i 
Vol. XVII.] COLOMBO, NOVEMBER ist, 1897 . fNo. 5. 
“PIONEERS OF THE PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN CEYLON.” 
(Secoyid Series.) 
WILLIAM WALKBR: 
MERCHANT AND ENGINEER 1854— 1891. 
[The result of onr application to Mr. Edmund 
Walker for such particulars of his father’s life 
as would enable us to include a notice of his 
career among the “Pioneers of Ceylon,” was that 
our good friend set to work and prepared in 
booklet form a most interesting though brief 
biography intended for piivate circulation, but 
allowing preference of selection for the Tropical 
Agriculturist. The little book, we must add, is 
got up in the first style of the printer’s art, and 
besides the same portrait of Mr. Walker as w'e give, 
it includes an exquisite reproduction of “Donne 
Castle from the Bridge of Teith,” near which Mr. 
Wm. Walker’s youthful days were spent. The 
booklet also includes quite a selection of the verses 
by “Brown Palmer” and “.Sandy M’Alpine, ’’ 
under which sobriquets the late Mr. W. Walker 
wrote freely in the home press and to the Ceylon 
Observer. The biographical notice i.S introduced 
as follows : — 
“ In the exceedingly interesting volume already 
published under the title of Pioneers of the Planting 
Enterprise of Ceylon, the proprietors of the Ceylon 
Observer have been good enough to include a sketch 
of the life of the late John Walker, and it seems 
fitting that this should be followed by a brief outline 
of the life of his brother William, who for so many 
years was associated with him in developing the busi- 
ness known all over the colony as “Walker’s.” The 
wo brothers, who for so long were united in business, 
were not long separated, John being taken ‘Home 
in October 1889 and William in June 1891. ” 
We now give our summ.arized selection fiom 
Mr. E. Walker’s fuller notice, only regretting that 
exigencies of space prevent our appropiating more 
of the very interesting record of good work apper- 
taining to one of the most esteemed of Scottish 
worthies connected with the annals of Ceylon as 
a British Colony: — E d. T.A.I 
^ ILLIAM WALKER was born 
in Doune, Perthshire, Scot- 
land, in 1824, and attended 
the village school there. At 
an early age— for his parents 
were not in a position to 
keep him long at school — he 
entered the office of the 
Deanston Works, where he worked for a number 
of years, and w'as fortunate in having as his master 
the late Mr. James ISmiili, who did so mucli for 
the people of Doune, and whose name is still 
remembered affectionately by a few of the older 
people. During this time, being eagerly deter 
mined, like so many Scottish lads, to luish his way 
in the world, he continued his education by attend- 
