Former and Present State of Ceylon. 37I 
should induce us always to maintain a powerful force here. 
From its situation, it affords the best point for stationing those 
troops which are destined to protect our several establishments 
in India, and to act as a constant check on the native prin- 
ces. On the Coromandel coast in particular, where our pos- 
sessions have of late been so mueh extended, troops may ar- 
rive from Ceylon in a day or two, and by this means pre- 
clude the possibility of our settlements being overrun by sur- 
prise before a sufficient foree could be collected to oppose the 
invader. During the disturbances which arose on the borders 
of Tinivelly and Madura, my attention was forcibly called to 
this subject by the events which took place there. Owing to 
the small number of troops stationed at that time in Ceylon, 
it was found impossible to co-operate from thence with those 
sent by the company to repress the commotions ; and before a 
sufficient force could be brought together from other quarters 
for this purpose, several officers and a great number of sol- 
diers were' killed and wounded. Had a large force been at that 
period stationed in Ceylon, the disturbances might have been 
almost immediately quelled. 
Troops may be sent to any of our possessions in the penin- 
sula of India from Ceylon at a less expence, and in much 
shorter time, than from either of the presidencies of Bombay 
or Madras. Since we have been in possession of the island, 
detachments have at various times been sent with great effect 
to join the troops serving against the Poligars and the Nairs 
in the Cotiote. 
It is impossible to estimate the establishments intended to 
be placed in Ceylon by government, from their situation when 
I left the island, as at that time it had not been ceded by 
3b2 
