MARSHALL'S CEYLON.
ALTHOUGH extending over too long a period and embracing too many topics to be considered as an original history, Mr. Marshall's Description and Conquest of Ceylon possesses many original traits. The author resided long in the island ; and though he draws much of his descriptive information from sources open to all geographical compilers, he testa them by his own experience, and brings professional observation with its actual knowledge to bear on several subjects. In the historical account of Ceylon, Mr. Marshall passes over the Native period altogether, and ra- pidly condenses the narrative of the Portuguese and Dutch settlements; reserving his fulneas for the English conquest of the island. And in this part he may claim the title of an original historian as well as moat men • for he served during part of the war, he was acquainted with the principa actors, he formed his own conclusions upon the subject from observation and discourse, and though he has consulted official documents and books he could read them with the living spirit. Beyond this, historical ori- ginality cannot often go ; for no man can see all which he undertakes to narrate. Another feature in the book is, that it is written to promulgate a view which appears to have been impressed by observation of the actual facts, confirmed by reading and reflection. This view is strongly against the honesty of the British policy and the honour of at least the first British Governor of the maritime provinces of Ceylon. It is as corre- spondingly favourable to the Natives and their ruler.
As regards the judgment pronounced against the British policy, Mr. Marshall's views may justly be adopted. In the dealings of civilized states with barbarian people; the civilized ever lose sight of considerate equity; setting up their own standard of public morals and usage as a test, from which they allow of no appeal, either on the score of passion, necessity, or weakness. It too often happens that civilized states go be- yond this and nakedly substitute might for right ; as we see persons in private lie conduct themselves towards inferiors in a manner they would not do to their equals. Examples of both these principles of action may be found in the history of our Indian empire—probably it consists of little else. In Ceylon, the King's Governors passed far beyond the usual bound- aries of politicians ; unrestrained by the necessity under which the Com- pany's servants labour of reducing every plan with their reasons to writing for the Directors' inspection, and unchecked by the consideration and responsibility which this process imposes. The "wit about town," the Honourable Frederick North, engaged in a series of treacherous plots with the Adikar or Prime Minister of the Court of Kandy ; the object of the British Governor being to extend the dominion of the Crown over the whole island, instead of being confined to the sea-coasts, which we had conquered from the Dutch. The Adikar apparently supported this scheme; but his views were to plunge his sovereign and his allies alike into difficulty, and then to ascend the throne himself. These nefarious designs were defeated. Overweening confidence, bad arrangements, the difficulties of the country, the sickly Reason, and a want of promptitude, foresight, decision, and resource, in Major Davie, the Commandant of Kandy, led to the destruction or retreat of the British forces ; the higher authorities disapproved of the of Mr. North ; and the treacherous Adikar eventually lost his head. Eheylapola, his successor, having en- gaged in intrigues against his sovereign, or being suspected of them, took refuge in Colombo ; where he was favourably received by General Brown, rigg, the Governor. Some alleged affronts were made the plea for another war. Profiting by the failure of the former attempt, the Governor made preparations on a more extended scale ; and the plan of campaign, under the suggestions of Eheylapola, was better adapted to the nature of the country, and to the great object, the capture of' the King. The advance of' the troops was assisted by the treachery of the new Minister ; and the Monarch, betrayed by somebody, was captured in a house where he had taken refuge. A proclamation declared that his crimes had forfeited the crown ; and, jumping over the rights of his successors or the Kandyan people, declared that "the government remained at the disposal of hie [Britannic] Majesty's representatives." The farce of a treaty or agree- ment was gone through with a national convention of nobles and head men ; the sovereignty was assumed by the British ; and was only once disturbed by a general insurrection, without concert or plan which was suppressed after the country had been ravaged and many of the nobility destroyed.
