ABSTRACT
THE experiment of joint control by the Crown and theCompany was not a success, and in December 1800Dundas informed the Directors that he had resolved to make Ceylon a Crown Colony. The attempt to use Madras officials in Ceylon had failed owing to the dissimilarity between the languages and problems of Ceylon and India. An expert knowledge of Sinhalese conditions could only be obtained by the establishment of a separate Ceylon Civil Service, composed of men who would spend the whole of their official careers on the island. Another reason for the severance from India was that on account of Ceylon's perennial deficit the salaries were considerably lower than in India, while with the small number of posts the chances of promotion were far fewer. Experience had proved that no Madras civilians of ability would willingly remain in Ceylon, nor could they reasonably be expected to do so owing to the serious injury to their prospects which this would entail. Dundas was also influenced by North's severe complaints of the cabal of Madras officials against him. I
On January I, 1802, the control of the East India Company was abolished, and Ceylon became a Crown Colony under the Colonial Office. Legislative and executive power continued to be 'vested in the Governor alone, subject to revision and confirmation or rejection at home'. 2 A very important innovation was the establishment of an advisory Council composed oi the Governor; the Chief Justice; the officer commanding the troops in Ceylon; the Principal Secretary to Government; and two other officials nominated by the Governor. The Governor was
I c.o. 55. 61: Dec. 30, 1800, and Feb. 10, 1801 ; C.R. 53: Memo. on transfer of Ceylon to the Crown, dated Feb. 27, 1802; C.R. 54: Douglass MS., with comments by Dundas.
