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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TPELTIC.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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bis conduct in the Salangore affair, I have satisfied myself that we possess no evidence which could secure his conviction in our courts on any charge that could be preferred against him.
8. Having this fact in view, I requested the Maharajah to tell him that he might come to Johore, and that, so long as he conducted himself quietly, and took no part in the quarrels at Salangore, I would not ask the Maharajah to give him up or send him away. hie He at once accepted this offer, and came, with some half-dozen followers, and took abode in a house belonging to one of the Maharajah's officers.
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9. I then sent for Tunku Koodin, and pointed out to him the importance of offering this man such terms as would secure his neutrality in future. Tunku Koodin expressed his willingness to agree to any terms which I might think it right he should offer, and it was finally settled that the Maharajah should propose to Rajah Mahdie that he should be guaranteed the payment of a pension of 350 dollars a-month* and a free asylum in Johore, on condition of his pledging himself to abandon all claims against Salangore, and never in any way to engage in any quarrels or intrigues against that country.
10. The Maharajah made repeated efforts to induce Mahdie to accept these terms, but without success. I then went over to Johore and sending for him I pointed out that he was without money or friends, a refugee in a foreign country, and indebted to the forbearance of its ruler and the British Government for his existence, I urged on him the propriety of accepting the very liberal offer which had been made to him by Tunku Koodin, but equally without effect. He steadily refused all terms, and in reply to inquiries as to what he proposed to do in future, fell back on the usual formula that he trusted in God.
11. Although his prospects appeared so indifferent, I felt sure from his conduct and manner that he contemplated mischief, and sending again for Tunku Koodin, I pointed out from the probability there was, that Mahdie would at a convenient time make his escape Johore, and by some of the rivers join his friends who were still holding their own in the interior of Salangore. I explained to Tunku Koodin how easily he might prevent this by keeping a couple of rowing boats at either end of the Johore Straits, and warned him if he did not take proper precautions, he might rest assured that I should learn some morning by an express from Johore that Mahdie had left the country during the night.
12. Tunku Koodin agreed entirely with me, and promised to take every precaution to prevent Mahdie's escape; but, as I fully anticipated, no such precautions were taken, and very shortly afterwards I had the unpleasant duty of communicating to his agent in Singapore the Maharajah's report to me that Mahdie and two or three followers, who were safe in Johore the night before, were no longer to be found there the following morning.
13. I have since ascertained that he got away in a small boat and proceeded up the coast, until he reached the Linghy river on the northern boundary of Malacca, from whence he found his way into the interior of Salangore, where he joined his friends.
14. The newspaper statement which your Lordship has forwarded to me is one of many which have appeared within the last six months in the local journals containing charges against me of ignorance, carelessness, and want of consideration for the interests of the people, in my dealing with the affairs of native States, and of duplicity and bad faith on the part of the Maharajah in regard to Salangore affairs. The object of these attacks and their authorship is well known here, and as they generally carried their own refutation with them, I have not thought it necessary to take any notice of them to your Lordship. Where the Maharajah has been alluded to, he has invariably spoken to me respecting then, being naturally sensitive on such a subject. After hearing his explanation, I have assured him of my perfect reliance on his good faith and feeling towards Government, and although showing how deeply hurt he felt, he has always expressed himself perfectly satisfied with this expression of my confidence in him, which he naturally assumed inferred similar feelings on the part of Her Majesty's Government.
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15. On the present occasion I would gladly have avoided informing him of your Lordship's communication to me, but the necessity of affording him some explanation respecting the non-receipt of the arms, which I had led him to expect would be at once supplied, rendered it impossible for me to do this.
16. Your Lordship is, I believe, aware of the high estimation in which His Highness has been always held by the Governors and officers under the late administration of the Straits, by the Members of our Government at Home, and I believe I may add by the Queen herself, by whom he has been specially honoured. In every communication, written or verbal, which I have made respecting His Highness, I have invariably expressed the strong sense I entertained of his high character, of his loyalty to Her Majesty, and of the readiness and anxiety he has always shown to aid and further in every possible way
• £74 7x. 8d.
