e system, however, together with a host of Malabar
collectors, led to much discontent, which culminated in rebellion; and
in 1798 the colony was placed directly under the crown. By the treaty of
Amiens, in 1803, this situation was regularized, from the international
point of view, by the formal cession to Great Britain of the former
Dutch possessions in the island. For a while the British dominion was
confined to the coast. The central tract of hilly country, hedged in by
impenetrable forests and precipitous mountain ranges, remained in
possession of Sri Vikrama Raja Sinha, the last of the Sinhalese dynasty,
who showed no signs of encouraging communication with his European
neighbours.

Minor differences led in 1803 to an invasion of the Kandyan territory;
but sickness, desertion and fatigue proved more formidable adversaries
to the British forces than the troops of the Sinhalese monarch, and
peace was eventually concluded upon terms by no means favourable to the
English. The cruelty and oppression of the king now became so
intolerable to his subjects that disaffection spread rapidly amongst
them. Punishments of the most horrible kinds were inflicted, but failed
to repress the popular indignation; and in 1815 the British, at the
urgent request of many of the Adigars and other native chiefs, proceeded
against the tyrant, who was captured near Kandy, and subsequently ended
his days in exile. With him ended a long line of sovereigns, whose
pedigree may be traced through upwards of two thousand years.

By a convention entered into with the Kandyan chiefs on the 2nd of March
1815, the entire sovereignty of the island passed into the hands of the
British, who in return guaranteed to the inhabitants civil and religious
liberty. The religion of Buddha was declared inviolable, and its rights,
ministers and places of worship were to be maintained and protected; the
laws of the country were to be preserved and administered according to
established forms; and the royal dues and revenues were to be levied as
before for the support of government.

With the exception of a serious outbreak in some parts of the interior
in 1817, which lasted for upwards of a year, and of two minor attempts
at rebellion easily put down, in 1843 and 1848, the political
atmosphere of Ceylon has remained undisturbed since the deportation of
the last king of Kandy.

AUTHORITIES.--Major Thomas Skinner, _Fifty Years in Ceylon_, edited by
his son, A. Sk