to consist of several coins of different descriptions, household implements, and ornaments of silver, to the weight of about 1000lbs. No report had been received of Major Mackay's approach, with the 5th division, from Trincomalee, but I calculated with confideace that he must be within two or three days' march. I had learnt by reports from Major-general Jackson, that, notwithstanding the most zealous and anxious exertions on his part, the movement of the 6th division had been retarded much beyond the appointed time, by unavoidable and insurmountable difficulties in the means of carriage; and conceiving that the strength and disposition of the troops already in the field would prove sufficient to accomplish the objects of the campaign, I addressed General Jack son on the 15th instant, counter, manding the march of the 6th division, and the return of any portion of it that might be on the march. It resulted from this situation of the troops, that the King, who was known to be in the Dessavany of Dombera, with a small number of adherents, was so environed, as to render his escape extremely difficult, and if he did succeed in getting through the pass leading to his last place of refuge, the mountains of Bintenni, Capt. Anderson, of the 19th regiment, commanding the 7th division from Batticaloa, would arrive at that point, with every probability of intercepting hin. I now made a claim on the Adikar Eheylapola, for the performance of his promise to raise the people of these provinces, so as to prevent the King's escape; and to ascertain the precise place of his retreat, to which a detachment might be sent to make him prisoner. This task the Adikar undertook with alacrity and confidence, offering to proceed to Dombera in person: dispositions were made for the proposed purpose, by preparing a detachment to accompany the Adikar, and dispatching an other to form a chain of military communication with Major Kelly's force at Haugeraukette. Every thing being thus prepared, the Adikar set out for Dombera, on the 16th, preceded by the detachment under the command of Lieutenant Mylins, of the 1st Ceylon regiment, and accompa nied by Mr. D'Oyley, who, on his arrival at Hakkeytugala, in the forenoon of the same day, found the detachment already there, and learnt that they had fallen in with a party of the King's people, and, after a sharp resistance, but without loss on our side, had killed three and wounded one, and captured a number of persons, two of whom were near relations of the King, and men of leading consequence, and almost all were related or allied to him. This account, dated the 16th, reached me on the 17th, and the same day the prisoners were sent in: when conferred with, they claimed with earnestness their connection with the East India Company's Government. The principal man, by name Mutal Sewney, made a merit of having received presents and marks of distinction from the gentlemen in authority under the Presidency of Madras. Being asked as to the King's hiding place, and the force along with him, he said, it was several days since he had seen him: he was then in Dombera; he could not say if he continued in the same place, but if not, he could only go to Bintenine; that his Court was in a great measure dissolved, and that there were no principal Sirdars or Chiefs remaining with him. These communications were by no means made in the tone of a willing informer, but appear to have been true. The dispersion of the Court we had every reason to believe, as on that and on the following day, several Naykars (as they are called) or relations of the King surrendered themselves. In so far also as regarded the King's place of retreat, the account of the prisoner agreed with the daily reports received from Mr. D'Oyley, who represented him to be still in Dombera, but did not venture to flatter himself or me, that he could succeed in at once cutting him off from escaping to the mountains. His letter of the 18th stated, that the King had fled from his last known place of halting, and that the inhabitants of two villages had appeared, and promised to co-operate in searching for him. The latest report that Mr. D'Oyley could then communicate was, that the King was concealed in a forest about a league and a half from Fildinya, and he had sent a detachment to endeavour to intercept him. On the 19th in the morning, I had the satisfaction to know, by a letter from Mr. D'Oyley of the same date, that the King was in our hands: he had been surrounded the preceding evening in the precincts of Medda Maha Nuwera (the place from whence he was reported to have fled) by the people of Dombera, in conjunction with some armed Kandayans, sent by Eheylapola Adikar, and taken prisoner, with two of his wives, in the house of an Aratchy (a subordinate Headman) at a place called Gallehewatte, about a mile beyond Medda Maha Nuwera. His two remaining wives and his mother were known to be at Hanweylle, a short distance off, and being sent for, with conveyances and an escort, were brought to Fildinya. I have since learnt, that the few Malabar attendants remaining with the King, made some resistance, and wounded one of the assailants, on which the party retired a few paces, and fired upon the house; that the King then came out and delivered himself up. It further appears, that his pursuers bound him and reviled him, and I fear plundered him of some articles of value. As no regular troops or any British officer were present, it was impossible to give full relief; such of the clothes as could be recovered, were returned. The Adikar claims, and with seeming justice, considering the sentiments he must entertain towards the King, some merit in having, by strict orders, saved his life; and great probability arises from what did pass, that nothing less than high authority could have induced them to spare him. In another view, this is one of the many facts which concur to shew the feelings of the people towards him (exemplified in this his favourite province) to be, when divested of the ter rors rors of tyrannical power, no other than those of hatred and contempt. Besides the property taken by Major Kelly, further captures, to a considerable amount, have been made, and information has been received of many places where more treasure is is hid. ! In a military view, the resistance, and consequently the danger, has been comparatively trifling, but it would be the highest injustice to estimate, by the inadequate opportunities which have presented themselves, what might have been achieved if the occasion had called forth the full exertions of the troops. Of fatigue and hardship of weather, they have had considerable trials, the roads being indescribably rugged, with frequent interruptions both of mountains and morass, and every difficulty that marching can possibly admit. These, however, with the dispiriting addition of frequent rain, only served to display their ardour, which no obstacles, no discouragements could subdue. But that for which I hold myself principally indebted to the army, which I have had the honour and good fortune to command in this undertaking, is, their orderly behaviour, and abstaining from all acts of plunder, violence, and irregularity. They have, in consequence, been every where received by the Chiefs and inhabitants with unfeigned welcome, assisted with supplies and means of carriage, and their camps frequented by all classes of the