Nov. T, 1897.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
299 
From the above it will be seen tint the firm 
employed at that period from thirty-einht to 
forty-seven native workmen ; and to-day the 
number is aboirt twelve hundred, rvhile other large 
concerns of a similar character have also been estab- 
lished in the colony. No wonder the brothers were 
a little proud of the business which they had seen 
grow up and develop in this remarkable fashion ! 
In 1864 William made his first visit to Ceylon, 
to take charge of the old business at Bogambra 
during the absence of his brother John on a 
trip home. While in Kandy his time was very 
fully occupied with business arrangements, and 
from a pencil diary which is in my possession 
I find that even then he recognised that Colombo 
must become the capital and centre of Ceylon’s 
business, and proposed that the entire business 
should be removed to Colombo. But the time 
for this change had not yet come. 
Estate after estate in the Central Province 
was being cleared and ]>lanted with cofl'ee — pre- 
paring for the good time coming. “ Mr. Turner 
has just sold his Hantanne crop for fifty-four 
shillings per hundredweight — a splendid price.” 
So wrote John to his brother William about 
1857 ; but in later years coffee-planters received 
more than double that price for their produce. 
The highest level of prosperity was reached in 
1868, 1869, and 1870, in each of which years the 
total exports of coffee exceeded a million hundred- 
w'eights, of a value in European markets of not 
less than four millions sterling.”* This “ boom” 
in coffee kept all industries busy, and it became 
necessary to extend, not in Colombo, hut 
throughout the leading planting districts. 
Branch establishments were started in Dimbula, 
Dikoya, Badulla, and Ilaldummulla. The life in 
these young districts was at first a rough one, 
and the assistant who was sent to take charge 
of the Dikoya branch, and who is now a director in 
the company, sometimes tells how his room above the 
store was furnished. His table con.sisted of a pack- 
ing case, and his chair was a keg of blasting powder ! 
With this rapid extension of the Ceylon 
business, including heavy expenditure for stocks 
for the new branches, arose the necessity for a 
great deal more capital than the two brothers 
possessed ; but the good name William had estab- 
lished in Glasgow, coupled with that of his 
brother John in Ceylon, enabled him to find all 
that was necessary. Satisfactory financial 
arrangements were made .vith Messrs. Blank & 
Co., and everything went on well until 1874, 
when William’s faith was again destined to be 
pretty severely tested. For the sake of those 
young men who may read this record, the story 
ought not to he omitted ; and it is due to Mr. 
Kay, who proved so kind a friend to his old 
assistant during all these years and to the end 
of his life, to mention it. 
One day in 1874, just at the very time when 
Walker Brothers’ account with Messrs. Blank & 
Co. stood highest, in consequence ot the large 
advances required in connection with ths estab- 
lishment of the up-country branches, the senior 
partner of the latter firm called. He then 
infoimed Mr. Walker that, being well advanced 
in years and anxious to curtail all outstand- 
ings, so as to simplify his financial arrangements 
as much as possible, he would like Walker 
Brothers not to draw any fresh drafts on his 
firm, and hoped -they would be able to run off 
the debt by taking up existing bills as they 
* From "Ceylon in 1893,” by John Ferguson. 
fell due. Mr. Walker, recognizing how much 
he owed to these financial friends, could only 
re])ly that to the best of his ability he would 
endeavour to carry out Mr. Blank’s wishes. 
Though not knowing at the time where help 
was to come from, yet, being a man of strong, 
simple and devout faith, he felt that he would 
nor be forsaken in this crisis. 
When in his office one day at this juncture, 
Mr. Kay called, just to have a chat, and in a 
kindly way to inquire how his old friend Mr. 
Walker was getting on, though he knew nothing 
at the time of his trouble. Nor was the subject 
mentioned until, in course of conversation, Mr. 
Kay said, “I have been thinking 1 -would like 
to help you, Mr. Walker, if there is anything I 
can do that would be a personal benefit to you. 
Now, would it assist you to have the command 
of a little more capital than you .at present 
possess?” Mr. "Walker then, for the first time, 
told the position in which his firm was placed. 
As the result of that interview Mr. Kay — after- 
satisfying himself that the bu.siness was per- 
fectly sound, full of ]iromise, and only in need 
of more capital, and having perfect confidence 
in Mr. Walker— went to a leading Scotch bank 
and opened a credit in favour of Walker- 
Brothers for all that was required, at air ex- 
penditure of a penny postage stamp ! Needless 
to say that the prosperity of the Ceylon busi- 
ness has long since enabled the proprietors to 
dispense with that credit, and placed both houses 
beyond the need of any such help. 
As already stated, Mr. Walker, as far b.ack 
as 1864, contemjilated removal to Colombo ; but 
so rapidly did the business increase, both in 
Kandy and at the up-country branches, that 
further extension schemes had to be abandoned ; 
and though in 1875 premises in Colombo were 
leased, and rent paid for three years, they weie 
never occupied. By 1880, however, the collapse 
of King Coffee was placed beyond doubt, and 
it became necessary for the firm to turn their 
attention to other channels. At this time the 
granil breakwater for sheltering the Colombo 
harbour from the south-west monsoon was nearing 
completion, and ciicumstances all seemed to 
point at last to removal there. Accordingly, in 
1881 the premises formerly occu|iied by the late 
Mr. Home, and known as “ The Corner,” were 
leased by the firm, and no time was lost in lay« 
ing down new plant and getting the new work- 
shops and stores ready. It re(]uired a great deal 
of faith to go on with this work, as the pros- 
pects of the colony at the time were about as 
black as could be. Planters of the highest stand- 
ing up-country were being ruined, and the 
mercantile houses were coming down one after 
another, until the crisis culminated in August 
1884 by the stoppage of the old Oriental Bank 
Corporation. It is, perhaps, not to be wondered 
at that amidst all this gloom, a Colombo mer- 
chant, when he saw in 1883 that, in addition 
to the workshops, a new foundry— the first in the 
colony — was being built, should exclaim, “Has 
Walker gonemad !” Buteveryone was not of that 
opinion, for in July 1883 the CeijlonObserver wrote : 
— “ It is well that w hen the time came for an 
era of new life to the port and trade of Colombo, 
the right men were ready to meet the crisis and 
provide its requirements. The names of Kyle^ 
Grinlinton, and "Walker & Co. will he honorably 
associated with the Nerv Colombo which is rising 
as the result of the partial completion of the 
Breakwater, and the resort to Colombo of many 
lines of mail, passenger and cargo steamers.” 
