Autograph letter signed : Colombo, to Sir James [Pulteney], 1805 July 21.

Reporting that General Maitland had arrived at Galle "having narrowly escaped being taken by the Marengo & Belle Poule who captured the day before...:' commenting that he is "extremely happy to find that General Wemyss is recalled & that Maitland is invested with the character of Governor & Commander of the Forces, for I am sure that in the manner the respective authorities have been distributed since the Departure of General MacDowall, no degree of Prudence, exertion or ability on the part of the Governor could enable him to carry on his administration with any degree of order or Economy. Maitland will have a difficult Task to perform but as he appears to be a man of great firmness & talents I hope he will soon set every thing to rights. He has already put a stop to all the Round & Square Towers which General Wemyss was constructing, & has recalled all the recruiting officers who were squandering the money of our seedy(?) Treasury all over the Coast. Both those steps, the final public acts of his Gov: are extremely wise. Altho I keep my health perfectly in this Climate, yet I begin to long most impatiently to return to Europe, but God knows when I shall be able to gratify this longing. It is not easy to get rich in the Service of this Gov: altho before General Wemyss' arrival we certainly lived more comfortably & agreeably than in any part of India & I hope those happy times will return;" providing direction for addressing future letters.