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any wish the Government may express. Your Lordship will understand how deeply pained this gentleman must have been on learning that he could have been deemed capable of the duplicity and folly which has been attributed to him by this correspondent from Singapore, and will not be, I think, surprised at the warmth with which he has defended himself against this cruel imputation in the letter which he has addressed to me, and which I have the honour to inclose.
17. As regards myself I cannot but express my regret that your Lordship should have deemed it possible that I could have taken the part in this affair which this article attributes to me; and I beg with all respect to submit for your Lordship's further consider- ation whether there is anything in my conduct of business during the sixteen years I have had the honour of serving under the Colonial Department to justify the inference which it
I have, &c.
conveys.
(Signed)
Inclosure in No. 6.
H. ST. GEORGE ORD.
Sir,
Johore, Bahru, October 15, 1872. I HAVE been very much pained by the information you verbally gave me a few days ago that Lord Kimberley has learnt from the Straits newspapers, and evidently believes, or is inclined to believe, that I have been encouraging and assisting Rajah Mahdie and others against Tunku Dia Oodin in the Salangore troubles, as you gather from a despatch of Lord Kimberley's addressed to you. The first statement appeared in the Straits "Daily Times" during my absence, on the occasion I accompanied you in the "Pluto" to Pahang and other places on the east coast of the Peninsula; but it was at once denied for me by my agents at Singapore, as you will notice in the issue of the same paper a day or two after. Repetitions of the same untruthful nature appeared again, but I venture to believe that Lord Kimberley would not have expected me to have contradicted them from time to time.
2. As you are well aware Rajah Mabdie took shelter in Johore at a distance from Johore Bahru, the capital where I reside. This event was at once reported to you, and, by arrangement with the view of assisting your Government in trying to get him to come to terms with Tunku Dia Oodin, Rajah Mahdie removed at my request to Johore Bahru, where you saw him. Negotiations for the purpose failed, although I did my best to bring about the arrangement which you desired to have made between the two Chiefs.
3. Subsequently he left Johore suddenly, but without the knowledge or concurrence
of myself or anyone under my authority. Of this departure, as soon as known, I made you acquainted.
4. With the exception of giving Rajah Mahdie shelter and food after he removed to my capital, as is customary with us, and of advancing the sum of 30 dollars, given him with immediate communication to you, and which had your approval, I have never, nor has anyone by my connivance, or anyone under my authority, as I heartily believe, assisted him or anyone else against Tunku Dia Oodin. You will remember my offer to make Rajahı Mahdie quit Johore rather than be suspected of sheltering him in an under- band inanner; and that his being allowed to continue to remain, when found there, was in furtherance of your own views for the pacification of Salangore disputes.
5. He never made his departure from Johore, as described by the Straits "Daily Times," with men and arms in several boats; and he left, or rather took flight, without my knowledge, assistance, or connivance. The newspaper statement is a tissue of falsehoods, the absurdity of it being the worst feature in the story.
6. A second of reflection must convince an unprejudiced mind that for me to have rendered such assistance from Johore Bahru with the intention of concealing it from the British Government would have been an insane act on my part; and I trust that our nearly five years' acquaintance has secured for me not only your friendship (which I value and trust always to retain), but also at least the smallest amount of respect for just enough judgment as would have dictated to me that such clandestine assistance could only have had a chance of being concealed from you if rendered from an unfrequented part of Johore.
7. My Lord Kimberley may not be aware that my capital is on the banks of the Straits, which runs half way around Singapore, dividing the island from my territory, and that the town is built very nearly. midway between each end of the Strait, so that several hours would be required for a boat to escape out into the sea, giving each chance of successful communication of the news to Singapore and of her capture. Passengers by mail coach arrive and leave Johore Bahru to and from Singapore six times daily each way,
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