In his (rather indirect and implied) censures of the British Government in Ceylon, most persons will go with Mr. Marshall. Mr. North is found treacherously tampering with the minister of a sovereign with whom we were in alliance, and only not sanctioning a project for his assassina- tion: General Brownrigg precipitates a war on insufficient grounds, and then in true Jacobinical or Bonapartist fashion, decrees the throne for- feited, not only by its occupant but all other claimants. And these crimes, seem to have been gratuitous, since events must have breught about the fall of the Kandyan monarchy, had the Governors possessed corn prehensima enough to see into the future, and patience to wait. Mr. Marshall's defence of the Natives is sophistical and unsuccessful. The massacreof the sick in
the hospital at Kandy, and of the survivors of Davie's force, cannot be justi- fied by references to practices in classical times or the middle ages, or the conduct of Bonaparte at Jaffa. It may be the nature of the Kandyans, as venom is the nature of the serpent; but we do not like it nevertheless. Equally unsuccessful is the attempt to defend the horrible executions of the Kandyan Monarch by a reference to the barbarous punishments for- merly practised in Europe, or by the English law of treason. Here is a sample of Kandy= usage, in the execution of the innocent family of Eheylapola, after that Minister had absconded. " The brother of Eheylapola, having been suspected of misprision of treason, was executed, as were also his wife and Eheylapolit's wife and children. The latter
e were broulht from prison, and delivered over to the executioners in front of the palace. Having uttered some noble sentiments of devotion respecting her hus- band, this high-minded woman desired her eldest son to submit to his fate. By one blow with a sword, the boy was decapitated: the head was then thrown into a rice-mortar, and a pestle put into the mother's hand, with which she was ordered to pound it. The threat of giving her and her relations to be defiled by the Rhodias had the effect of supporting her fortitude to suffer any infliction. In this resolution, it is said, she was encouraged by the chief who superintended the execution; and who, being a relation of her husband, at the risk of his life re- minded her of the disgrace that would be brought on her family by seeming to accept such terms. But this noble lady did not require any encouragement, hav- ing displayed the most astonishing fortitude throughout this fearful trial. The wretched woman lifted the pestle, and let it fall. The other children were deca- pitated in succession, and treated in the same manner. Dr. Davy informs us that the eldest boy was eeven years old, and the second nine years: he mentions the circumstances attending the execution of two other children, but does not speci- fically state the number of children who were put to death on this occasion. The late Mr. Tolfrey alleges that there were five children in all, and that the eldest was a lad eighteen 'ears of age. General Brownrigg, in his official declaration of the settlement ot the Kandyan provinces, speaks of 'four infant children'; from which it may be presumed that 11r. Tolfrey had been misinformed regarding the number of the children who were on this occasion executed, and the age of the eldest. The mother, and three other females, were then led to the Bogamborawa tank, in the neighbourhood of Kandy, and there drowned."
In denouncing the war of devastation by the British against the Kandyans, Mr. Marshall will receive more popular sympathy ; but the question is not so easily settled. War from its very nature is a state of violence, and in all cases it becomes a nice point whether "moderate measures" do not in the long run increase the sum of human misery by prolongation. Where war is carried on in a woody mountainous country and with a half-civilized people, the forces are national. Every man, by acting as an irregular, or quitting his house and carrying off his property, becomes an enemy, and an enemy of the kind most difficult to deal with, as be is not recognizable by arms or uniform. Hence, in such eases, the war, to be successfully prosecuted, must be indiscriminate and devastating. The true censure is less against the mode of waging it than against wa- ging it all, could hostilities have been avoided. This Kandyan warfare, however, was indeed terrible ; and the example might teach us to be less censorious towards other nations in similar circumstances. Here is a pas- sage from Mr. Marshall's experience.
Shortly after the troops had encamped, a messenger from a Native chief waited upon Major Hook, having been sent to inform him where the men who had been firing upon the division intended to retire to during the night, and to volunteer to conduct a detachment of our troops to attack them. Major Hook was much puzzled to know how to act in regard to this message. He dreaded perfidy, and the danger to which a detachment might be exposed upon the ser- vice in question. He, however, finally determined to send a detachment of Ma- laya and Sepoys, under the command of a captain and a subaltern, to surprise the Kandyan post, which was about five miles from the camp. Accordingly, a little before midnight, the detachment, with the guide, left the camp. The enemy's sentry was found asleep, and promptly secured; by which means, the British troops were able to surround the house occupied by the Kandyans, before they were aware of their approach. The doors being shut and strongly barricaded, it was deemed expedient by the officer who commanded the party to set the thatch on fire, and to surround the house with his men. To escape from the flames, the Kandyans rushed out, and were met by a hedge of bayonets, through which they endeavoured to pass. The number of men in the house was stated to be about seventy or seventy-five; but how many perished in the flames, or were killed or wounded by the bayonet, was not ascertained. Major Hook, who did not by any means approve of the captain's conduct, reported the circumstance officially to head-quarters, exactly as it occurred. It is an observation of Bonaparte, that 'men should be firm in heart and in purpose, or they should have nothing to do with war or with government'; and every day's experience confirms the truth of the remark. He who aspires to conquest, must not scruple in regard to the price of blood which success requires. In the conduct of war, troops usually consider the cause justifiable and that all the measures which may appear to them neces- sary to the end are justifiable also. "Next morning, the writer of this sketch visited the scene of slaughter, and brought away the wounded to the camp, for the purpose of their receiving medical assistance."
We cannot escape the law of consequences ; and the generation which permits or encourages such things is itself liable to suffer according to its guilt. See the sort of citizens that the warfare forms.
"Human character is greatly formed from human employment. The result of example and practice, in training the human mind to regard with indifference, and even to sanction acts of great inhumanity, is almost incredible. When I am discharged,' said a private of the Nineteenth Regiment in the hearing of an officer, I intend to become a highwayman; for one thing,' said he, 'after what I have seen in Kandy, taking the life of a man will give me no concern: "
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