PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
TIITTICO.
882
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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26. Such is a brief and necessarily imperfect sketch of what has taken place in these three important native States since my return, and of their present condition, and I trust it will satisfy your Lordship that I have been neither so ignorant nor so unmindful, as has been alleged, of the bearing which the internal condition of these States has upon certain important interests in the Settlements, and that notwithstanding the little actual power I am able to exercise I have done what I could to protect those interests.
27. I desire to state, in justice to Mr. C. J. Irving, that in all these negotiations he has well and faithfully carried out my instructions, and that though there has not been the success that was anticipated, he has done all that he could to ensure it.
I have, &c.
Sir,
(Signed)
Inclosure 1 in No. 10.
H. ST. GEORGE ORD.
Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, July 30, 1872.
'
I HAVE the honour, by direction of the Chamber of Commerce, to forward to you the inclosed letter addressed to the Chairman by a number of traders residing at Malacca, who are interested in the trade with Salangore. I am directed to state that the parties whose signatures are appended to the letter are men of well-known respectability, and that the trade with Salangore is of great value. The statement in the letter regarding the trade with Klang is known to the Chamber to be substantially correct; and the Chamber trust that the Government will be good enough to give its early and earnest attention to the subject matter of the letter which it considers to be one of considerable importance.
I have, &c.
To the Hon. the Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
(Signed) J. G. DAVIDSON. Secretary.
Inclosure 2 in No. 10.
Petition of the Malacca Traders to the Chamber of Commerce, Singapore.
Malacca, July 27, 1872. IN the month of July last year after the shelling of the forts at the mouth of the Salangore River, and after Tunku Dia Oodin had been appointed Viceroy of the Sultan of Salangore, it was publicly announced at Salangore and elsewhere that the British Govern- ment would support Tunku Dia Oodin in the Government of the territory of Salangore. At the same time the Colonial Government made a requisition on the Sultan of Salangore to deliver up, as pirates, three notorious disturbers of the peace of Salangore, viz., Rajah Mahdie, Syed Masahoor, and Rajah Mahmoot, and it was stated by the Govern- ment officials that these men would be arrested wherever found, and the Sultan of Salangore gave permission to the Colonial officials to arrest these men within the territory of Salangore, and promised to assist in effecting arrest.
Having full confidence in the administration of Tunku Dia Oodin, and believing that the Colonial Government would carry out the views above expressed, and that the trade of Salangore would consequently prosper, we (being British subjects trading at Malacca) and other British subjects have invested large sums of money in the trade of Salangore, and more particularly in tin mines in which that country abounds, and large sums of our money still remain invested there. It would appear, however, that the policy of Government has since been changed, for we now find that disturbances have been renewed in the territory of Salangore by Rajah Maldie, Syed Masahoor, and Rajah Mahmoot and others acting with them, and that the Colonial Government has done nothing to assist Tunku Dia Oodin or to obtain the custody of the three men above named, though the most notorious of them, Rajah Mahdie, might have casily been arrested at Siak or Johore or Singapore. Kajah Mahdie we are informed is residing in Johore unmolested by the British Govern- ment, and his friends here, and in Salangore openly assert that the British Government will do nothing against him, and that he is being assisted by His Highness the Mubarajah of Johore in carrying on the disturbances in Salangore. The Maharajah has, in so far as we can learn, done nothing to contradict the report; and the belief is gaining ground in Salangore that the Maharajah is assisting Rajah Mahdie and his friends. Syed Masahoor is now on the Salangore River with an armed force, and Rajah Mahmoot is on the Langkat River also with, an armed force, and they are killing the inhabitants and burning and
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destroying property. Some of their friends have succeeded in penetrating to Klang, and the works of two tin mines have already been burnt. Our money is principally invested in Klang, which is situated between the Selangore and Langkat Rivers, and is now threatened with an attack from both sides, and our property, therefore, is in great jeopardy and the lives of the servants and agents whom we have sent into Selangore are in great danger. What has the Colonial Government done to put down these noted pirates and robbers, or to support Tunku Dia Qodin in his Government?
We think that, having been induced by representations of protection and support from the Colonial Government to invest our money in the trade of Salangore, we have good reason to ask your Chamber to press on the Government the necessity of protecting our interests, which it could easily do by putting down Rajah Mahdie, Syed Masahoor, and Rajah Mahmoot.
The disturbances in Salangore directly affect us in the first place, but if not put down they will materially affect the prosperity of the trade and commerce of the Colony. The mineral and agricultural resources of the territory of Salangore are enormous, and its development would give a great impetus to the trade of the Colony. About 12,000 Chinese miners are now employed on the Klang river alone, and they are mostly supported by British capital. The yield of tin from that river is about 3,000 piculs per month, which is all taken to Malacca, Singapore, or Penang. It should be stated that the yield has doubled during the short Administration of Tunku Dia Oodin. One steamer plies regularly between Malacca and Klang, and another between Singapore and Klang, touching at Malacca. It is very obvious, therefore, that if the country be again thrown into confusion, the trade of the Colony will be materially injured. It should be remembered that Salangore has only been very partially opened up, and that the trade is capable of great development, but is retarded by the disturbances carried on by the three men before- mentioned, who gain their livelihood solely by plunder.
We, traders of Malacca, and all the well-disposed inhabitants of Salangore, have full confidence in the Administration of Tunku Dia Óodin, who has proved himself a wise and just Ruler; but it is much to be feared that, unless he receives some active support from the British Government, it will be a very long time before Salangore can be brought into a settled state, and then only at a great sacrifice of human life and British property.
The Government of this Colony has always heretofore exercised great influence over the Government of the Malayan States, we truly believe that if the Government would steadfastly countenance Tunku Dia Oodin in the territory of Salangore, of which it has recognized him to be the chief Ruler, that country would soon be brought into a quiet and prosperous state.
For this and other reasons we would ask your Chamber, as a body founded for the protection of the trade and commerce of the Colony, to press on the Government the necessity of giving Tunku Dia Oodin an unqualified and hearty support, more particularly in getting rid of Rajah Mahdie, Syed Masahoor, and Rajah Mahmoot, who have already been denounced by the Government as pirates, and who are the principal if not the only promoters of the disturbances in Salangore.
We have, &c.
(Signed)
THEO. SIONG CHWEE. (And 33 others).
To the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce,
Sir,
Singapore.
Inclosure 3 in No. 10.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, August 21, 1872.
IN reply to your letter of the 30th July, I am directed by the Governor to state, for the information of the Chamber of Commerce, that his Excellency has learnt with great regret that, notwithstanding the efforts made to induce the native Princes of Salangore to submit to the authority of the Sultan and his Viceroy, and allow peace to prevail in that country, fighting and disturbances are still going on, and that there being no security for life and property, trade is paralysed, and persons, like the petitioners, who have embarked in it are ruined and great sufferers.
2. At the same time I am further directed to point out that it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to interfere in the affairs of these countries unless where it becomes necessary for the suppression of piracy or the punishment of aggression on our people or territories; and that, if traders, prompted by the prospect of large gains, choose to run the risk of placing their persons and property in the jeopardy which they are aware
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