PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
TITTTICO.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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I hear that the Gehin Kongsee have lost many members of their society in the late disturbance.
The Ilon. the Lieutenant-Governor,
Sir,
Penang.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
T. C. S. SPEEDY, Superintendent of Police, Penang.
Sub-Inclosure 9 in Ipclosure 3.
Office of Superintendent of Police, Penang, October 23, 1872.
WITH reference to your Memorandum of 21st instant, desiring me to report on the state of matters in the Laroot territory, and further some particulars regarding the Chinese refugees who are pouring into the settlement:-
I have the honour to report, that the present Ruler of Laroot is Chinga Ibrahim, and styled Tunku Mantri. This Chief leased to various Chinese merchants the tin mines in his country. Some of these merchants belonged to the Gehiun, while others to the Hysan Society.
In February of the current year, the jealousy of the Headmen of these Societies culminated in an appeal to armis. After some serious fighting (in which it is stated that 3,000 Chinese lost their lives), the Hysan faction were expelled from Laroot, and the tin mines given over to the conquering party. During that disturbance, the Tunku Mantri appears to have discountenanced the Hysan faction; for, in a letter to the Honourable A. N. Birch, Acting Lieutenant-Governor, dated 26th March, 1872, he states, that he had arrested certain Headmen for proclaiming war, and issuing resolutions regarding the disposal of their forces, gratuities to the wounded, pensions for the families of such who might be killed in battle.
The Tunku Mantri gives the names of the Headmen attached to the Proclamation, amongst which appear the names of Khoo Hong Choey-Lee, Fook Hap, and Loo Sam Hap.
All seemed quiet until the 1st ultimo, when rumours reached me that certain Head- men of the Hysan faction were conspiring to attack the party who were in possession of the Laroot Tin Mines.
The names of the three above-mentioned Chiefs were given as those of the most energetic and enterprising.
It was also reported that arms, ammunition, and men, were being collected in Penang, with the intention of overthrowing the Gehiun faction, which was represented by a Chinese merchant named Hogee Sin, a resident of Penang, who had received over from the Tunku Mantri the entire control and management of the tin mines, after the expulsion of the Hysan faction in March last.
On the 14th instant, at 9 o'clock p.., I received information that a quantity of arms and ammunition had been shipped on board the junk "Kim Chow See," by the Chiefs of the Hysan faction, for Laroot.
I proceeded at once on board the junk, which was at anchor in this harbour, and asked for the port-clearance, which was at once produced. I found that ten cases of 20 innskets each, 6 cannon, and 900 lbs. of gunpowder were entered, as forming part of her cargo, bound for Perak. The Taikong further stated, that the junk belonged to one Ah Choey, and that the ammunition had been shipped by the firm of Boon Tek.
Besides the six cannon belonging to the cargo, there were on board the junk six other pieces of iron ordnance, also a quantity of spear heads, and spear bandles.
1 left the junk about 9:30) P.M., and while returning to the shore saw her weigh anchor and set sail in a southerly direction.
On the 17th instant I entered the Laroot River, and about eight miles from its mouth perceived the above junk lying at anchor, in company with two similar vessels.
I went on board and found her prepared for action-cannon loaded and primed, and matches buraing; I recognized the 'l'aikong, or Chinese captain, and asked him why he had not gone to Perak? He laughed and said, “Oh, I can go there still !”
I found but half the number of cases of muskets, viz., tive; of these, four had been opened, and the arms distributed among the crew.
On inquiry where the rest of the arms had gone, the Taikong replied, that he had divided them with the other two junks.
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I found the arms ou board the other two junks in possession of the crew; the muskets as well as the cannon were all loaded.
On board one of the junks I found two Chinese prisoners, who begged to be taken to Penang, fearing that their lives were in great danger. The Taikong said that he had taken them out of a boat in the river, because they had been killing his countrymen and burning their houses.
I left the junks, taking with me the two prisoners, and on my return to Penang allowed them to go, on their signing a recognizance to appear when called for.
During the last three days about 2,000 Chinese fugitives have arrived in this Settle- ment; above 100 of these are wounded: 20 of the severer cases I have sent to the hospital for medical treatment.
These fugitives have been received by such of their countrymen as are residing in George Town; in a carpenter's work-shop I counted 60 of these wretched beings.
From careful inquiry on all sides, the facts of the case appear to be as follow:- On the 14th instant, about 2 o'clock P.M., simultaneous attacks were made on the miners belonging to Ho Gee Sin by armed bands of the Goh Tek Kwan tribe, under the leadership of Chiefs of the Hysan faction, at five different localities. Ill supplied with arms and taken unprepared, the miners made little or no resistance, but fled to the jungle, leaving their killed behind.
Upwards of 1,000 miners have lost their lives. Many of the wounded, after gaining the jungle, only laid down to die.
The refugees are of four clans, viz., Sin Eng, San Ohee, Hoi Teng, and You Feng, and numbered 7,000 men.
From later accounts it seems that fighting is over, and the Hysan faction have taken possession of the tin mines.
The Gebiun Society have lost a great number of their adherents, and although much chagrined at the turn affairs have taken, yet I feel assured that with proper care and forethought this ill-feeling will be kept within due bounds in this Settlement.
It is much to be deplored that the ruler of Laroot seems unable to prevent these disturbances, and I am inclined to think the Chinese will endeavour to take the govern- ment of that territory into their own hands.
In conclusion I would, with due deference, suggest that endeavours be taken to alleviate, as soon as possible, the distress of the refugees.
I fear that, unless something be done, the influx of so large a number of men, without any means of livelihood, will greatly tend to increase crime in the Island,
The Hon, the Lieutenant-Governor,
years.
Penang.
I have, &c. (Signed) T. C. S. SPEEDY,
Superintendent of Police, Penang.
Sub-Inclosure 10 in Inclosure 3. Appendix X.
Inclosure 13 in No. 12.
Memorandum on the two last Disturbances in Laroot.
THERE have been four outbreaks among the Chinese in Laroot within the last ten
2. In the early part of 1872 the third of these outbreaks occurred. There were then some 30,000 Chinese at the tin mines, one faction, numbering about 2,000 men, were called the "See Yips." They belonged to three contiguous districts in the interior of Canton. These "See Yips" had a gambling quarrel with another faction, which is called Chin Sang." The quarrel went to great lengths, and finally resulted in the "Chin Sangs," who numbered 10,000 men, being driven from the country with much bloodshed, and with loss of property sometimes estimated as high as 1,000,000 dollars. The Rajah and the "See Yips," with their headman Ho Ghee Soo, are said to have divided the property among them. Ho Ghee Soo became the Rajah's agent,
3. The head of the beaten "Chin Sangs" was named Khoo Ah Choey, who himself suffered great loss; his partner, Loo Ah Sam had also great loss.
4. Since the victory of the " See Yips" they have increased from 2,000 to 4,000, and have become very insolent and overbearing to the other Chinese at the mines, particularly so to a faction which is called "In Tye Yoon," because it belongs to the
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