Fonds LK-NA/107 - Survey Department

The Survey Department was established by a proclamation of the Governor dated August 2,1800.
The History of the Survey Department may be divided broadly into three periods. Its history is naturally intimately linked with the land policies of Government
During the first period (1800-1846) the Survey Department consisted of 20 to 30 officers. The office of the Surveyor General was often combined with that of the Civil Engineer and Commissioner of Roads.
During this period the department carried out surveys for plantations and issued about 50,000 'Title Plans'. No comprehensive control was available to cover the entire Island and therefore it was difficult to integrate these plans accurately in position on one map. The Kandyan Provinces were mapped for the first time during the eighteen thirties. This work was done by Lt.Skinner under the direction of General Frazer. A map of scale 4 miles to an inch for the entire Island was completed for the first time and it is known as General Frazer's map considering the rapidity with which it was executed the conditions prevailing at the time and means available to the Surveyor. It was indeed considered a good performance.
The second period (1846-1896) commences with the appointment of W.H.Simons as Surveyor Genera1. He introduced a system similar to that of the Ordinance Survey of Great Britain. Captain Gosset was appointed as Surveyor General in 1855. A major difficult and indeed hazardous task known as 'Triangulation' of Ceylon was initiated during his time. The measurement of the first base at Negombo was done under his direct supervision. This 'Triangulation' system which entailed the observation of the angles of a system of triangles covering the whole Island as well as the lengths of some sides called 'Bases' made possible the establishment of a set of 'Control' surveys were indispensable for the production of the 72 topographical 'One Inch Sheets' covering the entire Island to which reference has been made elsewhere. The control triangulation was completed in 1906. This system was further checked and recommitted in 1932. During this second period the Department expanded to a strength of about 200 officers.
The third period commenced in 1896 with the appointment of F.H.Grinlinton as Surveyor General under Governor Ridgeway. During this period the Government of India requested a report on the Survey Department and its survey methods. This report led to the re-organisation of the department structure and it provided the nucleus of the Survey Department existing administrative structure.
With the passing of the Waste Lands Ordinance in 1897, systematic separation of state lands from private lands for the purpose of development was carried out by surveys caned 'Block Surveys'. These surveys were done for the Land Settlement Department and resulted in the issue of Final Village Plans.
The geodetic leveling of Sri Lanka commenced in 1926 and was completed in 1930. A series of heights were established throughout the Island with reference to main sea leve1. The total length of the lines of the level net was about 2,440 miles.
One of the major tasks assigned to this Department was surveys for the Land Reform Commission under the Land Reform Law during the nineteen seventies.
All surveys for massive Mahawcli Division Project were done by the Survey Department Colonisation Schemes which were completed like Galoya, Parakrama Sarnudra, Padaviya, Kantalai etc started with Development Surveys' when the lands were covered by jungle, and bear witness to the pioneering role of this Department.