Letter to the King of Kandy-1

C. O. 54/40

From the Honorable Brigadier General John Wilson, Lieutenant Governor to the King of Kandy.

From the arrival of His Excellency General Maitland as Governor of His Britannick Majesty’s Territories in this Island, the troubles which then subsisted between the British Government and Your Highness*, began gradually to subside. Military Operations ceased on both sides and habits of confidence arose between the Inhabitants of the two Countries which in course of time matured into a mutual intercourse of trade.

These amicable dispositions were observed with pleasure by General Maitland, and ar Your Highness knows were encouraged by every means in his power. Numbers of the Candian (Kandyan) people resorted to every parts of the British Territories, carried oj their traffic in safety and returned with their merchandize and supplies without suffering any molestation, whatever, and altho’ no actual pacification had been declared His Excellency was willing and thought he had grounds to believe that the two Governments were approaching to a good understanding, and that the devastations of War were at an end.

But before his departure he had reason to remark an unfavourable change in the dispositions of the Court of Kandy, having received credible information that troops were assembling in different parts of the country, the headmen posted at their stations and other movements taking place such as usually were considered as a prelude to hostilities - - And since His Excellency left the Island repeated intelligence down to the present time has confirmed that warlike preparations are going on in Your Highness’s Territories with the greatest activity.

By the established Custom of Nations such measures are considered as announcing hostile intentions against the neighboring countries - - and as Your Highness’s Government can can have no object of a military expedition except against the British Dominions, and as you have declined answering General Maitland’s last letter, thereby cutting off the means of explanation, and at the same time giving countenance to the most unfavorable construction of the late proceedings. I have been laid under the necessity of adopting certain measures which I should otherwise not have thought of, in order to project the people inhabiting the limits - - I am also preparing to open a road of communication along the interior of our Horles (Korales) from Cultura (Kalutara) to Chilaw.

But in order to manifest to Your Highness that any movements of a warlike nature already adopted or about to be so on our part have no foundation in any design of attaching you, but are merely rendered necessary by the threatening appearance of your proceedings, I have determined notwithstanding the . . . . . . last dispatch remain unanswered to address you again and invite you to an amicable discussion and the motives which may have induced you to put your people in arms, solemnly disclaiming in the name of the King ny Master, any intention whatever of commencing a War of aggression against Kandy, promising also the most candid explanation of any circumstances which Your Highness may have considered as acts of grievance or alarm, and finally assuring you of my readiness to meet with mutual cordiality every disposition on your part to re-establish between our respective countries those relations of amity which lately subsisted.

I trust that these conciliatory offerds made under circumstances of no small provocation will be received by Your Highness as convincing proofs of the mnoderate and pacific views of His Majesty’s Government, and that no pernicious counsels will prevail on you to doubt the assurances to which his Majesty’s name is pledged, or to admit for a moment the supposition that the Representatives of so powerful a Monarch would propose terms of conciliation from any motives of fear.

It cannot but be well known to Your Highness that no attack can be made on the British Districs without the most severe retaliations - - that the troops already here are sufficicent for every purpose defence and are so well acquainted with the Candian (Kandyan) Country that their operations can be directed with the most fatal effect - - and that if circumstances should render it expedient to undertake the War on a more extensive scale I can receive from the Coast any number of troops that may be necessary.

From some intelligence I have received, and also from not being able to account for Your Highness’s late proceedings by any measures on our side, I am induced to suspect that our Enemies the French, conquered and almost annihiliated as they are in every part of India, have nevertheless found the means to reach Your Court with malicious representations respecting the British Government and incited you to rise up in opposition to it by fabulous promises of assistance. - - It is therefore proper and greatly for Your Highness’s interest to put upon your guard against such dangerous friends whose practice it is ruin every Country with which they form any Connexion.

A tragical insistence of their perfidy in India Your Highness no doubt has often heard of in the fall of the great Empire of Mysore and the untimely death of Tippoo Sultan slain on his own walls by the arms of the British Government whom he had been prevailed on to insult and defy, misled by the false tales of the French and deluded by idle promises of assistance which they were perfectly aware they had no power of affording.

That they have been driven successively from all their settlements in the Continent of India and the surrounding Ocean, even from their ancient and most favorite possession the Isles of France and Bourbon - - and that Batavia their last place of refuge is at this time attacked or more probably subdued by His Majesty’s Fleets and Armies Your Highness has already been informed that by the latest accounts from Europe it appears they have been equally unsuccessful there - - that they have been expelled from Spain and Portugal principally by the British Troops, and that the several nations on the Continent whom they had inveigled first into their alliance and into their power being nable any longer to endure their tyranny are combining and rising up to destroy them. Your Highness must therefore see the futility of expecting any benefit to Your country from a people who are unable to defend their own, and may be convinced that they have no object in their communications to Your Court but that of embroiling two Governments, to both of which they are equally Enemies.

In Europe where they are best known they are universally considered as the disturbers of the World and the Enemies of all Nations, sacrificing the treasures, the people and the Government of every Country where they are admitted to their own insatiable ambition or rapacity.

I am therefore hopeful that Your Highness upon mature consideration will not hesitate whether to prefer empty promises, a helpless alliance and ruinous association with people of ntheir description or the friendship of a Monarch equally renowned for his justice and of good faith as for his power and whose arms instead of oppressing other States are at this moment employed in the defending from the Common Enemy the Dominion of unfortunate Princes - - that you will regard this letter in a proper light and give due consideration and a favourable answer without any unnecessary delay.

But if unfortunately I should be disappointed in my hopes of inspiring Your Highness with pacific sentiments - - if you continue to neglect the friendly communications of His Majesty’s Representative here and persist in measures of that threatening endency which no Government can view without mutuqal preparations it will become my duty to represent to the King ny Master in strong terms the unprovoked annoyance which his dominions are suffering from the proceedings of Your Highness - - And I cannot conceal my opinion that His Majesty will be led to consider the Candian (Kandyan) Court as actuated by a spirit of enmity impossible to be reconciled. To enlarge on the power and resources which in that case Your Highness must expect to be put in movement against you would only be to repeat what you well know - - For what nation so remote and uninformed as not to have heard of that Navy which Commands the Ocean and of those Armies which pervade every quarter of the globe.

Independent of His European Forces altogether he could at the shortest notice transport from His West India Colonies to this Island a numerous body of Caffres (Kaffirs) such as the two Battalions already here. Men trained to War and habituated to the woods and regardless of climate or fatigue - - and these perhaps His Majesty may consider as the proper description of Troops to be employed if Your Highness should persist in such measures as must oblige him to the resolution of invading the Candian (Kandyan) Territory.

I offer my sincere wishes that Your Highness’s country and people, your person and your Crown may remain safe from the desolating ravages of such a War by a prudent adoption of the suggestions equally honourable to yourself as beneficial to your interests conveyed by this letter - - And on a subject of such importance I have thought it best to address Your Highness directly myself, which I trust you will consider as the surest pledge of my intentions and a mark of my respect for your high dignity.

King’s House, Colombo
29th September, 1811

*The title will be rendered in the Native Language according Custom.