The Express.
London, England, 1850-09-03 00:00:00

CEYLON.

We fled the following statements and remarks in
the Bengal Hurkaru, of 3rd July:
The correspondent in Ceylon, who gave in an account of
the disclosures elicited by the proclamation inquiry while it
we. yet in progress, now sends us the following summary of
its results, u estimated by the impreseian made oo his own
mind. Of course, the decision or opinion of the commis-
goners is still a secret; but we learn from the M ideas pspere
that their report went home by the June steamer.
Kandy, June 10, 18,50.—1 am not certain whether in my
lut report of the commission of inquiry here, I told you that
the government stamp had been discovered on tress out
of the four serape of papers upon which Captain Watson
could not see it, and upon which the proclamations are
written. Nor do I recollect whether I told you that Mr,
Staples, Captain W 's father-La-law, (who has attended the
inquiry on his behalf), was called upon to deliver coo a pro-
clamation in ell respects like the alleged forgeries. This wan
traced from Mr. B. to the superintendent of pollee, from him
to an inspector, thence to a village headman, and tbt a up to
Captain W. or his office. Other government headmen gave
in more proclamations of the same sort (duly signed), and,
what is no less strange, although Capt. W. distinctly assured
the committee of the House of Cowman that he had signed
no Cingslese documents but eppointments of headmen,
heap of documents, orders, &c., have been produced,—some
of them of a most extraordinary nature. In the course of
the investigation it bas also coma out on the vidence of
people from distant parts of the country, end living far apart,
that three or four copies of the proclamation were posted on
a tree close to Captain Watson's office.
The subsequent evidence was much to the same effect es
that already adduced—receivingthe proclamations, posting,
too-toning them, and *ending in property in consequence.
Every individual named in the course of the inquiry and
procurable has been examined, and the moat material wit.
names have been had up two, three, and four times; but
though in some minor respects there have been some dis-
crepancies, the main point remains unshaken. This prac-
tice of reselling witnesses frequently led thou who aid not
attend the inquiry regularly to imagine that it we. owing
to a disbelief of their previous evidence. But the true reason
was manifest; the oonunissionen used to compare what each
witness said with what all the others had stated ; and this, of
muse, suggested many important questions that had been
previously omitted. I Can assure you that throughout this
mexamination only on. statement approaching ar untruth
wee discovered, and that wee where a witness had declared
he bad not spoken to any one else on the subject before the
ingairy than these he named; although he afterwards ao-
knowledged he bad done eo, but attributed his omitting to
mention the circuenatanee to his having promised the party
not to do so, and to his attention not having been specially
celled to the name on his previous examination.
The evening before the oemminion closed, Mr. Staple.
was asked whether he had any evidence to adduce tending
to show either who had been accessory to the alleged forgery,
or that Captain W.'s signature had been obtained by im-
proper means ; bat he replied he had none; at the same
time adding that Captain W. had mentioned in a letter that
he had no reason for suspecting Tickery Banda or anybody
eke.

The comunimionen cloud their protracted inquiry, which
occupied more than a month, by stating that their untrue-
' done forbade them disclosing their opinion here uto the
genuiameas or otherwite of the signatures, but that they
would my this much, that the parties connected in any way
with transmitting the documents to England could not he
with anything dishonourable.
el Drought had to produce the two following lit-
shade.tera, which throw evert the 6mona proclamation. into the

" 16th August, 1848.
"My dear Watson,—.! wish you to explain to your officers
et Metall', that I am surprised they did sot sentence the
four prisoners to be executed. A plunderer in these times
is a miscount in the double capacity of a rebel and a felon,
wbo would, if he could, Int take your life, and then your
property. Remind them that ell engaged as those were are
rebels, and that all rebels should suffer death. Sir A. Oli-
phant has given it es We opinion that we are dealing too
delicately with the meals, end that a west deal too much
time is takes in detailing evidence. The curt have, under
the planet law, merely to satisfy themselves as to the parties
being guilty oe istherwhis, find, and decide eiteci.dinaly.—
Tows, T. A Daoroay."
"1 said almost ell this in a note I wrote before receiving
the musts inertial. T. A. D."
"My deer Watess,—Yee are getting on swimmingly.
Your deputy judge advocate will of course receive the
✓enal allowesee keens, day the evert sits. Impress on the
owe that the is as esesesity for taking down the evi-
dem in &tan. ao. that_ 'the are satisfied with the guilt or
inseams of Ohs Mdfsiduel ; that is sufficient for them to
led awl entesee. This is the law end mode; have you no
ease fee easepie ea the woe t You speak of Simian,. I
shut Sepaelleen awl thirty men in that direction to.morrow,
to east • Jtmetioa there by • similar movement from Bad-
delecehe Imp Ira here retuning through the Knuckles
and LWOW Desolooa—Yeare, T. A. Dsonoirr."
It might be eapposedl hem the tone of Colonel Drought's
letter that ho awl hit dear Watson were dealing with a peg
of flap, •• • haft of desperate Idoplehe, instead ore mob
of Ally whose rebellion wee put down with.
out, we believe-, of a man oa the aide of those
employed to suppress it.