THE ISLAND OF CEYLON, 
36 1 
CHAPTER XVII. 
General Observations — Present state of the Island — Improve- 
ments — Revenue — Civil and military establishments — Advan- 
tages. 
I HAVE now laid before my readers every tiling worth 
notice which fell under my observation during my residence 
in Ceylon ; and if my researches on some topics appear 
to some too limited, it will, I hope, be recollected at the 
same time that all my other pursuits were of course 
considered as subordinate to my military duties. I shall 
conclude my account with a few general observations on 
the state and value of this new acquisition to the British 
crown. 
The cultivation of Ceylon, as I have observed in a for- 
mer part of this work, was extremely neglected under the 
government of the Dutch. For some years previous to 
our taking possession of it, the unfortunate situation of 
affairs in the mother country, as it precluded any supplies 
from being sent from thence, or indeed any attention being 
paid to the management of distant colonies, may serve as some 
excuse for this neglect. But even before this period, when 
the Dutch republic was in its highest degree of prosperity, 
the little progress made in the cultivation of Ceylon is a 
proof that the system pursued with regard to it was fun- 
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