20 CEYLON AND ITS ADMINISTRATION.

signs of progress and becoming common means of transport
in Ceylon side by side with the antiquated bullock cart with
its thatched tent, slowly grinding wheels, and the strange
ejaculations addressed to the oxen by the scantily clad Jehu,
and the still more primitive but still existing strings of
“tavalams’ ‘or pack bullocks, each with two bags of rice or salt
dependent, pannier-wise, from its back, which always “take
the wall” and leave to the travelling horseman the giddy
prospect of the precipice side of the mountain road.

The Port of Colombo.
Since the first Llock of the south-west breakwater of the
narbour of Colombo, the capital of Ceylon, which is situated
on the south-west coast of the Island, was laid by His
Majesty the King of Lingland (when Prince of Wales) in
1875, Colombo has become a great port of call for loading
and also for transhipping cargo for home and for distribution
from London. This breakwater, which is 4,210 feet in
length, sheltering 400 acres of water space with a depth of
30 feet at low water, was completed in 1885 at a cost of about
£700,000. Fifteen years ago almost all the lines of steamers
running from Europe to the last and to Anstralia began to
call at Colombo, both outwards and homewards; and in
consequence of the rapid increase in the use of the port it
became necessary to consider the question of increasing
the sheltered deep water area. Consequently a design was
prepared with that object in May, 1893, which contemplated
the construction of a north-east breakwater 1,000 feet in
length, extending from Mutwal Point, and of an island
breakwater 2,670 feet long. These two works have been so
arranged as to give, when completed, a northern entrance of
700 feet in width, having a depth of 34 to 30 feet at low
water, and a central entrance of 800 feet in width, having a
depth of from 39 to 40 feet at low water. "The area thus
enclosed within the harbour, when fully sheltered, will be
660 acres, which will render Colombo one of the largest
artificial harbours in the world. The memorial stone of the
new breakwaters was laid in December, 1894, by the
Governor, Sir Arthur Havelock. Not long after these designs
had been proposed it was decided to construct a graving
dock at Colombo for the use of His Majesty's ships and for
the accommodation of the numerous vessels using the port.
The first sod was cut in March, 1849, by His Excellency Sir
West Ridgeway. The length of this dock is 700 feet on floor,
the breadth being at entrance 85 feet, and the depth over the
3ill 30 feet at low water. The cost is being defrayed jointly