( 75 ) 
Alexander Fraser 1 don't remember; but Turn 
and Robert, if I remember rightly, went on to the 
Straits. 
[Our correspondent is quite right about J. C. 
G. O. Fiaser ; but Alexander Fraser who was the 
oldest brother, was a well-known, bright and active 
manager for Messrs Keir, Dundas and Coy., 
in the early "sixties" in the Knuckles district. 
When his brother Tom came to Ceylon Alex., 
who had saved money, bought a block of land in 
the Kegalle distiict, and put Tom after a time 
to open it for him. The great Kandy firm " K, 
D. and Coy." had a rule that none of their super- 
intendents must own land on their own account 
and so A. Fraser got notice to sell or quit. He 
chose the latter and very soon got a much better 
post as manager for Mr. George Christian of his 
Pundaluoya estates. There Giles Walker learned 
under him as his first place in planting. But there 
again Fraser came to grief with his superiors, this 
time through thinking his dignity had been 
offended hy remarks made by his Visiting Agent 
during his absence from the property. The fact 
was that Alex. Fraser like a great many m^re able 
men, had an overweening conceit of himself. 
Nevertheless for the third time he was lucky. 
Arthur Sinclair ("Old Colonist") was on the 
point of going on leave and Fraser got the post 
of acting for him as Visiting Agent for Lee, 
Hedges & C>., who were at that time one of 
the largest Estate Agency Houses in Colombo. 
He did his work so well that when Sinclair 
returned John Hedges, as head of the firm, said 
" We must do something for Fraser," and Sinclair 
at once proposed the work should be cut in two 
and Fraser allotted thesouthern portion — Morowak- 
korale, Rakwana and Haputale, with a corre- 
sponding salary and he doing the rest from 
Primrose Hill, Hedges fixed on a very handsome 
amount for Fraser, but because it was rather 
■less than he had been drawing for the full work 
Fraser demurred and in so cheeky a way that 
"J R H'' said "Your agreement closes as origin- 
ally arranged ' and poor Fraser had nothing to 
fall back on except his old worn-out pro- 
perty ot Gongalla, in Rakwana, where we found 
him in low spirits in passing through in March 
1872. He never again held up his head in Ceylon, 
and breaking down in health eventually went 
home. Tom went to the Straits, we believe; but 
did not make a success either. J C G O we 
knew least of,— Ed. L.E.] 
LORD HOUGHTON ON SIR COOMARA- 
SWAMY AND THE ENGLISH BAR. 
Colombo, Jan. 28. 
Dear Sir, — Among some old papers I have 
come across the following letter from the 
late Lord Houghton, which will be of interest 
to the public in Ceylon and India as show- 
ing how the late Sii" Coomaraswamy, among 
his many distinguished services, was instru- 
mental in "opening the Bar of England to 
all the Eastern subjects of the Empress of 
India." 
"Pryston Hall, Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, 
July 3rd, 1879, 
•' DEAR Sir,— I thank you much for your kind 
note respeciuig my excellent and able friend 
Coomaraswamy. I held him in great esteem and 
he has never received due credit for the energy 
with which he opened the Bar of England to alt 
the Eastern subjects of the Empress of India. 
This great act deserved a public recognition, and 
even he would not have done it, but for the 
assistance of Lord Brougham, which he was for. 
tunate enough to secure. I remember when he was 
very ill in this house, he desired me, if he died* 
to send his ashes to his mother and there is some- 
thing very pathetic in the pious pilgrimage of ^hat 
venerable lady [to Benares with his ashes in 1879] 
I will ask you to ofller her my respectful con- 
dolence and to believe me, yours very truly, 
Houghton." 
The illness is thus referred to in Sir T 
Wemyss Reid's " Life, Letters and Friend- 
ships of Richard Moncktoii Milnes, First Lord 
Houghton." Vol. II, page 37, et. seq. : — 
" Mr. Coomaraswamy wns an honoured guest 
at Pryston. Milnes's son [now Earl ('revvfc[ and 
daufihters still retain the pleasantest recollec- 
tions of the accomplished Hindoo vvho was their 
father's guest in their early day*. It happened that 
during his first visit to Yorkshire, Mr. Coomara- 
swamy suffered from a very severe illness, which at 
one time threatened his life, and through which he 
was assiduously nursed by the family at Fryston. 
A lively recollection is still retained of the anxiety 
which Milnes showed at the time when Mr 
Coomaraswamy was at the worst. He had given 
his guest a promise that if the illness from which 
he was suffering ended fatally he should not be 
buried in the English fashion, but should be 
cremated. Those who knew Lord Houghton 
will understand how, having given that pro- 
mise, he was eager to prepare for its fulfil-, 
ment, should the necessity unhappily arise, and 
a legend is still extant of the way in 
which he wandered about the broad domains 
and the umbrageous woods at Fryston, until he 
had at last fixed upon a spot which was, in his 
opinion, entirely suited to what would have been 
the first cremation on English soil in modern 
times. Fortunately for the object of these delicate 
attentions the good nursing at Fryston proved 
effectual, saving him from the fate to which he 
had been dedicated. No one, it need hardly be 
said, rejoiced more heartily than Milnes at the 
recovery of his interesting friend, but mingled 
with his rejoicing was a droll sense of disappoint- 
ment at the thought of the distinction which had 
been lost to Fryston for ever."— I am, sir, yours 
truly, P. ARUNACHALAM. 
TAE LATE SIR M COOMARASWAMY 
AND THE ENGLISH BAR. 
Jan. 30. 
Dear Sir, — I am afraid it is not correct 
to say that the late Sir M. Coomaraswamy 
"rendered the important service of opening 
the English Bar to natives of India and 
Ceylon — indeed to all British subjects in the 
East." Sir Muttu was called, I believe, in 1S61. 
I haven't the exact date with me. 1'he late 
Sir Harry Dias was called to the English 
Bar on the 7th of May 1847 (Middle Temple), 
Lorenz was called on the 6th of June ISaa 
(Lincolns luu) and the late Sir R F Morgan 
in December 1858 Henry Muttukisna, who 
married Miss Pole at Jaffna, was called later, 
I believe. He visited England when Coomara- 
