CHAPTER  III.
 

           SOCIAL PROGRESS  IN  THE CENTURY.



Population—Buildings—Postal and Telegraphic Services—Savings Banks

   —Banking and Currency—Police  and Military Defence—Medical

   and Educational Achievements—Laws and Crime.



    HAVING thus  described  more particularly  the  vast

     change effected in British  times by the  construction

of communications  all over  the island,  we  must  touch

briefly on  the evidences  of  social progress given in our

table (pages 9, 10).

  The .increase in  population  speaks  for itself.  It  is

very difficult,  however, to arrive, at a correct estimate  of

what the population was at the  beginning of the century,

as the  Dutch  could have  no  complete returns, not having

any  control  over the Kandyan  provinces.    The  first

attempt at accurate  numbering  was in 1824, by  Governor

Barnes, and the result was a total of 851,440, or, making

allowance  for  omissions   due   to the  hiding  of people

through fear of taxation, etc., say about a million of both

sexes and all ages.   As regards  the  large estimate of the

ancient population  of Ceylon  located  in the northern,

north-central,  and eastern districts,  now almost  entirely

deserted, we are by  no means inclined,  with  the recollec¬

tion of the famous essay on the  " Populousness of Ancient

Nations," to accept the estimates published by Sir Emerson

Tennent and other enthusiastic writers.   There can be no

doubt, however, that a very considerable population found

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