Ceylon.- Tennent (Sir James Emerson, first baronet).- Fraser (J., acting principal Colonial …

Ceylon.- Tennent (Sir James Emerson, first baronet, traveller and politician, 1804-69).- Fraser (J., acting principal Colonial Secretary and JP) & others. 14 letters to Sir James Emerson Tennent, c. 65pp., 8vo, Elie House, Columbo, Ceylon, 1855, a series of entertaining letters and informative letters, casting an interesting light on the activities of the British civil service in mid-nineteenth century Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. On the official side the appointment and arrival of the new Governor of Ceylon, Sir Henry Ward, is described, and on the personal side there are numerous references to the arrangements for the construction of a sideboard for Tennent by Don Bastian De Silva, "Only fancy what a row we were nearly having at Galle; a man of the name of Berwick, as a worthless vagabond in the place happened to quarrel with the captain of a French man of war in the harbour, and to institute an action for libel against him, Berwick, on the French officer declining to come on shore, & to give bail to defend this trumpery civil case, thought fit to make a demonstration of force and to order the Commander of the French frigate to be arrested on his own Quarter Deck by six police-men who were charged with a message that, if resistance were offered, the whole military force of the garrison would support their warrant. The Frenchman kicked the police overboard, he then beat to quarters, and loaded his guns"; and 2 other letters, folds, slightly browned (16).