Colombo

Colombo, the capital of Ceylon, is situated on the western side of the island. Since the construction of the great breakwater begun in 1875 (see BREAKWATER), the harbour has been greatly improved, and commerce has largely increased; Colombo having superseded Galle as a Coaling Station (q.v.) for large steamers. It contains the government offices, is the seat of an Anglican bishop, and is an important centre of missionary enterprise. Among the chief buildings are the government house, court-house, town-hall, asylum, St Thomas's College, and Wesley College. The fortifications of Colombo were constructed by the Dutch. Colpetty, a beautiful suburb, shaded by groves of the cocoa-nut palm, is a favourite retreat. The humble, mud-constructed dwellings of the Dutch, Portuguese, Eurasians, Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, and Malays are outside the city walls. The pettah or Black Town, the only ancient quarter, extends to the river Kalany-ganga. Pop. (1871) 100,238; (1891) 126,926. Colombo is connected with Kandy by railway. The early name of Colombo, Kalan-totta, the 'Kalany Ferry,' the Moors corrupted into Kalambu, and by this designation it was described by Ibn Batuta about 1340 A.D. as the finest city of Serendib. The Portuguese, who fortified it 1517 A.D., wrote the name Colombo, in honour of Christopher Columbus. The Dutch succeeded to the Portuguese, and Colombo was taken by the British, 16th February 1796. See CEYLON.