August  i,  1892. 1 
THE  TROPICAL  AtSWCOLTO R1  ST. 
9i 
CEYLON  ASSOCIATION  IN  LONDON. 
The  fourth  annual  meeting  of  this  Association 
was  held  on  the  Board  Boom  of  the  New  Oriental 
Bank  Corporation,  Limited,  40  Threadneedle  Street, 
on  Monday  afternooD,  30th  May. 
Mr.  J.  Whittall  (Vice  President)  was  in  the 
chair,  and  the  following  gentlemen  were  also  pre. 
sent: — The  Hon.  Sir  Arthur  H.  Gordon,  g. c.m.g., 
Sir  Arthur  N.  Birch,  k c.m.g.,  Sir  George  W.  R. 
Campbell,  k.c  ii.g.,  Sir  Richard  Cayley,  Sir  E.  Noel 
Walker,  k. c.m.g.,  the  Hod.  P.  Ramanathan,  Dr. 
Trimen,  Messrs.  James  Alexander,  W.  Herbert 
Anderson,  J.  L.  Anstruther,  Alex.  Brooke,  R.  A. 
Cameron,  J,  Capper,  Walter  Church,  J.  F,  Churchill, 
Crabbe,  L.  F.  Davies,  Thos.  Dickson,  Channing 
Esdaile,  John  Ferguson,  A.  Folkard,  W.  Gow, 
Thomas  Gray,  Norman  W.  Grieve,  Gubbins,  John 
Hamilton,  A.  L,  Hutchison,  Jas.  B.  Keith  (Messrs. 
Arbuthnot,  Latham  &jCo.),  J.  M.  Maitland  Kirwan, 
T.  C.  Owen,  H.  Porter,  A.  Ralph,  Russell  B.  Reid, 
W.  Rollo,  H.  K.  Rutherford,  0.  J.  Scott,  Chas. 
Shand,  James  Sinclair,  W.  Bowden  Smith,  Wm. 
Somerville,  A.  G.  Stanton,  T.  Stretch,  Ernest  Tye 
(Indian  Tea  Districts  Association),  Geo.  White,  S. 
J.  Wilson,  0.  Young,  and  Wm.  Martin  Leake 
(Secretary). 
The  Secretary  read  the  following  letters  : — 
Colonial  Office,  Downing  Street,  27th  May  1892. 
Sir, — I am  desired  by  Lord  Knutsford  to  say  that 
he  has  received  the  copy  of  the  Report  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  which  you  have  been  good  enough 
to  send  him  and  that  his  lordship  observes  with  in- 
terest the  progress  which  the  Ceylon  Association  has 
been  making. — I am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  H.  W.  Just. 
To  the  Secretary  to  the  Ceylon  Association  in  London. 
5,  Knaresborough  Place,  Cromwell  Road,  S,W., 
22nd  May  1892. 
Lord  Chelmsford  regrets  that  absence  from  town 
will  prevent  his  being  present  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Ceylon  Association  in  London  on  Monday, 
30th  May. 
Hotel  Victoria,  London,  25th  May  1892. 
The  Ceylon  Association  in  London. 
Gentlemen, — I wish  to  express  my  thanks  for  the 
kind  manner  you  have  alluded  to  my  name  in  your 
annual  report.  I have  given  the  best  I had  to 
Ceylon  in  America,  and  being  English  in  not  know- 
ing when  lam  whipped,  I go  back  to  fight  it  out 
if  possible  on  some  new  lines  that  my  visit  here 
has  suggested.  Mr.  Rutherford’s  proposal  not  going 
through,  leaves  the  Company  in  worse  shape  than 
ever.  Thanking  those  of  you  that  I have  had  the 
pleasure  of  meeting,  for  your  kind  and  courteous 
reception,  I am,  yours  most  cordially, 
(Signed)  S.  Elwood  May. 
Indian  Tea  Districts  Association,  14  St.  Mary 
Axe,  London,  24th  May  1892. 
Dear  Mr.  Leake, — Thank  you  very  much  for  send- 
ing me  a copy  of  your  Annual  Report  which  is  in- 
teresting to  read.  I think  perhaps  it  would  be  more 
accurate  to  say  that  the  Palais  Indien  Tea  Houses, 
Limited,  has  been  hitherto  worked  “ in  the  interest 
of  Indian  Tea,”  instead  of  in  the  interst  of  this  As- 
sociation— as  the  Association  itself  was  not  so  much 
concerned  in  the  success  of  the  enterprise  as  those 
members  who  joined  the  guarantee  fund.  It  is  how- 
ever a small  point — and  not  perhaps  worth  writing 
about.— Yours  very  truly,  (Signed)  Ernest  Tye, 
Secretary. 
