GOLD IN CEYLON.
We now proceed to reprint all that appeared on the subject of " Gold in Ceylon" and connected topics, in the Observer of 1854:—
(From the Colombo Observer, March 2, 1854.)
To
crown all, there are rumours afloat that some experienced Australian
diggers have been- prospecting not far from Colombo and have discovered
a regular "Table" of Gold. We receive this rumour with great caution.
Gold distributed in dust or flakes • exists in Ceylon as it does
wherever there is quartz : but, well peopled as this country has been
for ages, and thoroughly searched for precious stones, we scarcely
think that nuggets or masses of gold conld have escaped discovery.
Nothing is impossible however, and deep digging may reveal what surface
explorers, practical and scientific, have sought for in vain.
(From the Colombo Observer, March 9, 1854.)
We
are bound to state that all the information we have received since our
last tends towards the probability of a discovery of gold, although it
will be well to reserve implicit credence to the statements made until
the report of the Superintendent of Police, who is proceeding to the
spot has been obtained. It appears that some of the men engaged in
navigating the ship " Faithful " had been diggers in Australia. On
their arrival here, six of them asked Capt. Manning for a few days'
leave to go "prospecting," under the firm conviction, looking at the
features of the country, that Gold existed. The leave was granted, and
it would appear that the men journeyed along the Kandy road to the 32nd
mile stone, then striking away to the left. It would seem that this
brought them to the bed of the Maha Oya on the borders of the Hapitigam
Korale, just within the boundary of the Western Province, where it
joins the district of Kurunegala. Here they commenced at once to -wash
the quartzy sand by the aid of a simple wicker appliance known amongst
the diggers as a '* Tom." The immediate result, according to two of the
men who returned to Colombo to report was, that Gold dust was found in
quantity not only to repay the labour of washing, but to justify the
assertion that the discovery would make Ceylon a rich country. The Gold
dust was brought to Colombo, and the result of various tests to which
it was subjected at the Medical Store is a decision that it is pure
gold. The remaining question then of course was, " Did this gold come
originally from Australia and were the sailors hoaxing." The
only means as yet available to set this question at rest has been a
close examination of the two men who returned and we are informed that
the result of such an examination has been very much in their favour.
They gave the fullest and most candid account of all their proceedings
and, appeared quite pleased at the idea of the Superintendent of Police
accompanying them to where they had left their four companions at work.
In a few days, therefore, Mr. MacCartney's report to Government will
set this important question at rest, deciding that Ceylon is to "
hasten slowly" in her career of coffee and coconut planting, or setting
our friends, the planters, quaking in their shoes at the prospect of
the great though temporary dislocation of all existing relations of
labour, capital and enterprise which must ensue as the precursors of
the period when Ceylon shall rapidly rise to the dignity of a nation
teeming with a wealthy people and traversed in every direction by Roads and Railways and Electric Telegraphs. Great revolutions are occurring in the earth, and why should not the ancient
