The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-20 00:00:00

CEYLON.

We have received by the overland mail Ceylon
papers to the 16th October. At that period the
island was quite tranquil, the rebellion had been com-
pletely suppressed, the pretended King captured, and
several of the rebels had been tried and executed.
The Colombo. Observer of the 23d September gives
the following:account of the capture of the pretender :
",Kandy, Sept. 22, Eight o'clock, P.M.

" The pretender was taken up yesterday, and we are
all on the qui vive to see him. He was taken up at Ma-
telbr by six of Captain Watson's Ritiemen—one of whom
he knocked down. A Kandian gave the information.
The • King' has made, I understand, a free and candid
c )nfession of the whole affair.

" The 6 King' is said to have been formerly gardener
to Alwis Modliar—and we hear that he implicates all the
Kandian Headmen save six:"

The Legislative Council was opened on the 2d of
October by the following speech from the Governor,
Lord Torrington :
Gentlemen of the Legislative Council,—

Since the close of the last session of the Legislative
Council, important events have occurred in this colony,
to which I desire briefly
_to call your attention.
Yoa are always aware that in certain portions of 1 the
Kandian districts, the evil designs of ambitious indivi-
duals taking advantage of the casual as well as traditional
influence of their position over an ignorant population,
have induced them to array themselve in open hostility
to the Government; actual encounters have taken place
place with her Majesty's forces, which have terminated,
as might be expected, in the entire defeat and dispersion
of the insurgents, and mast have convinced them of the
utter hopelessness of armed resistance to her Majesty's
authority.
It is satisfactory to me to be able to announce to you,
that the individual who on this occasion was set up as
the Pretended King, has now been captured, and that
not only have many of his partizans and followers been
already brought to punishment, but important disclo-
sures have been made which will I 11.,pe suffice com-
pletely to establish the guilt of the originators of the late
conspiracy.
It is my earnest desire that the operation of martial-
law shall be terminated without delay ; for I have every
confidence that the energetic measures which have been
already successfully adopted, will suffice to prevent any
renewal of the late treasonable attempts.
To the rapid and vigorous movements of her Majesty's
troops so ably conducted by the officers entrusted with
their command, and to the prompt declaration of mar-
tial law in the disturbed districts, must it be attributed,
that the actual insurrection was confined within very
narrow limits. .

That future doubts and difficulties may be avoided, a
Bill of Indemnity will be laid before you, for all bona
fide acts done by the constituted authorities during the
existence of martial law. Papers connected with this
subject will be presented to you.
The slight and passing excitement which has bs:en
raised in some other parts of the colony, arising from a
variety of causes and misapprehensions, will not I trust
be again renewed. lan persuaded that the feelings of
the mass of the people will con inue to be at all times
peaceable and loyal.

I am happy to you. that of the twenty-four
ordinances which were passed darinz the last session,
nineteen have already received her Majesty's confirma-
tion. I shall have occasion to submit for your considera-
tion, a few slight amendments in the details of some of
these ordinances, which will I hope be calculated to im-
prove and facilitate the operation of them.
At a period of general commercial difficulty through-
out the world. Ceylon could scarcely escape the effects
of an universal crisis. But it is gratifying to me to be
able to state to you, that the net revenue of the year
ending 31st December, 1847, exceeded that of 1846 by
the sum of about 24,0001., which was in a great measure
due to an increasD in the r'ceipts from customs. On
the other haul the comparative expenditure for the
same
,period was in reali;y somewhat less in 1847 than
in the previous year.

But notwithstanding the improved state of our finances
for the past year as compared with that of 1846, the
fact cannot be withheld from you, that the revenue of
the year 1847 fell short, of the expynditure within the i
same period by *iho sum -of -about 5800004 although