Bellales, because endeavours were made to maintain and uphold the poorer castes against them. Their circumstances being so much better, the people of Jaffnapatam ought not to hope for a decrease of the tithes, as spoken of before. Nor did they ask for this during my time, nor even referred to it, because at the general paresse [35] of August 2, 1685, they made a unanimous declaration that they had no request to make and no reason for complaint, and that they were perfectly satisfied with the rule of the Company. This may be seen in the Compendium of the last of November of the same year. In my questions of January 22 of the same year several requests of theirs had already been submitted, which had been all disposed of to their satisfaction, as, for instance, that with regard to the free trade in Batticaloa and Trincomalee already mentioned above, while the other matters will be treated of later on. It is true that the late Mr. Blom would seem to recommend the decrease of the tithes in his report of August 20, 1692, but he did not know at the time that so many privileges would be granted to them. Although the granting of these is of little importance to the Company, it is a fact on the other hand that the prosperity of the inhabitants will also be an advantage to the Company, because it enables them to pay their imposts and taxes regularly, as witness the last few years.[19] The coconut trees are the third source of prosperity granted to the inhabitants, besides the free trade in Batticaloa and Trincomalee and the reduced poll tax; because, in compliance with the orders from Batavia of December 12, 1695, these trees would no longer be subject to taxes in the new Land Thombo, the owners being obliged to feed not only the Company's elephants, but also those which have been already purchased by the merchants, with coconut leaves. Although this no doubt is more profitable to them, as they are paid for the leaves by the merchants, yet it is true that the trees yield less fruit when their nourishment is spent on the leaves. But although Their Excellencies at Batavia kindly relieved the people of their burden in this respect, the duty was imposed again in another way when His Excellency the Governor and the Council decided, in their letter of October 13, that Jaffnapatam would have to deliver yearly no less than 24 casks of coconut oil besides that which is required for use in this Commandement and at Manaar. This, including what is required at the pearl fishery, amounts according to my calculation to no less than 12 casks. For this reason it will be necessary to prohibit the export of coconuts. This order, like the one with regard to the reform in the sale of elephants, was sent to us without previous consultation with the Commandeur or the Council of Jaffnapatam; yet in the interest of the Company I could not abstain from expressing my opinion on the subject in my reply of November 1, 1696; but as the order was repeated