CO882-(8-9) — Page 583

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

Contrat had thrown out the Bill, and ascribed their

zuhod to

(1) Heavy expenditure owing to an epaleme of

small-pos.

(2) Fears of a exelone.

Shortage of sugar crop,

While this conluet was under consideration there N. 35 curred in April, 1892, a tremendous hurricane which destroyed one-third of Port Louis, wrecked many sugar- mulls, reduced the crop by one halt, and caused enormous destruction to property and consequent terrible distress,

A. 28

The result was that Her Majesty's Government, besides guaranteeing a loan of £600,000 for relief of distress and for public works, derided, on the request of the Secretary of State, to waive the demand for the rest of the 1891 X6 35, 36 contribution and to remit such portion of the contribution an!

The Governor Enclosure for 1892 as had not already been paid. was informed accordingly by despatch of the 1st July. 1892. and reported that this further proof of solicitude laad been received with feelings of the greatest gratitude by the Enclosure Community at large.

Atter consulting Treasury and War only to ask for £15,000 in 1893, "circumstances of the Colony will

+

No. 2 m No 30 No. 39

3 A 280

No. 12 Enclosure

Office it was decided. A. 280,

but as soon as the Nos. 1. permit, the military 44, 155.

** contribution must return to the amounts already fixed

by Her Majesty's Government."

The Council votel Enclosures the money but asked, with the strong support of the in No đồ Governor, that the sum should be remitted altogether.

The Treasury, however, pointed out in February, 1893, No 48. that the well-to-do classes were not making any direct sucrifice by way of meeting the contingency; they urged that military defence ranked with the most necessary charges of the daily life of the community: and they insisted on payment of the £15,000. The Governor was

(1st March, 1893.)

so informed.

No. 490. Enclosure.

On the 29th of September, 1893, the Governor was No. 67. informed that for 1894 the amount of £30,000, as laid Enclosure. down in the Secretary of State's despatch No. 277 of the 7th of October, 1891, must be paid. In December the No. 68. Governor reported that the Council had refused to vote Enclosure more than Rs.253,000, which represented £15,000. The 1. Governor explained how much both the Council and himself regretted that in the financial position of the Colony it was impossible to meet the Secretary of State's wishes. The Treasury in May, 1894, agree to the Colonial Office proposal to instruct the Governor to bring A. 355. in a land tax Bill and to take a vote for the extra No. 71.

Enclosure £15,000.

2.

No. 74.

2.

In October, 1894, the Governor was instructed to No. 74. consider the best method of providing some new source of Enclosure

1. revenue to be raised by direct taxation either in the form necessary of a land tax or otherwise, and to introduce the Bill, and to take a vote for £15,000 as a further contri- Enclosure bution for 1894. The Council rejected the vote and the Governor supported their action. On the 15th January, No. 74. 1895, the Secretary of State told the Governor that Her Enclosure. Majesty's Government considered that £30,000 was the smallest sum which could be accepted as a fair contri- bution in part payment of the cost of the military defence of Mauritius. Before this deadlock had been removed the

A. 141.

11

194

suggestions of the Inter-Departmental Committee of 1895 had been approved, and the proposal for a percentage was accordingly made to Mauritiis.

.

III-CEYLON,

THE PERIOD TO 1890.

In 1801 the government of the maritime provinces of Ceylon was taken over from the Honourable East India Company. In the first despatch written by a Secretary of State to a Governor of Ceylon dated 13th March, 1801, it was explained that the Secretary of State could not doubt that at a period not very distant the revenues of the island will be found fully adequate to defray all its expenses, civil and military, and that a considerable overplus (which I am sanguine enough to believe will gradually reach to £100,000 per annum) will remain But in the

• disposable for the benefit of this country." menitime Mr. Secretary Dundas considered that the European troops would have to be paid for by the Imperial Government and that the revenue would not exceed "what may be necessary to raise and pay the native troops, of which I shall make mention hereafter, to defray all

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the extraordinary and contingent expenses of the military establishment, together with the whole of the civil and | judicial establishments, and to provide a fund for such improvements as may be absolutely necessary or obviously "advantageous for the advancement of agriculture and "the means of internal communication in the island."

แ

In a despatch of 8th February, 1803, Lord Hobart urged the necessity of immediate measures for retrenchment and said that he would be glad to recommend to His Majesty "when the accounts P. p. 12. the Governor's plans for public works,

Thef

A. 1901,

page v.

Part. 2.

Para. 3.

Ibid.,

para, I.

Thud., paras. 5

and 6.

Ibid., para. 8.

"of your Government shall show that you are enabled to "make the necessary provision for the charges of the civil "and military departments."

And in 1821 Lord Bathurst remarked that for some years past His Majesty's Government had been anxious to render Ceylon's resources available for the relief of the mother country by ultimately transferring to the Colonial establishment those military charges which had up to that period been provided exclusively by Parliament.

It was thus the declared intention that the Colony should pay for its garrison though the Colony, of course, in those days had no voice in the matter.

Up to 1819, when the Kingdom of Kandy was finally conquered, a large force had to be maintained at great expense. In 1815 the military expenditure absorbed about £227,000 out of a revenue of about £285,000 and in 1819, when Kandy revolted and was subdued, the revenue was £328,000 and the military expenditure £255,000. The garrison between these years varied from 9,504 to 6,912 of all ranks.

After the rebellion the garrison and expenditure were largely reduced, but in 1832 the garrison was still 3,732, and the expenditure about £216,000, of which the Colony paid half, while the revenue was £369,000.

Up to 1837 the Home Government bore the pay and allowances of the British troops, including home charges effective and non-effective, while Ceylon paid for local charges for supply, transport, barracks, works, and the pay of local corps.

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