Lieut.-General Sir Edward Barnes inspected the SIXTY-FIRST on their arrival at Ceylon, and inserted the following statement, in his own hand-writing, in the Record Book of the regiment:-- “Having inspected the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Barlow, it affords me much gratification to place upon the Records of the Regiment an expression of my admiration of its appearance and high order,--of the coolness, celerity, and precision, with which it performed the several evolutions, and of its system of interior economy: such a state of things evinces the great ability, assiduity, and perseverance of the commanding officer, and the able support of Major Wolfe and the rest of the officers, and is in the highest degree creditable to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers; and greatly enhances the pleasure which I feel in the renewal of my long acquaintance with the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, and adds very materially and essentially to my satisfaction in having it under my command. “E. BARNES, _Lieut.-General_. “_Colombo, December 18, 1828._” [Sidenote: 1833] [Sidenote: 1836] The depôt companies were withdrawn from Ireland in November, 1833, and proceeded to Chatham; they returned to Ireland in 1836. [Sidenote: 1834] The service companies remained at Colombo until 16th October, 1834, when they embarked for Trincomalee. [Sidenote: 1837] On the 22nd May, 1837, the regiment sustained a loss of three officers, viz., Lieutenants Shaw and Harkness and Ensign Walker, who were unfortunately drowned, while on a shooting excursion, by the upsetting of a boat, in a squall off Cottiac. The service companies re-embarked for Colombo in July, and after being inspected by Major-General Sir John Wilson, they marched for Kandy, where they arrived on the 22nd August, 1837. [Sidenote: 1838] On the promotion of Colonel Edward Darley to the rank of major-general, on the 28th June, 1838, Major Charles Forbes was advanced to the lieutenant-colonelcy, and the command of the service companies devolved on Major Simmonds. While on duty at Kandy, the following order was inserted in the Regimental Record Book, by Lieutenant-General Sir John Wilson, K.C.B., in his own hand-writing, viz:-- “Being on the eve of my departure from Ceylon, I feel much pleasure in adding to the honourable testimonies contained in the regimental records, the expression of my approbation of the general good conduct and military discipline manifested by the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, during a period of seven years that it has served under my orders, it having been, during a great part of that time, under the command of the present Major-General Darley.