375 
Former and Present State of Ceylon, 
time dependent on that of Madras, but is now only subject 
to that of the mother country, and entirely unconnected with 
the East“India company. 
For the better ordering of military affairs, there is a mili- 
tary board established at Columbo. It consists of six mem- 
bers taken from among the commanding officers of the seve- 
ral corps stationed in Ceylon. The commander in chief of 
the forces in the island is president of this board, the com- 
mandant of Columbo for the time being Vice-president. It 
has attached to it a secretary, clerks, &c. with suitable sala- 
ries. 
I have now brought my account of Ceylon to a con- 
clusion. After the remarks which have occasionally been in- 
terspersed, it would be needless to recapitulate the ad- 
vantages to be derived from it to this country. As a field 
for commercial enterprise, as a general depot for stores 
and troops, and as a centre of communication with our 
other East India possessions, there can no other station be 
pointed out to equal it in that quarter of the world. The 
measures already taken by government sufficiently indicate 
that those in power are well aware of the importance of 
the acquisition. By perseverance in a wise and moderate po- 
licy there is every reason to hope that the natives will spee- 
dily be brought to co-operate in our plan of improvements ; 
and that the period is not far distant when we shall look 
upon Ceylon as not inferior in value to any of our foreign 
possessions. 
The Journal of the embassy to Candy may serve to throw 
some light on the situation of the interior ; and as I am 
anxious to give my readers as accurate an idea as possible of 
