24
30
to its influence on the minds of men both at the present time and later on, not only At the present for the August perahera at Kandy but also for the years to come. time the Sinhalese appear to be partly ashamed and generally cowed.
3. In compliance with the request contained in your telegram of 2nd July,* I will. in due course, forward a general despatch on the riots.. For that purpose I am consulting Special Commissioners generally, in order to learn their views based on their local experience in the districts. Meantime, by a separate despatch of ever date, herewith. I am forwarding, for your information, copies of further local reports received in ordinary course.
4.
With reference to paragraph 5 of my Confidential despatch of 1st July,‡ I take this opportunity of stating that, as I learn from the Officer Commanding the Troops, Mr. W. A. de Silva has been released from custody after giving a bond for good behaviour.
5. In connexion with the subject matter of the preceding paragraph, I enclose a copy of a memorial, dated the 5th July, which was handed to me personally by the Honourable Mr. Ramanathan, C.M.G., K.C., and the Honourable Mr. Balasingham, both Tamils and advocates. I gathered from them that they had come straight from a meeting of the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council (which the former had conviued), and that at this meeting these two members received the support of only the Honourable Mr. Kanagasabai (also a Tamil and an advocate) for the pur- poses of this memorial--no support being forthcoming from Burgher, European, Sinhalese or Mohammedan members.
I have the honour to enclose a copy of the reply which I have caused to be returned to the memorialists-a very large proportion of whom are lawyers.
6. In continuation of paragraph 9 of my despatch of 1st July, I have to acknowledge receipt of your telegram, of 2nd July,§ informing me of the suggestions of the Army Council. I had hoped to be able to make use of the "Empress of Japan" (which was due on 4th July), but found on her arrival that she could not proceed to Australia.
I therefore telegraphed to the Viceroy of India on 5th July, and asked, first. whether he could receive the German prisoners of war and intern them in India, and, if not, whether he could send an escort of fifty regular or territorial troops as a guard for the prisoners in transit to Australia.
The Viceroy, while unable to receive the prisoners in India, met my wishes at once with regard to the escort, and he has informed me that the troops have already been despatched and should reach Ceylon by 8th July. I am therefore in hopes that I shall be able to send off about 200 of the prisoners of war to Australia by the returning transport "Star of England." The remainder will follow in batches as opportunity offers.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Enclosure 2 in No. 28.
Governor, &c.
The Queen's House, Colombo, 5th July, 1915.
I HAVE the honour to return herewith proceedings of field general courts martial held at Weke on 17th-18th June, and at Colombo on 26th-27th June, for- warded to me with your letters Nos. 3256/28 and 3256/2c, of 29th and 30th June last, and to inform you that, after consulting the Executive Council, I have decided that the clemency of the Crown shall not be exercised in the cases of:
1. John Gomes.
2. M. Aron Perera.
3. M. Carolis Perera.
4. James Manchanayaka,
5. Martin Silva.
6. C. Charles alias Challo.
A. Don Franciscu Appuhamy alias Biyagama Gurun-
nanse.
7. K. Thomas Perera.
8.
F. P. Samarasingha.
9.
10.
11.
* No. 10.
+ No. 29.
Don Cornelis Samarasingha, V.A., of Walgama, Peruwa.
D. J. Amarakoon.
No. 22.
§ Not printed.
31
12. W. W. S. Peter de Saram.
***
13.
A. A. Don Peiris.
14. G. Noris Perera.
2. In the cases of
(1) W. A. C. Perera Wijaratna Gurunnanse, (2) D. P. A. David Silva,
(3) K. P. Baiya Veda,
I have decided that there is sufficient ground for the exercise of the clemency of the Crown, and the sentences of death have been commuted to sentences of rigorous imprisonment for life.
35110
No. 29.
I am, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Governor.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 30th July, 1915.)
[Copy to India Office and War Office, 17th August, 1915. Secret. L.F.F.]
(Confidential.)
The Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 8th July, 1915.
SIR,
In continuation of my Confidential despatch of the 1st of July,* I have the honour to forward a copy a letter addressed to me by the Honourable Mr. W. M. Abdul Rahiman, the Mohammedan Member in the Legislative Council, with regard to the riots.
2. I also enclose a copy of a letter from Mr. B. G. de Glanville, one of the Special Commissioners, reporting the progress made by him in recovering compen- sation in the Ratnapura District.
I have, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Governor, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 29.
"Razeendale," Bambalapitiya South, YOUR EXCELLENCY,
1st July, 1915. THANKS to the facilities placed at my disposal by the military authorities, through the courtesy of Mr. E. B. Denham, I have had the opportunity of visiting most of the area covered by the recent riots. The following report, which I have the honour to submit, is therefore based largely on facts that came under my personal observation and on statements made to me by members of my community.
2. The damage done is appalling, and has to be seen to be at all realized. The kind of damage is of about the same type everywhere; looting of boutiques and houses: destruction of places of worship; robbing of personal property; infliction of indignities, arson, rape, though facts here are largely suppressed for obvious reasons; and mutilation, especially in the Southern Province. It seems to me that the whole outbreak was of the nature of a campaign of frightfulness intended to terrorize the Moors into leaving the country, or wholly submitting to the Sinhalese. In one place the Mudaliyar is reported to have advised the Moors to submit to the Sinhalese.
3. From reports made to me and from what I have seen, undoubtedly there has been organization beforehand. Each village and town had its own leaders, who knew exactly what to do and how to do it. In some places, when the chief rioters were appealed to they demanded an order from some prominent man before they would disperse. At Atulugama, for instance, a letter was demanded by James Appubamy, of Bandaragama, from Arthur Mahatmava (Arthur Dias) or Abraham Mahatmaya (M. A. Perera). Also during May a series of meetings has been held in Buddhist schoolrooms, from even the neighbourhood of which Moors were
* No. 28.
D
TUTII "|
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON