Comprehensive account of printing history

History of Printing and Publishing in Ceylon
Author: Tilak Kularatne
Sridevi Press (Pvt) Ltd
Price Rs. 2,500

Review: Haris de Silva

HISTORY: Printing and publishing industry in Europe began in the 15th century. That technology made it possible to produce in quick time millions of copies of publications.

Information and knowledge, which, up to then was confined to a few, now became freely available. People began to read, which led to fresh thinking, and that in turn led to an explosion of knowledge. It was the catalyst that paved the way for the emergence of the modern age.

Invention of the printing press is traditionally attributed to Johannes Gensfliesch zum Gutenberg (1394/9-1468) of Germany. But 'printing' was known in China for centuries before that time.

Their method of book production was by rubbing off impressions from wood blocks, a process dated to 594 AD. That Chinese technology travelled to the west via the Silk-Route and was practised in Europe at the time Gutenberg established his press.

As for Gutenberg, his most significant contributions were replacing wooden-blocks with individual, movable type, designing an instrument to flatten moist paper and also designing a matrix to produce the thousands of type that would be require by a press, and most importantly preparing an ink to adhere to metal type.

He had synthesized the then available knowledge and substituted machinery for handicraft. The mechanized printing press had been invented.

Technology

That printing technology had spread from Germany to other parts of Europe, and by the 16th century had been well established in Portugal and Netherlands, the two earlier western powers that invaded Sri Lanka. The Portuguese occupied some parts of the country between 1505 and 1656, but they were too busy with warfare to think of establishing a printing press in the island, even to print their religious texts, which were very important to them.

The Dutch who succeeded them (1640-1796), too had a thriving printing and publishing industry pioneered by Plantin and Elzevir in Antwerp and Leyden respectively in the latter part of the 17th century; but it was in the mid 18th century that the Dutch brought the technology to the island.

They were succeeded in the maritime areas by the British in 1796. And in England, William Caxton had set up his printing press at Westminster in 1470, and the technology had spread to all parts of Britain by the time they arrived in the island.

Since a printing press had been available in the island, on their take over from the Dutch, they had commenced printing almost immediately after, and the first official news-sheet, the Gazette, was printed in 1802.

It is the story of that printing and publishing in the island during the Dutch and British periods that is dealt with in Tilak Kularatne's book. If, in the western hemisphere, the printed word was instrumental in making the modern world, so was it in this island, although through devious and circuitous routes as seen in the publication.

Thesis

Tilak Kularatne presents his thesis in a well structured publication. In nine chapters, three appendices, and in a section containing the text of the Ordinances, he provides a fascinating account of the beginnings and progress of printing in the island, its technical development up to 1912, and provides the legislation that was relevant to the printing and publishing industry.

In a short Introduction, in pages xv-xxii. Kularatne has given the literature available on the subject as at to date, and has also provided a general picture of what had been published during the period covered by the publication.

The chapter on the establishment of the first printing press in Colombo in 1736 is accurately portrayed. The author presents the many persons, from Governor to printer, involved in the establishment of the press, the various impediments they had to overcome, the process involved in the procurement of the press, how the Sinhala and Tamil type was found, and has detailed out what was printed therein.

The text is illustrated with title pages of some of the early works printed at the press, and among the illustrations is a page of a Sinhala hymnal printed in 1768, rarely seen in works on Dutch publishing in the island.

The Dutch press had published not only religious books, but also general works, like the Wordbook, of which the title page is shown, and other government publications like the plakkaats, which, incidentally, can be seen in their original formats at the National Archives in Colombo.

The real progress in printing in the island has commenced only in the British period, which the author shows by his comprehensive accounts on the Government Press, the missionary presses, the Sinhala Buddhist and Hindu Tamil involvement in printing and the establishment of the commercial press.

In the 19th century scenario, the pride of place, in a technical sense, falls on the Government Press, not only for the variety of works printed therein, but also for the excellent works produce by it, which had won international awards.

Apart from its productions, a little known aspect of its work, had been that it had also assisted other presses of the period in their works, and had also provided trained personnel, like C Don Bastian, who had later set up business on their own. Perhaps unintentionally the Government Press had provided the technical know-how for the spread of the industry, and had also set the norms for labour and production.

In the non-governmental sector, to use a term in common parlance today, the missionary press is seen to be of great importance. It has had one objective, and as to be expected. It was to promote Christianity. But in doing so it had not only propagated its creed, but also attacked Buddhism and the life styles of peoples formed according to its precepts.

It was the latter aspect in particular, that had triggered religious controversies and had made the Buddhists to start their own printing establishments to counter their innuendos and invectives of the Christians. The author has shown in detail what the missionary.

presses had printed, often giving the print runs too, their methods of distribution as well as their administrative set-ups, and also saying who their pay masters were, and to whom they were accountable.

Missionary press

In showing how the 'Buddhist press' came to be established as a response to the missionary press he provides in an interesting account the personnel involved in the establishment of the first printing press in 1862 - the Lankopakara Press - how the necessary funds were collected, what type of press had been imported, and says 'This Columbian hand press in a dilapidated condition, is presently kept at Ranwali Temple in Giniwella, Kataluwa, near Galle in South Sri Lanka' (p.159)

A similar interesting account is given of the second press, which had been installed at the Dipaduttarama Viharaya in Kotahena, in 1867. On the establishment of that press the author quotes an observation published in the Jubilee Sketches in 1869.

It says 'It is a sad fact that this press, which had been so long instrumental in diffusing truth and knowledge, was, soon after its transference to other hands, used in opposition to Christianity, and that from it came forth the first of the Buddhist tracts, naturally filled with blasphemy which were published during the so called Buddhist revival'. (p. 160)

As is well known, the Buddhist revival and nationalism went hand in hand, and it is seen that it had been triggered by the printing press. It is not only the missionary literature that went to arouse the Sinhala Buddhists and the Hindu Tamils, but also the historical and classical literature which were printed mainly at the Government Press under the auspices of the government.

As in 15th and 16th century Europe, the printing press made the local literature freely available to the public. A public, who were up to then mainly 'listeners' at temples and other places, now become a 'reading' public'. The effects of that change would be seen more in the 20th century.

The habit of reading among the Sinhalese and also the Tamils had paved the way for the publishing of newspapers. The English educated had their first news-sheet in the Government Gazette printed in 1802, and since 1832 other newspapers had come in quick succession. But vernacular press had taken a little more time to get there.

The American Mission Press in Manipay had started the first Tamil/English newspaper the Udaya Tarakai or Morning Star in 1841, while the first Sinhala newspaper, the Lankalokaya had come out only in 1860, and has had a very short life span.

The Sinhala newspaper industry had really started with the publishing of the Lakminipahana in 1862, and the progress of that industry has been well recorded in the book. It is also interesting to note that the first Malay newspaper, the Alamat Langkapuri printed in the Malay language in Arabic characters was first published in 1869.

Apart from the government, missionary and newspaper publications the author has also provided a very illuminating section on the publishing of periodical literature, starting with Tyro's Repertory of Useful Knowledge in 1833. The section provides little known information on that subject, and should be of considerable interest to scholars, journalists and the general reading public.

The book has a section on the technological development of the printing industry up to 1912, and also on the relevant legislation with the author's comments. He has also provided a list of Noteworthy Publications of the 19th century, which, perhaps by an oversight changes into 'Select Publications .....' at p. 242, as well as a Bibliography and an useful Index.

The book has been printed on gsm 100 paper and the print is very easy on the eye. I should say the proofing has been well done, and although some old photographs have not come off that clearly, at least they provide some likeness of the important persons so depicted. The book has been well bound with headband, is provided with an attractive hard cover and an appealing dust cover.

Bibliography

At this point I would wish to observe that the readers of the book would have appreciated if the locations of the publications mentioned in the Select Publications ....' as well as in the Bibliography had been given.

Since here is no comprehensive index, or cumulative index, to local publications in the country, giving the location of a publication, often readers have to go from one place to another to find some publication they are interested in.

Many such searches often end up only as a wastage of time. Incidentally, this remark would not be confined to Kularatne's book, but will apply to most publications on Sri Lanka.

On a similar vein, it would have also been useful if the source of the illustrations had been provided either with the illustrations or separately. My final comment is that either the author or the printer had overlooked in providing in the List of illustrations at pages ix and x, the page numbers at which the illustrations appear.

In conclusion, let me say that many theses presented to universities as a requirement for doctoral degrees remain unpublished in the confines of the libraries of those institutions. There are several reasons for it.

Either the subject dealt with is so specialized that even a limited print is not justified, the author may feel shy after some time to put out what was presented as the dissertation, or financial constraints may prevent one from going to press.

In that light Tilak Kularatne should be congratulated for revising his doctoral thesis for publication and given the readers the most informative and illuminating account, as far as I am aware, of the history of printing and publishing in this country, from 1736 to 1912.

Invaluable reference book for scholars

Parliament and Public Accountability in Sri Lanka
Author: W. A. Wiswa Warnapala
Godage International Publishers

Review: D. E. Woodsworth

POLITICS: The author of this book is well qualified. His education was in political science and economics, and he was for many years head of the Political Science Department of Peradeniya University. He has also now served for years as a Member of Parliament and Minister, with different portfolios, of the government of Sri Lanka.

He has in addition lived and studied in several western countries, and has had an opportunity to make comparative observations on the issues of concern.

The central topic is surely familiar to all democratic governments: how to ensure that money collected for the public purse is spent wisely and for the intended purposes.

This question is of special interest in a country like Sri Lanka, which as a former colony of Britain, might well be expected to have wished to divest itself of the structures of inherited government. On the contrary, this book indicates that Sri Lanka has valued the British tradition and has attempted in many ways to find ways to ensure financial accountability in Parliament.

The book presents a sequence of chapters describing the historical (British) antecedents, the general responsibilities of parliamentary committees set up for financial control, and the specific duties of certain major bodies: the Public Accounts Committee, the Committee on Public Enterprises, the Auditor General, and the Treasury.

It ends with a useful comparative review of the experience of other British Commonwealth countries in dealing with similar problems, and a general discussion of the issues in public accountability.

Perhaps the salient impression one receives is the great difficulty in achieving the sort of integrity that is intended. The author takes us through the history of the attempts at structural and procedural improvement, going back into colonial times, and through a series of constitutional changes since independence in 1947.

Not least of the problems is the human factor: the ability of mere mortals to understand the details that are involved in the government of any modern nation. Members of Parliament simply cannot sustain the needed attention. The author's frustration as the Chair of a Committee at the difficulty of maintaining a quorum is clear.

A further understandable problem is indicated in the author's use of this quotation: "the new states have in the main copied their institutions from the metropolitan power which ruled them without making any effort to distinguish between what is essential and what is incidental.

They have in effect become textbook democracies with little relation to the economic and social conditions of the countries concerned.' This problem has been continued, to a degree, in the influence exercised by the World Bank as a condition of loans.

It appears that a great deal of the traditional or common behaviour of people in a society is overlooked when standard 'democratic' procedures are adopted. In Sri Lanka, the problems are additionally complicated by the necessity of producing documentation in three languages: Sinhalese, Tamil and English.

The book contains a remarkable amount of detail regarding the past and current processes of control in Sri Lanka, and it should be useful as a reference for planners, and for comparative analysis. The different chapters are mutually complementary.

On the other hand, this detail makes for difficult reading. It might have been helpful if there had been introductory and concluding summaries of the central issues, that would guide the reader through the complex details. These issues do appear, but the trees sometimes obscure the woods.

A further minor difficulty is that there has been insufficient editorial work, so that there is occasional obscurity or confusion of meaning that could easily have been avoided. On the whole, a useful book for scholars.

Useful manual for investors

Profitable Investing in Shares Made Easy
Author: C.A. Sarathchandra
Author publication, 23/37, Diyawanna Gardens, Pagoda Road, Nugegoda
136 pp Price: Rs. 500

Review: U.N. Jinasena

INVESTMENT: Mr. C.A. Sarathchandra has now written his third book titled Profitable Investing in Shares Made Easy after his two successful publications namely the first on "Bank Credit" which was of immense benefit to the businessmen particularly those operating in the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (SME) Sector and the next on "Concepts of Marketing" which was of immense use to the entrepreneurs operating in the SME sector and to the students of marketing and other professions.

Mr. Sarathchandra who holds the Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) and Fellowship of Society of Certified Management Accountants (Sri Lanka) and Master's Degree in Business Administration (USA) and MSc in Management from University of Sri Jayawardenepura is the current General Manager/ CEO of the HDFC Bank, a specialised Housing Bank and a World Bank Consultant in Housing Finance for the South Asian Region under whose patronage he set up the first Housing Bank in the Maldives on behalf of the Government of the Maldives.

