ion in factories
and stores, in Colombo or on the plantations, of the several products
exported. The manufacture of jewellery and preparation of precious
stones, and, among native women and children, of pillow lace, give
employment to several thousands. Iron and engineering works are
numerous in Colombo and in the planting districts. The Sinhalese are
skilful cabinetmakers and carpenters. The Moormen and Tamils furnish
good masons and builders.

_Commerce._--There has been rapid development since 1882, and the
returns for 1903 showed a total value of 22-1/2 millions sterling. The
principal imports were articles of food and drink (chiefly rice from
India) manufactured metals (with specie), coal, cotton yarns and piece
goods from Manchester, machinery and millwork and apparel. The Ceylon
customs tariff for imports is one of 6-1/2% _ad valorem_, save in the
case of intoxicating drinks, arms, ammunition, opium, &c. The chief
export is tea.

_Roads._--The policy of the Sinhalese rulers of the interior was to
exclude strangers from the hill country. Prior to the British
occupation of the Kandyan territory in 1815, the only means of access
from one district to another was by footpaths through the forests. The
Portuguese do not appear to have attempted to open up the country
below the hills, and the Dutch confined themselves to the improvement
of the inland water-communications. The British government saw from
the first the necessity of making roads into the interior for military
purposes, and, more recently, for developing the resources of the
country. The credit of opening up the country is due mainly to the
governor, Sir Edward Barnes, by whose direction the great military
road from Colombo to Kandy was made. Gradually all the military
stations were connected by broad tracks, which by degrees were bridged
and converted into good carriage roads. The governors Sir Henry Ward
and Sir Hercules Robinson recognized the importance of giving the
coffee planters every assistance in opening up the country, and the
result of their policy is that the whole of the hill country is now
intersected by a vast number of splendid roads, made at a cost of
upwards of L2000 per mile. In 1848 an ordinance was passed to levy
from every adult male in the colony (except Buddhist priests and
British soldiers) six days' labour on the roads, or an equivalent in
money. The labour