Feb. I, 1898.J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
5'3 
one of five official members to the Mimicipal 
Council and was chosen as Chairman of the Public 
Works Committee, and during his six years of office 
he designed the first Public Latrines and received 
the thanks of the Council. He was asked to report 
on a Water Supply for the City, which he did at 
a considerable cost to himself. For this also he 
received the thanks of the Council; and to him 
the public are indebted for having led the way in 
introducing Gas into Colombo. In 1871 he along 
with others, (Capt. Fyers, R.E., Captain Donnan, 
and Capt. Graham) sent in designs to Government for 
a Breakwater to protect the Harbour of Colombo on 
which the Admiralty Engineer, Mr. Townsend, passed 
encomiums. This Engineer, however, considered 
(among other things) that a northern arm which 
formed a part of the design and a graving dock 
with tramway roimd the shores of the Harbour 
were more than could be undertaken. Time, how- 
ever, has shown that all have been found necessary. 
In the year 1868 during the total Eclipse of the Sun, 
Mr. Grinlinton took special observations from the 
top of Trinity Church for which he was thanked 
by Astronomical authorities in England and America. 
In 1872 Mr. Grinlinton resigned the public service 
and was immediately appointed Managing Director 
of the Gas Works. He likewise adopted mercantile 
pursuits and established Manure Works outside 
Municipal limits where he converted the ofial of the 
Municipality and the scavenging of the town into 
fertilising material, there being added to it sulphate 
of ammonia with some thousands of tons of fish 
from the coast of India with ammoniacal liquor 
and gas-lime from the Gas-works. This proved a 
most successful undertaking as also did certain 
speculations in the purchase of large cargoes of teak 
from Burmah. In both of these ventures he was 
cordially aided financially by his esteemed friend, 
Mr. White, then the senior partner of Messrs J. M. 
Robertson & Co. On the visit of H.R.H. the 
Prince of Wales in 1876, Mr. Grinlinton was 
chosen as one of the Honorary Secretaries for the 
reception and the indefatigable efiorts then made 
to make the illumination of the City and the 
large baU-room built at the GaUe Face Club a 
success, caused the Goveri.i r to specially present 
Mr. Grinlinton to H. R. H. and to send him a 
letter of thanks for his special services. In 1876 
the Wharf and Warehouse Co. was in very low 
water, and the post of Manager was ofiered to Mr. 
Grinlinton and he continued in the Company as 
Manager and Managing Director for a period of 
20 years leaving it in a flourishing condition. 
In 1882 he accepted in addition to his other 
duties the Managing Directorship of the Colombo 
Hotels Co., Ltd., which at the time was in 
a very low state, its RlOO shares selling at R15 
and R20 and in 1888 he became also Chairman 
which post he now vacates, the present quotation 
of shares being R335. In the Jubilee year of 
Her Majesty the Queen, he was a member of the 
Committee which undertook the preliminary and 
active proceedings in raising funds and carrying out 
the object sought to be obtained and has ever since 
taken an interest in the Royal Victoria Home for 
Incurables, then established, of which he is a Life 
Governor and a member of Committee. In 1887 
on the formation of the Irrigation Board he was 
appointed an Unofficial Member and his unremitting 
labours in connection with that Board are well- 
known and have been recognized by successive 
Governors. In 1888 he was appointed to the 
European seat in the Legislative Council and the 
general public know the keen interest taken in 
every question of importance that has come 
before that assembly, the latest instances being 
his propositions in connection with sanitary manage- 
ment on the railway and the fares on the sea-side 
line, and in strongly advocating Railway extension 
on a narrow gauge (the metre he prefers) and on 
Irription he is ever “at home.” A fluent and 
forcible speaker Sir John makes his points well 
arid has always been listened to with close 
attention by his fellow members. He seldom if ever 
speaks except on a subject with which he is familiar 
or has carefully studied and it is generally admitted 
that he puts his case in a very strong light. In 
1891 when preparations were being made for the 
Chicago Exhibition he was selected by the Planters’ 
Association, Chamber of Commerce and the public 
in general as Special Commissioner and was so 
gazetted by Government, and during some months 
in 1892 and whole of 1893 he was at Chicago. 
In 1891 Mr. Grinlinton succeeded (after more 
than a year’s pressing the subject forward unoffi- 
cially) in attracting the attention of Government 
to Uplands as the best site for a Graving Dock 
which could be made suitable for the largest ships 
in Her Majesty’s Navy and the Mercantile Marine. 
A Commission was appointed by the Governor, 
Sir Arthur Havelock, to report on the subject, and 
the opinion of the Commission being unanimous, 
the site is now about to be converted into one 
of the finest Graving Docks in the world. 
On the 25th March, 1894, soon after Mr. Grinlinton’s 
return from America, he received the great blow 
of his life in the death of his wife who had been 
in delicate health for some years. This amiable 
lady was a daughter of the late Mr. Booth of 
Southampton, and her hospitality and benevolence 
are well known to many of the present residents 
of the Island, more especially to those who visited 
Nuwara Eliya. She had followed the fortunes of 
her hsuband to Mauritius and Ceylon, and 
was often with him in his journeys through re- 
mote parts of the Island where she made good use 
of her opportunities in writing interesting descrip- 
tions of her travels which have been preserved, 
and are to see the light at some future day. 
Her belief in her husband was unbounded, and 
we do not wonder at the blank he now feels leav- 
ing this country alone and practically for good to 
take up his residence at Middle Wallop in Hamp- 
shire. 
We attach an official record of Sir John Grin- 
linton’s service : — 
GRINLINTON, Sir JOHN J., m.l.c., a.i.c.e., 
F.E.G.S., P.a.A. &C., 
son of the late Thomas Grinlinton, of Pni-tarlington ; 
was seven years on the Ordnance Survey . i England! 
gazetted Ensign in the 65th Regiment, i.| l ointed 
Depot Adjutant, served the Crimean Campa.gn of 
1855-56 as Lieutenant 4th Ring’s Own Regiment, 
and Assistant Engineer during the siege of Sebasto- 
pol; was also engaged making a Military Survey of 
the allied positions, was mentioned in Despatches 
on the fall of Sebastopol, 8th September, 1855 ; 
Crimean Medal with clasp, 5th class of the order 
of Medjidie, and the Turkish Medal ; Assistant Sur- 
veyor-General, Ceylon, 1857 ; retired from the Army 
by the sale of his commission 1858 ; appointed an 
Official Councillor of the Municipality of Colombo 
at its formation in 1866, and served for six years * 
resigned the Public Service 1872, and subsequently 
followed Mercantile pursuits ; -VI ember of the Cential 
Irrigation Board 1887 to 1897 ; Councillor of the 
Municipality of Colombo (for a second time) 1887 to 
1897; Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon 
(to represent the European Community) 1888 ; Spe- 
cial Commissioner for Ceylon at the World’s Colum- 
bian Exposition, Chicago, 1893; m. Emilv, daughter of 
the late Mr. Isaac Booth, who died 1894 ; cr. K. B. 1894. 
Colombo, Ceylon, and Rose Hill, Middle Wallop, Hants. 
Clubs : — Royal Societies and the Junior Constitutional, 