He is also the Managing Director of Colombo City Developers Ltd. and Director of HDFC Real Estate Development Ltd.

He is one of the leading bankers in Sri Lanka who came to the present prestigious position in his career having served in the People's bank, Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka Ltd. as Asst. Director and Consultant, People's Bank again in a corporate advisory capacity designated as Director (Financial and Management Services), Seylan Merchant Bank CEO etc. He was a most sought after speaker/ lecturer in many specialised subject in the area of Banking, Finance and Investment.

In addition to his enormous professional responsibilities he has taken pains to write a book on banking and management to benefit the country.

His third book "Investing in Shares made easy and profitable" fulfils a long felt need of the country in this specialised area. While there are no books published in Sri Lanka on the investment aspects and the operations of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) to benefit the average investor, the focus of the book is to educate the individual investors and corporate investors who regard CSE as an alternative source available to invest surplus funds.

It will also provide foreigners and Sri Lankan expatriates abroad, information on the operations of the CSE and principles of investments etc. Mr. Sarathchandra's aim appears to be to educate the investing public who now solely depend on the advice of the share brokers. The share brokers perform an important function in advising the investors as to optimisation of their income from the share portfolio.

Yet if the investors have a reasonable knowledge of the evaluation of shares of companies, investment criteria and the operations of the CSE the share brokers would be able to better interact with their clients and reinforce each other's knowledge and views to optimize the views to the investors.

His book is simple to be read and followed by the readership for which it is intended. Even the layman and those wishing to enter the share trading as potential investors or others interested in the subject will find the book comprehensive and simple to understand.

I trust that the book will be of immense use to the investing public, potential investors, investment officers and even those in finance and investment field.

The book begins with the definition of "Investment" and investment objectives together with an exposition of Risk/ Return Matrix. The normal objective of earning a responsible return is enlarged by the inclusion of other objectives which are equally relevant.

This is followed by a detailed description of the organisational structure of the share trading system including the SEC, Brokers Association, Trading system at the CSE including listing rules, position regarding regional and country funds, and the currently used issue of shares under the Central Depositary system.

The book deals exhaustively with equities, (meaning various forms of ordinary shares) the main and predominant instrument at the CSE and various risks associated with share market.

Then he goes to explain aspects of investment analysis which must precede all investment decisions. Lack of proper investment analysis lead to suboptimal investments causing losses to the investors. He deals descriptively many methods of analyses including fundamental, technical, industry, market economic environment, gearing, DPS/EPS, ratio etc. and explain how company analysis can be done using internal financial statements including Profits and Loss Accounts and Balance Sheets etc. Technical analysis is not normally resorted to in Sri Lanka except by some broking firms is also well explained.

For any Stock Exchange to function effectively and efficiently there should exist investors' confidence to a high degree. This could only be assured by accurate and timely provision of information on the listed companies by the CSE and other authoritative sources and the availability of national economic and political environmental indicators.

The book deals with data supplied by the CSE, the use of indices and other information. It also deals with shareholders' rights and protection of the minority shareholders.

Mr. Sarathchandra has successfully written this book covering all aspects of investing required by an investor. He has fully achieved his objectives as enunciated on page 5 in Chapter 1.

A pictorial guide

INDUSTRY: A book written by Dr. Krishanthi Abeywickrama, Senior Lecturer University of Kelaniya and edited by Dr. K.H. Sarananda, Head, Food Research Unit, Gannoruwa titled A pictorial guide to rapid and accurate identification of post-harvest diseases of fruits (ISBN 955-20-9214-0) is now available at Godage International Publishers (Pvt) Ltd., Maradana Priced at Rs. 200.

This publication provides diagnostic characteristics of major and frequently encountered post-harvest fungal diseases of mango, papaya and banana. It serves as a valuable guide to quick and accurate identification of symptoms of fruit diseases and causative agents by comparing specimens with descriptions and colour plates included in the book.

This pictorial guide will be an invaluable tool for undergraduate and post-graduate students, research and extension officers, university academics, fruit growers, exporters and other stakeholders in fruit industry.