PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference:-
C.O. 882
1
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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inhabitant of Ceylon, as to the universality of the disaffection, and the maturity of the preparations for a general revolt.
The statements which I have just put in tend to show that the districts immediately around Kandy were only awaiting the signal, and some of them already on their march to join the Pretender
at the Ferry.
The male population of these districts alone, by See Mr. Buller's letter, Nov. 4, the latest census is 58,463.
There is evidence of Oovah, Welasse, and Bintenne, which Rambopotte Dessave says were equally ready to join the insurgents, and which contain a popula- tion of at least 10,000 more.
These are exclusive of the Seven Korles in one of which Kornegalle is situated, and which was already in arms, with a male population of 200,000 within twenty miles of Kandy.
And it is exclusive of the Four Korles and Saffragam, which would have been at least 20,000 men, and which Mr. Buller and Mr. Mitford, the respective Government officers, report would have been equally drawn into the revolt, had the first - successes of the rebels given an impulse to the
rebellion.
Again, the quantity of arms in these districts has been questioned. In the district adjoining Kandy, there were 14,000 guns and muskets registered under the Ordinance; and it is notorious that not one in twenty were produced for registration.
The number registered in Oovah and Wallapane
I am unable to state, but in these alone Chandra- yotty stated in 1843, that 20,000 guns had been secured for his party.
1849, P. 39.
It has been stated that the Kandyans have no other arms than guns, but nothing can be more astray. They have spears and axes, most effective weapons in any disturbance; the very poorest Kandyan carries a large knife in his belt, a formi- dable instrument in their hands, as they can use it with surprising effect; in addition to these, they have bows, arrows, hatchets, and heavy clubs; in short there is not a Kandyan hut that cannot for- nish on an emergency more than one weapon of an effective character from fire-arms to a woodman's axe. And as the evidence all tends to establish
Conduct of the Priests.
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they were all prepared for war,"* preparation which of course included the supplying themselves with arms,
As to the Buddhist priesthood, wherever the chiefs were engaged the priests were equally active. But their activity was in a different sphere and so much more secret, that their movements were less ostensible.
Hence whilst hundreds of the headmen and chiefs were known to be the energetic abettors of the Pretender, and vast numbers were arrested and brought to trial, only seven priests were prosecuted for treason.
In June 1848, the chief of police reported that the priests were actively engaged in every temple exciting the people against the Government.
Their pansilas were the constant resorts of the Pretender, and at the meetings which the priests convened in the temples he addressed the people, and seduced them from their allegiance.
The priests, as in the case of the Kotmalee Unanse and Allow Unanse, went out into the ba- zaars and villages as his emissaries,
They administered oaths of allegiance to his adherents.
They crowned him in the temple of Dambool; and one of the priests tried before the Suprenie Court, September the 18th, superintended in person the erection of barricades across the road to Trin- comalee, to intercept the march of troops from that direction.
In fact, co-extensive with the conspiracy, were
the exertions and exhortations of the priesthood; and the evidence on the trials and the depositions on which the prisoners were arrested and com- mitted, abound with instances in which the people were aroused by the priesthood, by allusions to the neglect of the temples and the decay of their national faith.
Mr. De Baram, the police magistrate at Gampola, within twelve milaa of of Kandy, a Singhalese gentleman of education and great experience of the country, wrote to, me fynge 50) that “to am- courage the people hid to samire them of explained the priests and the
• Colonel Dennehå
veyed to him, he balaras “From £3,000 to:09,000 : barn evidently in imminený