Excerpt from Memoir Left by Jacob Christiaan Pielat: To His Successor, Diederik Van Domburg, 1734

Sir, - whereas it has pleased our authorities at Batavia to send Your Excellency here by the vessel that has just arrived from the Bay of Galle on its way to the Netherlands to succeed me in the rule of this valuable and important Government, as decided upon by Their High Mightinesses the Directors of the East India Company; and as they have also, after expressing their great satisfaction with my work as Commissioner, allowed me to return to Their Excellencies I should perhaps have easily excused myself from the task of compiling a memoir or account of my residence here, because I could have hardly gained during this short period sufficient experience relating to all matters concerning the Company as to be able to instruct Your Excellency; the more so, as I do not resign this Government to one who has newly arrived here, or is a novice in matters relating to the Company, but to one who, by long service as Dessave of Matara and Commandeur of Galle, is sure to have a full knowledge of the basis on which this Government should be carried on. Yet for many good reasons, and on account of the fact that the appointment by our Supreme Government of a Commissioner to administer the affairs of the Island is an unusual one, I have considered it desirable before my departure hence to leave to Your Excellency such a memoir as this. I have accordingly prepared it in compliance with the latest instructions received by us, without deeming it necessary to recapitulate the manner in which the Company had conquered this valuable Island and its dependencies, or how it had by God's mercy ruled it thus far, or, again, by what right we have settled here. These are matters which may be found treated of in the memoirs and other documents left by former Governors. It seemed to me, besides, that if such details were required, they could be furnished in a more satisfactory way by those who hadresided here for longer periods and had gained more know ledge of these circumstances than myself. I will, therefore, not treat of the mode of Government of the country, or the rule over the natives, or of their laws and customs, as all these must be matters within the knowledge of Your Excellency. I will, on the other hand, state the condition in which I found this Government, and mention the most important occurrences during my Commission, as also the state of the Government on my retirement from it; at the same time occasionally expressing my opinion with regard to points which require special attention, if the Government is to be carried on successfully.

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