—where the gorgeous East, with richest hand, Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.
When,
at the request of several colonists, we began to reprint the
information at our command in reference to the existence of " Gold in
Ceylon," we had no intention of travelling beyond that particular
subject or of publishing a pamphlet of more than fifty pages. By
degrees, however, information grew on our hands which appeared to have
a direct bearing on the best means of guiding prospectors to the
development of Gold and other Mining industries in Ceylon, and it
seemed a pity not to give it a place. Our attention was next called to
the importance of the Gem-digging Enterprise as carried on chiefly in
the Sabaragamuwa district; to the splendid opportunity presented for
the development of this industry by means of European capital and
appliances ; and to the fact that very little was known in England or
even among colonists here, respecting Ceylon gems or the primitive
means adopted by the Sinhalese for their discovery and collection.
To make the brochure complete,
we next resolved to reprint information respecting the Minerals and
Geology generally of the island ; giving special papers on Plumbago,
the only mineral of commercial importance so far included in our export
trade; and finally, in order to round off the list of precious things
for which Lanka and Serendib have been famous from time immemorial, we
have added the story of our " Pearl Fisheries," with all the facts and
figures at our disposal.
