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22

Enclosure 4 in No. 22.

[Published as enclosure 3 in No. 8 in [Cd. 8167] with the exception of the following

*

*

note.]

Note. Mr. Fraser states that he has assessed the damage done in the Colombo district at four million rupees in round figures, and he has added two million rupees to cover costs. Taking the number of villages where damage has been done at three hundred, he calculates the amount to be collected from each at Rs. 20,000, and he is actually taking indemnity bonds to cover compensation, etc., from each village to the extent of Rs. 40,000.

Enclosure 7 in No. 22.

THE LATE DISTURBANCES--PROMULGATION OF FIELD GENERAL COURTS MARTIAL—

Held at Weke on 17th-18th June, 1915. PRISONER, Don Carolis Samarasinghe, Vidane Arachche of Welgama Peruwa. Charges, (1) treason; (2) riotously demolishing buildings. The prisoner was found guilty. Sentence, death.

Prisoners, (1) Weligama Appuhamilage Carolis Perera Wijeratna Gurunanse, of Malwana; (2) Alutgama Arachchige Don Peiris, P.V. of Pahala Mapitigama; (3) Gangodawillage Noria Perera, P.V. of Malwana; (4) Don Paulu Apachchige David Silva, ex P.V. of Titanatara. Charges, (1) treason; (2) riotously demolishing buildings. The four prisoners were found guilty. Sentence, death (in each case).

Prisoners, (1) Don Joronis Amarakoon, P.V. of Biyagama, No. 280; (2) Wijese kera Weerasinghe Siriwardene Peter Saram, of Biyagama; (3) Kadawatpedige Vaiya Veda of Yabraluwa. Charges, (1) treason, (2) riotously demolishing build- ings. The three prisoners were found guilty. Sentence, death (in each case).

Prisoner, Alahakoonge Don Franciscu Appuhamy, alias Biyagama Gurunanse. Charges, (1) treason; (2) riotously demolishing buildings. The prisoner was found guilty. Sentence, death.

The Officer Commanding the Troops has directed that the above capital sen- tences shall not be executed until an opportunity has been afforded to His Excellency the Governor in Executive Council to consider whether the clemency of the Crown shall be exercised in each case.

Prisoner, Witan Arachchige Don Carolis Gunasekera Appuhamy, of Walgama. Charge, (1) riotously demolishing buildings. The prisoner was found guilty. Sen- tence, penal servitude for life.

Prisoner, Kanatte Kankanamalage Deonis Perera, of Pahala Mapitigama. Charge, (1) riotously demolishing buildings. The prisoner was found guilty. Sen- tence, penal servitude for life.

Prisoners, (1) Gangodawila Appuhamilage Pedrick Perera; (2) Nalawatuge Suetan de Silva Appuhamy; (9) Rajapaksa Senadirige Dom Emis Appuhamy. Charge, (1) riotously demolishing buildings. The three prisoners were found guilty. Sentences, penal servitude for life (in each case).

Prisoners, (1) Nalawatuge Mendis de Silva, of Pabala Mapitigama; (2) Gango- dawila Appuhamilage Girigoris Perera, of Pahala Mapitigama. Charge, (1) riotously demolishing buildings. The two prisoners were found guilty. Sentence, penal servitude for life (in each case).

33884

No. 23.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 22nd July, 1915.)

[Copy to War Office, 29th July, 1915. Secret. L.F.]

[Published, except portions here printed, as No. 9 in [Cd. 8167], January, 1916.]

(Confidential.)

SIR,

The Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 1st July, 1915.

In continuation of my Confidential despatch of the 24th of June,* Í have the

* No. 15.

honour to forward a copy of an extract from the diary of the Director of Agriculture for May with regard to the riots in Kandy and its suburbs.

*

•

I have, &c.,

ROBERT CHALMERS,

Enclosure 1 in No. 23.

Governor, &c.

EXTRACT FROM THE DIARY of the DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE. 28TH MAY, Wesak.-Holiday. To dinner with Judge and Mrs. Shaw at Kandy in the evening, and after dinner went round the town to see the illuminations of the Wesak (Buddhist Xmas). Took Mrs. Shaw in my car. Afterwards to Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan's (Government Agent), where a large party assembled to see the procession. Miss Shaw and I went down into the crowd in the Temple grounds; groups of women and children sitting contentedly in front of little temples and dagobas, all illuminated, evidently prepared to spend the night in the beautiful moonlight. We remarked on the orderliness of everything and of the unfelt influence exerted over the people by British rule; very different from German. Pushed our way into the Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth) to watch the principal elephant receive on his back the jewelled casket containing the tooth. They also adorned him with a pair of false tusks with silver coverings. We watched the procession of seven elephants, escorted by tom-toms, dancing men, and flaring torches, start, and then cut across to the corner of Trincomalie and Pavilion Streets, taking up our stand on some steps in front of a Moorman's shop, though we did not notice at the time it was a Moorman's. As the procession approached with its cheering crowd the Moorman hastily put up his shutters and disappeared inside. When the procession had passed we slipped across the road and returned to the party at the old palace to watch it pass again. About 11 took Judge and Mrs. Shaw home; Corlett also in car. We turned down Colombo Street to see one of the carol wagons and made our way in the car yard by yard through the dense crowd of people, who were quite good natured. We were recognized and welcomed and the carols sang to us. Returned to Peradeniya. 29th May, Riot.--Hear a riot broke out in Kandy last night after we left. It is said that the carol singers had agreed to stop singing while passing the new mosque in Castle Street, but the crowd was so great that the police asked them not to pass the mosque at all, so they turned back. At this some Moormen outside the mosque jeered and hooted, as if they had bested the Buddhists after all. So the latter returned, attacked the Moormen, and wrecked the mosque, going on to attack their shops.

30th May, Riot.-Last night the rioting reached Gatembe, a village a mile from here in the direction of Kandy. The street littered with piles of burning loot and ashes. The village mosque burned out. In the afternoon a deputation of Moormen to ask for protection. At 5 to Kandy and inquired of sergeant on the way what protection he can give Gatembe Moormen; says none at present but he has applied for eleven more constables"; he has four. On to Kandy. Heard it was a seething mob of rioters, but not the case. Represented Gatembe case to Government Agent. Drove through town. From Trincomalie Street saw a mob chasing a Moorman who appeared and who was running for his life. Blows with hands and sticks sped him to shelter. After church drove through town again. Street corners picketed with Punjabi troops and all quiet. A dead city. Held up on way back to Peradeniya by a special constable (Long Price) and Punjabi picket. Gatembe's need; also if he wanted more help to call upon us at Peradeniya. On Told Long Price of reaching home find our village Eriyagama across the bridge aflame.

Take my Webley-Scott automatic and rifle and go there in car. Mob had left village and I heard it howling in the distance. Decided I could do nothing by myself and returned to bungalow.

About 10.30 three constables from the Gatembe Station asking for help to proceed to Peradeniya Junction, about one-and-a-half miles, which was being sacked. Summoned Macmillan, Bryce, and Parsons; we took our rifles, and with the three constables set off in the car, Perera driving. Peradeniya Junction looted and piles of wreckage burning in street; some shops also gutted. Mob had passed on. saw one or two shadowy figures bolt as we arrived, and arrested one man, but let him We

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