history

SOME HISTORICAL EVENTS OF SRI LANKA

A.D

139
Ptolemy, a Greek, drew the first map of Ceylon. It contains the earliest authentic record of Adam's Peak.

545
Cosmas Indicopleustes, Greek merchant, makes first reference to Galle.

1000
Masudi, Muslim traveller, makes specific reference to Galle.

1344
Ibn Batuta, the Arab traveller from Morocco, visited Galle and was entertained by a Muslim Ship Captain called Ibrahim.

1409
Chinese General Cheng Ho and his men landed at Galle. It is believed that the type of filariasis so rampart in Galle and called " Galle Legs " was introduced by them.

1505
Lourenco de Almeyda, son of Viceroy of Goa, whose fleet was accidently driven to the port by a storm, was the first Portuguese to set foot in Galle.

1587
Portuguese wrested Galle from Sinhalese.

1589
Ralph Fitch, who landed in Colombo, is believed to be the first Englishman to visit Ceylon.

1592
First English ship to visit Galle.

1594
Portuguese built a stockade at Galle.

1625
Portuguese built Fort of St.Cruz fronted by a deep moat.

1640
Dutch beseiged the Fort and took Galle from Portuguese.

1663
Dutch constructed massive Ramparts.

1789
An enumeration taken by the Dutch showed the number of inhabitants in the
Maritime Districts subject to them to be 817,000.
(Dutch ruled the Maritime District from 1656 to 1796, 140 years)

1796
Dutch ceded to Great Britain.

1798
Britain made Ceylon a Crown Colony.

1810
British brought in Chinese and settled them in China Garden to cultivate English vegetables.

1812
The first meeting of the Bible Society of Ceylon (originally known as the Ceylon Society of the British and Foreign Bible Society) was held at King's House in Colombo on August 1.
The Governor at the time was Brownrigg.
The Ceylon Bible Society has the distinction of being the oldest society in Sri Lanka.

1827
First coffee plantation opened.

1832
Compulsory labour abolished.

1833
First Legislative Council with 16 members constituted.
Presided over by Governor who had power of veto.
Island divided into 5 provinces.

1838
The Galle Mail Coach first started.

1844
Abolition of slevery in Ceylon. Police Courts established.

1847
Provision made for Registration of Marriages, Births and Death.

1848
First importation of ice to Ceylon.

1850
Pigeon express from Galle to Colombo successfully started by Observer Newspaper.

1858
First telegraph line (a single wire) opened in Ceylon between Colombo and Galle.

1862
Bronze money introduced into Ceylon.

1865
First Municipal Councils Ordinance enacted.

1865
Opening of the first railway service from Colombo to Ambepusse.

1866
First direct telegraph message from New York received at Galle.
Galle Municipal Council constituted by proclamation.

1867
First Meeting of Council held.
Tea first planted on a commercial scale.

1869
Green Market building constructed.

1871
Colombo made principal port of Ceylon in preference to Galle.
Village Committees established.

1872
Currency altered from £-s-d to Rs. and cts. (£ reckoned as Rs.10/-)
Colombo lit with gas for first time.
Post cards first issued.

1876
Local Boards of Health established.

1877
First Decennial Census in Ceylon held.

1879
First section of coast line railway was opened as far as Kalutara.

1880
Fruit Market building constructed.

1881
M.C. Ordinance of 1865 amended.
Clock Tower constructed to perpetuate memory of Dr. P.D. Anthonisz, an eminent surgeon, Member of the Galle M.C., and First President of the British Medical Association (Ceylon Branch) -the forerunner of the Ceylon Medical Association.

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