natives with extraordinary freedom and familiarity. Your Lordship will readily perceive the happy tendency of this kind of behaviour, in encouraging and propagating that confidence, on the part of the inhabitants of these provinces, in the justice and moderation of his Majesty's government, and the protection of his arms, which served to invite and attach them to the cause in which they were engaged, and led, under Providence, to a conquest, the attempting of which has in former instances proved so fatal, as to leave terrific lessons of caution and forbearance to future, invaders; an enterprize which, I have no hesitation in saying, could not, with any common prudence, have been entered upon, except with the most credible assurances of the concurring wishes of the Chiefs and people, nor could ever have been brought to a successful issue without their acquiescence and aid. The army has enjoyed in a very surprising degree the blessings of health. Our returns of sick are much below the number which might be expected in the same force, stationed in any of the garrisons of the colony. I am now occupied in returning to their former stations such parts of the troops as will not be required to remain for the maintenance of the British government in the interior. I am not yet prepared to present to your Lordship any connected view of the complicated and important considerations, of a political and civil nature, which arise out of this great change: these I shall therefore reserve for a separate dispatch, and conclude the present with soliciting your Lordship to do me the honour of presenting presenting to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, the expression of my humble congratulations in being enabled, by the speedy and happy issue of a campaign, ending with the unparalleled good fortune of not losing a single life, to tender for his Royal Highness's acceptance, the duties of a new and industrious hardy race of people, and the possession of a territory bountifully endowed with natural gifts, and requiring only the blessings of a just government, and an equitable administration of justice, and the indulgent care and countenance of a humane and gracious Prince. I consider the circumstances which have taken place to be of so much national interest and importance, as to warrant my entrusting them to the care of a confidential staffofficer. My son, Major Brownrigg, Deputy Adj.-General to this army, will therefore have the honour of delivering this dispatch, and as he has a perfect knowledge of all the occurrences of our short campaign, he is enabled to afford such information as your Lordship may be pleased to require of him. He will be charged with the banner or standard of Candy, to be laid, with my most respectful duty, at the feet of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. From the Ceylon Government Gazette Extraordinary, March 6, 1815. OFFICIAL BULLETIN. British Head-quarters, Candy, March 2. This day a solemn conferrence was held in the Audience Hall of the Palace of Candy, between his Excellencythe Governor and Commander of the forces on behalf of his Majesty, and of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, on the one part, and the Adikars, Dessaves, and other principal Chiefs of the Candian provinces on the other part, on behalf of the people, and in presence of the Mohottalles, Coraals, Vidaans, and other subordinate headmen from the different provinces, and a great concourse of inhabitants. A public instrument of treaty, prepared in conformity to conditions previously agreed on, for establishing his Majesty's government in the Canadian provinces, was produced and publicly read in English and Cingalese, and unanimously assented to. The British flag was then, for the first time, hoisted, and the establishment of the British dominion in the interior was announced by a royal salute from the cannon of the city. All the troops present in this garrison were under arms on the occasion of this important event. By his Excellency's command. JAMES SUTHERLAND, Dep. Sec. OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CANDIAN PROVINCES. Led by the invitation of the Chiefs, and welcomed by the acclamation of the people, the forces of his Britannic Majesty have entered the Candian territory, and penetrated to the capital. Divine Providence has blessed their efforts with uniform and complete success-the Ruler of the interior provinces provinces has fallen into their hands, and the government remains at the disposal of his Majesty's representative. In this sacred charge, it is his earnest prayer, that the Power which has vouchsafed thus far to favour the undertaking, may guide his councils to a happy issue, in the welfare and prosperity of the people, and the honour of the British empire. Under circumstances far different from any which exist in the present case, it would be a duty, and a pleasing one, to favour the re-establishment of a fallen Prince, if his dominion could be fixed on any principles of external relation compatible with the rights of the neighbouring government, or his internal rule in any reasonable degree reconciled to the safety of his subjects. But the horrible transactions of the fatal year 1803, forced upon the recollection by many local circumstances, and by details unknown before; the massacre of 150 sick soldiers lying helpless in the hospital of Candy, left under the pledge of public faith, and the no less treacherous murder of the whole British garrison commanded by Major Davie, which had surrendered on a promise of safety, impress upon the Governor's mind an act of perfidy unparalleled in civilized warfare, and an awful lesson recorded in characters of blood against the momentary admission of future confidence, while the obstinate rejection of all friendly overtures, repeatedly made during the intermission of hostilities, has served to evince an implacable animosity, destructive of the hope of a sincere reconciliation. Of this animosity, a daring instance was exhibited, in the unprovoked and barbarous mutilation of ten innocent subjects of the British Government, by which seven of the number lost their lives-a measure of defiance calculated, and apparently intended, to put a final negative to every probability of friendly intercourse. If, therefore, in the present reverse of his fortunes and condition, it may be presumed the King would be found more accessible to negociation than in former times, what value could be set on a consent at variance with the known principles of his reign; or what dependence placed on his observance of conditions which he has hitherto so perseveringly repelled? Still less could the hope for a moment be entertained, that any conditions of safety were capable of being established on behalf of the inhabitants, who had appealed to his Majesty's Government for protection, and yet more hopeless the attempt to obtain pardon or safeguard for the Chiefs, who had deemed it a duty paramount to every other obligation, to become the medium of that appeal. How far their complaints have been groundless, and their opposition licentious, or, on the contrary, their grievances bitterly and intolerably real, may now be judg ed by facts of unquestionable authenticity. The wanton destruction of human life comprises or implies the existence of general oppression. In conjunction with that, proofs of the exercise of tyranny no other require |