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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PELLIC.O. 882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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if you would be so good as to convey to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty an expression of my grateful appreciation of their action in allowing the voyage to be undertaken.
I have, &c.,
Annexure.
H. J. STANLEY,
Governor.
MEETING BETWEEN HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR OF CEYLON AND HIS HIGHNESS THE SULTAN OF THE MALDIVES, 1ST OCTOBER, 1928.
His Excellency: May I express to your Highness my appreciation of the welcome quite understand that the which I have received, and of the beautiful decorations? decorations were not fully completed, but as they were, they were very charming and attractive. There is a matter concerning the ex-Sultan to which I should like to refer. Your Highness will remember that the ex-Sultan wrote to Sir Hugh Clifford asking for an increase of his allowance. On the matter being referred to Your Highness, Your I have now had a further Highness replied that you could not grant any increase. letter from the ex-Sultan saying that he cannot live in Egypt on Rs.32/- a day, and I am not asking if there is any objection to his going to Singapore with his family. sure that financially he would be much better off in Singapore than in Egypt as the cost of living in the former is just as expensive as in the latter, but the climate might be more congenial to him.
His Highness: I have no objection to his leaving Egypt and going to Singapore. His Excellency: Has the ex-Sultan enough money to pay for his passage and those of his wife, four children and one grand-child from Egypt to Singapore?
His Highness: I will defray his expenses.
Does Your Highness authorise me to His Excellency: This is very generous. write to the ex-Sultan and say that Your Highness has no objection to his moving and that Your Highness will defray his passage expenses?
His Highness: Yes.
His Excellency: When I return to Colombo, I shall write to His Majesty the King and tell him that Your Highness has enquired after his health and that of the Queen. The King will expect me to tell him something about the Maldives and how Your Highness is administering the islands. I shall tell the King that Your Highness is a very kind-hearted Sultan.
His Highness: I am very glad to hear that, and that Your Excellency appreciates my kindness to my subjects, and I request you to convey to His Majesty my good wishes for his health.
His Excellency: I hope Your Highness will look on me as a friend. If so, I ought to tell you, speaking as one friend to another, that it is rumoured in Ceylon that Your Highness' people are not altogether satisfied with the manner in which the administra- tion has recently been carried on, saying that Your Highness leaves too much to your Ministers. I do not know if this is true but I think it right to tell Your Highness what is being said. In 1910, the then Governor, Sir Henry McCallum visited the Maldives and made certain suggestions.
His Highness: Some of his recommendations have been carried out and some remain to be done.
His Excellency: I have looked at the report of his conversation with Your Highness, and I see that he said that the Sultan should do things for himself and not leave every- thing to his Ministers. I am sure Your Highness will appreciate that this was good advice and I hope you will allow me to renew it.
His Highness: Certainly.
His Excellency: If Your Highness saw how His Majesty works in England, you would realise how a sovereign who loves his people works for them.
His Highness: I have so heard and will endeavour to do so.
His Excellency: I shall tell the King that Your Highness proposes in future to take a greater personal interest in the administration of your country and the welfare of your people. Your Highness should meet your Ministers often and know what they are doing, if you wish to see your people happy, contented, and prosperous. There has also been an allegation of some complaint about the administration of justice. Is Your Highness satisfied that you have a sufficient number of good judges? It is rumoured that the executive government interferes with the judges.
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His Highness: I think that justice is being carried out satisfactorily. If, after consultation with my Ministers, I find that any injustice is being done. I will do what is
necessary.
His Excellency: Your Highness has doubtless heard of British justice; the funda- mental principle of British justice is that the judges are entirely independent of the executive government.
His Highness: All the world knows about British justice and how it is being done. His Excellency: I have now said all the unpleasant things that I had to say, His Highness: I am very glad to have received your advice.
any advice or
His Excellency: If the Government of Ceylon can be at all helpful in the building up of industries or in the development of the country, we shall be very glad to assist. We do not wish to interfere in the administration of the country, but if help is wanted we shall be very glad if Your Highness will write to me and ask for it.
His Highness: I regard Your Excellency as a friend and will do so. His Excellency: It is said by some that the Indian merchants have acquired a I hope Your monopoly of trade, and that the Maldivians do not get their fair share. Highness' subjects are afforded every chance to trade as well as to engage in industrial
There is nothing to prevent Maldivians from importing goods? His Highness: There is no prohibition,
work.
His Excellency: Is everybody free to import rice? I have been told that it is in the hands of one firm.
His Highness: That is due to the poverty of my subjects but there is no obstacle if anybody wishes to import.
His Excellency: Is not one difficulty that all the buggalows are owned by Indian Has Your merchants? Does not this give the Indian merchants too much power? Highness considered the possibility of the Government of the Maldives owning and running a steamboat of, say, 300 tons between Ceylon and the Maldives. What I have in mind would be a large sailing boat with an auxiliary engine of about 125 horse-power. His Highness: The question has been discussed but no settlement has been reached. His Excellency: Is there any great difficulty?
His Highness: I will consult with my Ministers and let Your Excellency know before you sail how the matter stands.
His Excellency: If Your Highness writes to me and asks what would be the cost
of buying and running a steamboat and what would be the likely profits, I will consult
my technical officers and will be glad to supply the information.
His Highness: I will be very glad to do so.
His Excellency: I could discuss the matter further with Abdul Hamid Didi in Colombo and then send Your Highness the necessary particulars so that you could decide whether you are able to buy such a steamboat. It would bring the Maldives much nearer to the rest of the world, and it would make it easier to import and export goods profitably, In addition to the large steamer, would not the provision of two smaller steam or motor boats, for bringing produce from the outer islands to Malé, increase trade? It would facilitate administration, and in case of disease a doctor could be transported quickly.
His Highness: I think that it would be a very good thing.
His Excellency: How is education progressing?
His Highness: There is an Arabic school which is being fun satisfactorily, but no other form of education.
His Excellency: The Government of Ceylon would be glad to arrange for some of the young men of the islands to be given agricultural and industrial instruction in Ceylon, so that when they come back to the Maldives, they could teach the others. There is a lot to be taught in the way of growing and treating crops, such as coconuts, paddy, and cotton, and in industries such as weaving. If your Highness will consider the matter and let my Government know your wishes, I will make the necessary arrange- ments. Schools are of no use without good teachers, and the difficulty is to train the teachers. If we can help in any way, we shall be very glad.
His Highness: I will let you know.
His Excellency: As regards agriculture, would Your Highness like us to send an expert to advise on the growing of such crops as cotton and sugar? They might be very profitable crops. I could not definitely promise to spare an expert but I would try. Is it possible to encourage the growing of more rice; I understand that all the rice is imported?
His Highness: I will try.
His Excellency: It is very desirable for the good of the people. Do you know whether and where there is sufficient suitable land?