Sir Hugh Cleghorn was the first colonial secretary to Ceylon. He was key in the takeover of Ceylon from Dutch control to the British Empire. In 1795 Cleghorn used his friendship with Comte Charles-Daniel de Meuron

Charles-Daniel de Meuron

Charles-Daniel de Meuron was the founder of a Swiss mercenary regiment, Regiment de Meuron, which worked in the service of the Dutch East India Company in Cape Town and Ceylon. Charles-Daniel was born in Neuchatel and joined the Swiss Guard. He rose to become a colonel and was made a count in 1763...

 who was in charge of a Swiss Regiment, Regiment de Meuron

Regiment de Meuron

The Regiment de Meuron was a regiment of infantry originally raised in Switzerland in 1781. The regiment was named for its commander, Colonel Charles-Daniel de Meuron, who was born in Neuchâtel in 1738....

, that controlled Ceylon for the Dutch to transfer control to the English. His son Hugh Francis Clarke Cleghorn was instrumental in the foundation of the forest department and forest conservation in India.