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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factured in large quantities, and Colonel Drought had secret information that large bodies of armed men were nightly assembled in the glens at the back of the range of mountains that overlook Kandy and Doombera Valley, where they were headed and harangued by David, the brother of the late pretender, who is still at large in spite of all the vigilance of the civil power and the continued offer of a reward for his apprehen- sion.
Four thousand men were reputed to have as- sembled at Deatorre, within sixteen miles of Korne- galle; and similar assemblies were reported in
Bintenne. [See Mr. Morris's letter, page 164, for Incl. 5, pp. 33, 34, 25, and 78.
a detailed account of the disturbance at Korne-
galle.]
As before, the chiefs and headman denied all knowledge of their transactions, and neither the Government Agent nor the Commandant of Kandy could obtain authentic information as to the move- ments of the disaffected.
The feeling was very general that this fresh demonstration of the disloyal was greatly en- couraged by the results of the trials of the rebels before the Supreme Court in the September pre- vious.
1. The most guilty chiefs, though their guilt was notorious to the whole province, were not put on their trial, as the Queen's Advocate doubted the probability of obtaining convictions.
2. Of those tried, a number were acquitted, notwithstanding their own admission of their guilt, 3. And of those found guilty, no one was ex- ecuted, their sentences being all commuted for a milder form of punishment.
Imperfect as their intelligence was, however, the excitement of the whole population, and the demonstrations which were in progress, were so identical with those that had preceded the recent revolt, that the Government did not think it proper to disregard them; and precautions were taken accordingly both by the civil and military authori- ties.
This excitement and alarm commenced in Oc- tober, and continued unabated till the latter end of December.
The garrison of Kandy was immediately rein-
Incl. 5, p. 14.
Courts martial.
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forced by 100 rank and file from Colombo, and thirty-five men were immediately despatched to Matelle.
Arms were again issued to the pensioners and road pioneers. Planters and private individuals were provided with arms in any event of emer- gency, and thus as Colonel Drought expressed it, "He was enabled to convert each estate into little garrisons and outposts," which Colonel Drought prepared to visit in person in order to put them in a state of defence.
So convinced at the same time was the Civil Government of the indispensible efficacy of mar- tial law, and so satisfied of its value in restoring tranquillity before, that the Executive Council re- solved that it should be again proclaimed should any outbreak occur, and directed the Queen's Advocate to prepare the proclamation, and it was held in readiness accordingly.
The knowledge of these precautions and pre- parations was speedily communicated to the chiefs, the disloyal, and disaffected, and the effect was an abandonment of their designs for the moment.
But I cannot withhold my opinion that the pre- sent tranquillity is by no means to be relied on as permanent, and that not only in the present system of administering the Kandyan province insufficient to ensure the peace of the districts, but that in the event of any disturbance, the resources at the disposal of the civil power would be utterly in adequate on any great emergency.
Courts-martial were a nocemary accompaniment of martial law.
The Civil and Police Courts were not neces- sarily closed by its proclamation; but at Korne- galla and Matelle, they had ceased to set; and even at Kandy the District Judge reported that he could neither imɑe summonses nor warranta, make arrests, procure the attendance of witnesses, nor hold trials; so disorganised was the country, and the ordinary machinery of divil government so disturbed.
Hence the whole of the police duties of these districts, devolved on the Military Courts; and, out of 126 prisoners tried before them, 79 were for ordinary offences, cognizable in times of pesos by police courts, and 47 prisoners charged with