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 is projected from Colombo to Negombo, from Avisawella to Ratnapura, and possibly from Banderawella to Fassara. The returns for 1904 show that the total trade of the Colony amounted to 2,064¼ lacs of rupees. Taking the two periods 1895 and 1904, the figures are as follows:

These figures show how rapidly the trade with foreign countries is increasing. Ceylon possesses two splendid harbours, Trincomalie and Colombo, and a fine harbour at Galle, the great port of exchange between the ancient East and West, which might by a comparatively small expenditure become once more a great port to satisfy the exigencies of the expanding trade with the Far East. Colombo is an artificial harbour enclosing over 600 acres. Trincomalie is one of the best natural harbours in the world. It is now abandoned as a naval station, but one day the Indian Government may see the utility of securing the advantage of the only harbour on the western shores of the Bay of Bengal south of Calcutta by constructing a railway over Adam's Bridge to connect with a Ceylon line from Manaar to Trincomalie, in which event the latter would become the principal port for Eastern trade with Southern India.

To those who contemplate the investment of capital