PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
TIEPICO.
882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Sir,
2
No. 3.
Colonial Office to Admiralty.
Downing Street, April 10, 1872. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 3rd instant, respecting the disposal of certain tin and gunpowder taken in the recent expedition against pirates at Salangore.
His Lordship concurs in the course which the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty propose to adopt in respect of this property.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
H. T. HOLLAND.
No. 4.
Governor Sir H. St. George Ord to the Earl of Kimberley.—(Received August 21.) (No. 90.) My Lord,
Government House, Singapore, July 10, 1872. HIS Highness the Maharajah of Johore having seen the short pattern converted Enfield rifle lately supplied for the use of the police of this Colony, is anxious to obtain a supply of 100 complete with sword-bayonets for the service of his own police force. I think Her Majesty's Government will be disposed to meet the wishes of a Prince who has always shown such an attachment to it, and I venture to ask your Lordship to move the War Department to permit the supply of 100 Enfield rifles, and their conversion into the short pattern breech-loader, in the same manner as was done for this Government.
2. Ammunition to the extent of 100 rounds per rifle should also be supplied, with the necessary number of spare pieces, &c.
3. The Crown Agents will no doubt, with your Lordship's permission, undertake the settlement of this order, and on hearing from them the amount of expense incurred, a repayment from His Highness out here will be obtained.
4. I would request that all expedition may be used in furnishing and sending out these arms by steamer, vid the Suez Canal, addressed to my care. The ammunition can follow by first convenient opportunity.
5. I have omitted to state that His Highness would be glad to have 100 black leather waist belts, with frogs for the swords, and two ball bags each,
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. ST. GEORGE ORD.
No. 5.
The Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir H. St. George Ord.
(No. 174.) Sir,
Downing Street, September 2, 1872. SINCE the receipt of your despatch No. 90 of the 10th July,t requesting a supply of Enfield rifles for the Maharajal of Johore, I have noticed a paragrpah in the "London and China Telegraph," of the 26th of August, copy of which I inclose, stating that the Mahrajah has had under his protection Rajah Mahdie, the piratical Chief, who fired on the "Rinaldo" last year at Salangore.
I defer making any application to the War Office on the subject of the rifles until I have received information from you, as to the circumstances in which Rajah Mahdie has found a secure asylum in the territory of Johore.
• No. 2.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
+ No. 4.
KIMBERLEY.
3
No. 6.
Governor Sir H. St. George Ord to the Earl of Kimberley.-(Received November 23.)
(No. 174.) My Lord,
Government House, Singapore, October 24, 1872.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch No. 174 of 2nd September, 1872,* in answer to my despatch No. 90 of the 10th of July,† which requested that the War Department might be moved to permit some rifles similar to those lately furnished to the Colonial police to be supplied for the use of the police of the Maharajah of Johore.
2. Your Lordship informs me that you have noticed in a newspaper, called the "London and China Telegraph," of the 26th of August, a statement, copy of which is inclosed, that the Maharajah of Johore has had under his protection Rajah Mahdie, the piratical Chief who fired on the "Rinaldo" last year at Salangore; and your Lordship adds that you defer making any application to the War Office on the subject of the rifles until you shall have received information from me as to the circumstances under which Rajah Mahdie has found a secure asylum in the territory of Johore.
3. The facts of the case regarding Rajah Mahdie are as follows:-Being pressed by Tunku Koodin, he fled from the Peninsula to a place called Bankalis, in Sumatra, where he proceeded to collect arms and men, and organize means for a fresh attack on Salangore. On hearing of this, I wrote to the Dutch Resident at Bankalis, telling him who Mahdie was, and requested that he might be prevented from effecting his object. The Dutch authorities then took steps to arrest him, with the view of handing him over to me, but Mahdie, obtaining information of this intention, fied from the country, leaving behind him his family and people, and two vessels, with a large quantity of arms and gunpowder. He landed on the west coast of Johore, near Malacca, where he remained concealed for some days; but was at length discovered by some of the Maharajah's people, who reported it to his Highness. The Maharajah at once called ou me and asked what steps he should take with bin. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that, if he were allowed to take refuge in Johore, it might be possible to make some terms between him and Tunku Koodiu, which would secure the latter from being further troubled by one of the most crafty, energetic, and mischievous Chiefs in the Peninsula.
4. I pause here to observe that, although your Lordship's despatch speaks of Rajah Mahdie as the piratical Chief who fired last year on the "Rinaldo" at Salangore, there is no proof either that he was guilty of piracy or that he had directed any firing on our ships.
5. In the Papers laid before Parliament relating to the proceedings at Salangore (page 1), Colonel Anson, in his letter of the 14th of July, 1871, paragraph 6, speaks of Messrs. Cox and Bradberry having met with decided opposition and threats from Rajah Madhie and his followers; and in paragraph 12 he says that there can be no doubt that Rajah Mahdie has for a long time been carrying on piratical depredations on vessels in the neighbourhood of Salangore and Klang Straits; but neither Captain Bradberry nor Mr. Cox, in their letters, to be found in pages 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Papers, allege that they met with any opposition from Rajah Mahdie; and Mr. Cox states that the Malay Chief who opposed them and prevented their taking the last prisoner was Rajah Mahmood. Mr. Cox speaks of guns being fired on the "Pluto" from Rajah Mahdie's stockade, but there is nothing to show that he was on the spot, still less that he directed the firing. Nor is there anything in any of these gentlemen's letters to show that he had any cognizance of the piracy that had been committed.
6. Again, in the affair which ended in the attack on the "Rinaldo," the only occa- sion on which Rajah Mahdie appeared on the scene is (see page 8) when Lieutenant Maude told him that he must go off to the "Pluto," and, on his objecting, said he should use force to compel him to do so. On this Rajah Mahdie made his escape, and the party was attacked and fired at; but it is not alleged, and on this point I have examined Mr. Welner, the Chief Officer of the "Pluto," who was acting as interpreter to Lieutenant Maude, that Rajah Mabdie gave any order for, or took any part in, the attack on the "Rinaldo's " men; whilst the Colonial Secretary, Mr. J. W. Birch, in his letter (page 20), states that after escaping from Lieutenant Maude's party, Rajah Mahdie is reported to have run away to Bernam or to Perak River, and to have taken no part in the firing on the "Rinaldo" the next day.
7. It is impossible to say how far these statements are correct, but, although I am satisfied that Rajah Mahdie is a thoroughly bad man, capable of any treachery, I am bound to say that, having gone carefully into all the statements which have been made regarding
• No. 5.
+ No. 4