The building was acquired for the Commander in Chief of the East Indies Station at a cost of £1,750 in 1810.[1] A large bell, which was rung to summon sailors for duty, was donated by Rear-Admiral Charles Austen in 1850.[1] The last British occupant of the building was Vice-Admiral Hilary Biggs.[1] Security was provided by the Ceylon Rifle Regiment.[1] On 15 October 1957, the Trincomalee Naval Dockyard was officially handed over by the Royal Navy to the Sri Lankan government and since then the property been a possession of the Sri Lanka Navy.[2]
^English translation by Capt Akram Alavi SLN, of the Sinhala article titled "Nawika Medura" written by Lieutenant Commander (Retd) HCL Caldera SLN for "The Quartermaster" magazine in the year 2000 coinciding with the Sri Lanka Navy's Golden Jubilee.