374 Former and Present State of Ceylon. 
de Galle, there were subordinate civil magistrates, with suitable 
appointments. In all the inferior forts and stations throughout 
the island, there were petty courts called landraeds, for the 
more speedy administration of justice, and matters of less im- 
portance. In these the military commanders of the district 
usually presided. An appeal lay from all these inferior courts 
to the high court of justice at Columbo. 
The whole Dutch civil establishment, independent of the 
military who acted as civil magistrates, was computed to 
amount to four hundred and fifty persons, comprehending all 
who were anywise attached to it. This may seem a small pro- 
portion for an island of such magnitude, and from whence such 
valuable articles of commerce were exported : but according 
to the computation of the Dutch, Ceylon ranked only as their 
eighth Indian government. 
For some time after we took possession of Ceylon, the go- 
vernment was necessarily a military one, until tranquillity was 
completely established. From the arrival of Governor North 
the civil establishment has its date. He abolished the office 
of Provost Martial, and the jurisdiction of the military courts, 
and restored the civil establishment to near the same form it 
bore under the dominion of the Dutch. Fie re-established 
the supreme court of justice at Columbo, with a civil magis- 
trate to superintend the police of the fort, and another in the 
Black Town. The various officers necessary for the service of 
these departments were at the same time appointed ; and simi- 
lar regulations were adopted through the other parts of the 
island. The petty courts in the distant parts of the country 
still continue to be presided over by the commanding officer 
of the nearest post. The government of Ceylon was for some 
9 
