78 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Aug. 2, 1897. 
carried great weight. We served on the Hapu- 
tale Kai -vay Extension Commission together. 
“On t e6th August, 1888, I received a telegram 
from Downall from Marseilles a>; Freshwater 
asking me to meet him at Charing Cross that 
evening. I did so. He could scarcely walk. I 
got him to Long’s Hotel, Old Bond Street. All 
the doctors he wished to consult were out of 
town, it being August wlien doctors take their 
holiday. I went to Sir Joseph Fayrer, he did not 
go out, but he recommended me to call in Dr. 
J. Anderson who attended Downall up to the 
last, and a great friendship sprang up between 
them. On the 7th August, Downall was removed 
to a private hospital, Fitz Hoy House, where he 
underwent a most serious and painful operation 
. which, however, did no permanent good. On the 
16th October, 1838, Downall was removed to his 
sister’s house at Flax Bourton, near Bristol. 1 
saw him off at Paddington. Ho was almost in 
an uncon.scious state. He died on the evening of 
5th December, 1888, at Flax Bourton, and his 
remains rest in the pretty little churchyard there. 
We were always more than ordinary friends, 
and I was with him as much as I could be 
during his last illness. He died of cancer in the 
stomach.” 
We can add little to the above extremely 
interesting details of the late Mr. Downall’s 
personal life and sporting and planting career 
in Ceylon. We first came into close contact with 
Mr. Downall when he entered the Legislative 
Council, although we knew him as an occasional 
contributor to the Ceylon Observer heiova then. We 
very speedily recognized the single-mindedness of 
purpose and devotion to duty of the new member, 
and he having become a Haputale planter in 
1877, en'ering into “ tlie shoes” of Mr. G. A. 
Criiwell, we found little difliculty in interesting 
him in the agitation for Railway Extension from 
“ Nawalapitiya to Haputale,” which we had per- 
sonally initiated in 1872, and in winch we had 
the cordial support from the outset of Messrs. 
C. Tottenham and G. A. Criiwell. All through 
the administrations of Sir James Longden and Sir 
Arthur Gordon, Mr, Downall did yeoman service 
in Council in the cause of Itailway E.vtension, 
while not neglecting his other duties as Planting 
Representative. In the first place we fought 
ton-ether during the closing term of Sir Win, 
Gregory’s administration and the early years of 
Sir James f.ongden’s rule, to secure, if possible, 
s iiiction for one conli-ract from Nawalapitiya to 
H aputale. But it w.as after the decision to cut 
t,lic Hue in t-.vo ami extend only to Nanuoya 
that the re.al struggle took place, in which Mr. 
Downall, as chief of the Uva I’lanters and 
M.L.C , hue a leading part. Here, for instance, 
is a very brief resume from the record of these 
years of hard work : — 
1879, Oct. -Dec. — Agitation renewed in Legislative 
Council for Extension to Haputale, by Mr. Downall 
in what became an annual motion every session up 
to 1886-7 ; Mr. Ramauathan cordially supporting the 
proposal until he recanted early in 1886. 
1880. — Memorial from the Haputale Planters to the 
Governor; and general appeal (Dec. 7) from inhabit- 
ants of Uva to the Secretary of State, Lord Kimberley. 
1880-1881 and 1882 employed in trying to urge on 
Sir James Longden and to get sanction of Secretary 
of State. 
1883, Dec. 29. — Full letter (with Map) from A. M. & 
J. Ferguson to Sir A. H. Gordon, on his arrival, 
reviewing the position of Railway Extension to Uva. 
1884, June. — Interview of Mr. J. Ferguson with 
Hon. Robt. Meade at Colonial Office to urge the 
sanction of Extension to Haputale. 
1884-85. — Waiting for Sir Arthur Gordon to make 
up his mind — which he did by 1886 
1886, Feb. — Ceylon Agricultural Association opposes 
and memorializes against Railway Extension to Hapu- 
tale. Mr. J. Ferguson publishes a series of letters 
in a pamphlet on Uva, in reply. 
1886-7. — Period of strong Despatches, Uva Memo- 
rials, and much local agitation, in which Mr. Downall 
bore a leading part, for Haputale Extension. 
1887, March 29th. — Trenchant and long Despatch 
of Sir A. Gordon to Sir H. T. Holland confuting 
Mr. Stanhope’s Despatch of January 7th, 1887. 
1888, March 20. — Sanction of Haputale broad gauge 
Extension received by Sir Arthur Gordon in Colombo, 
Sir H. Holland’s Despatch being dated Feb. 20th. 
One of Mr. Downall’s best efiorts in Council 
on behalf of the Uva Railway was in 1879, and his 
speech on that occasion covered nearly 5 pages in 
the close type of “ Hansard.” He was supported 
by the whole of the unofficial members, and 
both the Governor and Colonial Secretary spoke 
acceiiting the motion. 
In connection with this memorial notice we 
have been turning over many old [lapers and 
much correspondence, and as evidence of Mr, 
Downall’s heartiness and earnest desire to see 
the great work completed, we think a few of his 
letters may be given here. First, however, we may 
quote from the proceedings of the Haputale 
Planters’ Association of which Mr. Downall was 
a leading spirit in September 1884; we had just 
returned from the old country where we had 
done all we could to restore confidence in the 
Ceylon planting industry, and to influence offi. 
cials in favour of the Uva Railway. Accordingly, 
the Haputale P. A. on 26th September carried 
the following resolution : — 
“ That this Association do record its appreciation 
of Mr. John Ferguson’s letters to the English papers 
with reference to the planting interest, and that 
the Secretary be requested to convey the thanks 
of the Aisociation to that gentleman for the same.” 
This was followed a few days after by a letter 
from Mr. Downall 
“ Moonerakanda, Koslanda, 1st October. 1884.— My 
dear Sir,— I am very pleased to be able to welcome 
you back. I must thank you for the handsome 
elition of your book which arrived safely at Barley ; 
also I fancy I have to thank you for a copy of 
‘ The (London) Times’ containing your letter (on 
