Colombo Harbour was an important trading centre throughout the years and was acquired by the British in 1796 and became the capital of British Ceylon. The Port was designated as a coaling port and a harbour breakwater was built in 1912. As a Coaling Station the locality was defended by coastal defence batteries and forts.
The principal Colombo Coastal Defence Batteries were:
Mutwall Point Battery
Battenburg Battery
Enkhuysen Battery
Klippenburg Baston
Guard Battery
Galle Face Battery
Kochikade Battery
Rockhouse Battery
Flagstaff Battery
Two 9.2-inch BL guns
One 9.2-inch BL gun
One 7-inch RML gun
Nil
One 7-inch RML gun
One 9.2-inch BL gun. Two 7-inch RML guns
Nil
Nil
Nil
Two 9.2-inch guns. Two 64-pdr RML
One 9.2-inch gun. One 7-inch RML
One 7-inch RML
One 64-pdr RML
One 7-inch RML
One 9.2-inch BL. Two 7-inch RML
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
One 9.2-inch BL. One 6-inch BL
Nil
Nil
Nil
Two 9.2-inch BL
Two 4.7-inch Q.F.
Two 9.2-inch BL. Two 6-inch BL
Two 6-inch BL
