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III. ASIA.

CEYLON.

Constitution and Government.

The present form of government of Ceylon was established by Letters Patent of April 1831, and supplementary orders of March 1833. According to the terms of this constitution, the administra- tion is in the hands of a Governor, aided by an Executive Council of five members; viz. the Officer Commanding the Troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Queen's Advocate, the Treasurer, and the Auditor-General; and a. Legislative Council of 15 members, in- cluding the members of the Executive Council, four other office- holders, and six unofficial members.

Governor of Ceylon. — Sir Hercules G. R. Rolinson, Knt., for- merly in the 87th Fusiliers ; subsequently, 1846-53, a member of the Irish Poor-law Board ; appointed President of Montserrat, 1854; Lieutenant-Governor of 'St. Christopher, 1855; Governor of Hong-Kong, 1859. Appointed Governor of Ceylon, 1864.

The Governor has a salary of 7,000/., and the Colonial Secretary 2,000/.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The public revenue and expenditure of the colony, in each of the eight years 1861 to 1868, was as follows' —

Years

Revenue

Expenditure

£

&

1861

751.997

635.230

1862

759,135

626,653

1863

952,790

738,194

1864

.867,728

1,843,292

1865

.978.492

838,193

1866

962.874

•917,670

1867

969,936

•927,932

1868

925,265

■974,950

The principal sources of revenue are the customs, of an average produce of 286,000/..; licences, including the arrack monopoly, returning 150,000/.; and sales, with rents of public lands, pro- ducing together about 230,000/. per annum. The civil and judicial establishments of the colony cost nearly 300,000/., and the con-