The  Chairman  rose  and  said  The  duty  devolves 
upon  me  to  take  the  ohair  on  this  occasion,  owing 
to  the  death  of  our  late  lamented  President,  the 
Right  Hon.  Sir  William  Gregory.  It  is  a loss  to 
the  Association  which  we  must  all  deeply  deplore, 
for  if  he  was  not  the  founder  of  the  Association  he 
waB  with  us  and  of  us  from  its  first  inception.  At 
all  times  he  was  ready  to  assist  us  with  his  valuable 
advice,  and  rendering  us  such  servioes  as  few  others 
could  give  from  his  long  oonneotion  with  Ceylon — not 
only  as  the  Governor  of  the  island,  but  also  as  one 
personally  interested  in  its  planting  resources. 
Ceylon  has  indeed  lost  a true  friend  in  every  sense 
of  the  word  in  Sir  William  Gregory,  and  many  of  us 
a good  friend.  (Hear,  hear.)  A resolution  will  be 
brought  before  you  later  which  I am  sure  will  meet 
with  your  approval  and  warm  sympathy.  It  is  also 
my  sad  duty  to  notice  the  loss  of  many  other  friends; 
not  only  interested  in  Ceylon,  but  also  membersfof 
our  Association.  We  have  to  mourn  the  death  of 
Sir  James  Longden,  of  Sir  John  Goode,  of  Sir  J. 
Dickson,  and  last,  but  not  least,  of  Mr.  David  Reid. 
But,  gentlemen,  I have  also  to  announce  to  you 
with  a great  deal  of  satisfaction  that  the  Hon.  Sir 
Arthur  H.  Gordon  has  kindly  consented  to  be  our 
Chairman.  (Cheers.)  You  know  already  what  he  haB 
done  for  the  Association.  (Cheers.)  You  know  the 
interest  that  he  takes  in  all  matters  connected  with 
Ceylon,  apart  from  his  other  great  abilities.  Iam 
sura.  therefore,  that  you  will  accept  his  offer  and 
eleot  him  with  acclamation.  Before  proceeding 
with  the  business  of  the  meeting,  therefore,  I will  at 
onoe  propose  that  Sir  Arthur  H.  Gordon  be  our 
President  for  the  oomiDg  year.  (Cheers.) 
Mr.  Thomas  Dickson  seoonded  the  motion.  Sir 
Arthur  Gordon  had  attended  the  meetings  of'  the 
Association,  and  had  given  it  his  utmost  assis- 
tance. (.Cheers.)  He  was  sure  that  Sir  Arthur 
Gordon  would  be  able  to  fill  the  position  of 
President  with  that  ability  which  they  required 
after  the  loss  of  Sir  William  Gregory. 
The  motion  was  carried  unanimously. 
The  Hon.  Sir  Arthur  H.  Gordon  then  took  the 
chair.  He  said  Gentlemen — I have  in  the  first 
place  to  thank  you  very  sincerely  for  the  honour 
you  have  done  me  in  electing  me  as  President  of 
this  Association — an  honour  whioh,  notwithstanding 
what  my  kind  friend  on  my  left  (Mr.  Whittall)  has 
said,  I was  far  from  offering  to  accept,  and  whioh 
I have  not  accepted  without  some  hesitation  and 
some  reluotance.  The  Association  is  in  possession 
of  such  admirable  officers,  of  such  a Vioe-President 
and  Secretary,  as  to  render  the  duties  of  its 
President  comperatively  light.  Yet  even  with  that 
assistance,  the  post  of  President  of  such  an  Associ- 
ation is  not  otherwise  than  an  onerous  one.  And 
though  that  be  the  case  at  any  time,  it  is  more 
than  ever  and  especially  the  case  when  one  is 
called  upon  to  sucoeed  such  a man  as  he  whose 
chair  I am  sorry  to  be  called  on  to  fill.  I will 
not  say  more  just  now  about  our  late  President : 
what  I shall  have  to  say  about  him  oomes  after, 
when  we  have  to  disouss  the  motion  whioh  has 
been  put  into  my  hands.  All  I will  say  at  this 
moment  is  this  : that  if  I oannot  equal  him — 
and  I cannot  in  many  respects — in  readiness  of 
speech  ; if  I cannot  equal  him  in  graciousness  and 
agreeableness  of  manner,  there  is  at  least  one  point 
in  which  I will  not  yield  even  to  the  memory  of 
Sir  William  Gregory,  or  to  any  other  man  ; and 
that  is  in  regard  to  my  determination  to  discharge 
conscientiously  and  faithfully  and  energetically  the 
duties  of  the  post  whioh  you  have  thrown  upon 
me.  (Loud  cheers.)  Cur  Association  is  as  yet  a young 
one  ; it  has  not  attained  that  strength  and  those 
powers  whioh  it  may  acquire,  and  whioh  I hope 
it  will  acquire  if  its  life  be  prolonged.  (Hear,  hear.) 
It  is  perhaps  hardly  oonsoious  of  the  powers 
whioh  it  possesses.  Such  an  Association  as  this, 
when  it  speaks  with  anything  like  unity  or  una- 
nimity, speaks  with  great  authority  and  oannot 
but  carry  the  very  greatest  weight  with  it  properly 
handled,  properly  conducted,  our  opinions  deli- 
berately and  firmly  expressed  will,  I am  sure, 
oarry  with  them  a very  great  force.  They  will 
