CHAPTER X.
 

  WHAT THE PLANTING INDUSTRY HAS DONE FOR CEYLON.



Population doubled—Revenue quadrupled—Trade expanded sixteen to

   twenty fold—Employment afforded to Natives—An El Dorado for

   the Indian immigrant—Coffee in the past, as Tea in the future, the

   mainstay  of the Island—The Material Progress in the Planting

   Districts.



     HAT British capital and the planting enterprise have

      done for Ceylon would  require an  essay in itself to

describe adequately.   In 1837,  when the pioneer coffee

planters began work, Ceylon  was a mere military depen¬

dency,  with a revenue  amounting to £372,000, or less

than the expenditure, costing the mother-country a good

round sum every year, the total population not exceeding

one  and  a half million, but requiring well-nigh  6000

British and native troops to keep the peace.

  Now we have  the population increased to over  three

millions, with only about 1000 troops, largely paid for  out

of a revenue averaging £1,500,000, and a people far better

housed, clothed,  and fed, better educated and  cared  for

in every way.  The total import and  export trade since

planting began has expanded from half a million sterling

in value to from eight to ten millions sterling, according

to the  harvests.   During the fifty-five years referred  to

some  forty to fifty millions sterling have been paid away

in  wages  earned  in  connection  with plantations   to

Kandyan  axemen, Tamil  coolies.  Sinhalese carpenters,

domestic servants, and carters.  A great proportion of this

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