus be prevented buying in the cheaper', and 
compelled to resort to the dearer market. 
"Import Duty on Bice.— This tax is in direct 
violation of all modern principles of political economy, and 
Is utterly indefensible." 
