Notice
is hereby given to all whom it may concern, that the Superintendent of
Police has received instructions not to allow any persons to dig or
excavate, or to carry on any mining operations under whatsoever name or
pretext, with the exception of the seven individuals already so engaged
with the cognizance of Government, and of any others that may hereafter
be specially licensed for that purpose.
By His Excellency's command,
Colonial Secretary's Office,
C. J. MacCarthy,
Colombo, 14th March 1854.
Colonial Secretary.
We
have good reason to believe that the object of the Government in
issuing this Proclamation was not to discourage enterprise, but to
prevent confusion and disorder. Nevertheless, we think it ill-judged
and premature. At first sight the planters may be inclined to view it
as framed in their interest, but it bears another aspect. The issue of
a formal and solemn Proclamation by the Government will be by the
natives regarded as an " en-dorsation" by Government of the rumours
that a really valuable discovery has been made, and m?y increase the
prevailing exitement and the desire to quit steady employment.
Government cannot possibly have meant to interfere with the search for
precious stones or the operation of digging for plumbago, and yet the
Proclamtion seems to prohibit both these pursuits.
Ancient and Modern Notices of Gold in Ceylon.
We
alluded in our last to the mention of gold-yielding villages and gold
mines in some of the old native records. Further information on this
head is embodied in the following Supplement which Mr. Skeen has
attached to the Ceylon Almanac :—
Gold and Pearls.
In
connection with the discovery of gold in Ceylon, and the alleged
existence Of a Pearl Bank off Mount Lavinia, the following information
may perhaps be of interest:—
Gold
is found only in the native or metallic state, but is generally more or
less alloyed with silver, in proportions varying from a fraction to 72
per cent. When pure, its specific gravity is icj'25.
It
is found sometimes in brilliant crystallized grains, but more generally
in small irregular lumps or grains in veins of quarU or calcspar. It is
also obtained from beds of micaceous specular iron, in the form of
spangles; in decomposing blende, arnd amongst iron pyrites. It is,
however, far more abundant in the sand of rivers, and in the alluvial
deposits of loose gravel, sand and mud, which in many regions are
spread over all other strata.
In
the East, Borneo, Sumatra, and many other islands of the Indian
Archipelago, as well as Cochin China and Siam, are known to possess
productive gold mines. Of the productiveness of the Ceylon gold
washings little can as yet be stated; but it has long been known to the
natives that gold was procurable; and by the kindness of L. de Soyza,
Esq., Mudaliyar in the translator's department of the Colonial
Secretary's Office, the subjoined extracts from two ancient Sinhalese
works on the geography and products of the Island are made public.
From
these works, entitled Kadayimpotta, it appears that formerly the whole
Island was divided into three great Provinces, called Maya Rata, * Pihiti Rata,t and Kuhunu RataX- These were sub-divided, Maya Rata
*
Maya Rota, bouuded on the north by ihe Dedaru Ova; on tbe east by the
Hahaweligangs and the mountains: on the south by the Kaluganga; and on
the west by the sea.
f
Pihiti Rata, bounded on the west, north, and east by the sea; on the
south by the Mahweliganga and Dedura Oya rivers; it was also sometimes
called Raja Rata, as the ancient Capitals were situated in it.
{
Ruhunu Rata, bounded on the west and north by the ftlahaweiiganga and
KaJoganga (or Kalutara) rivers; and on the east ajid south by One sea
Tbe jajpimtamotts portion of it was lallfd Malayaa Rata.
