PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
LETTI
C.O.
Reference:
882
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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contiguous maritime divisions of Canton. This faction, including a few friends, numbers about 6,000. Its Chief is the Loo Ah Sam first mentioned, and, as may be supposed, its members have been anything but friendly towards the "See Yips," while, on the other hand, they have sympathized cordially with the ruined "Chin Sangs."
5. The "Chin Sangs" have, of course, been on the alert for months to recover their possessions, and being supported by wealthy and influential men in Penang, they have no doubt been inciting the "In Tye Yoons" against their common enemy. At length, in the early part of this month there was a quarrel, said-perhaps with some truth-to have arisen from the barbarous murder of an "In Tye Yoon man because he had had dealings with a "See Yip" woman, and a violent attack by the "In Tye Yoons" upon the "See Yips," with the result of the pecuniary ruin of the latter, the slaughter of half of them, and the expulsion of the rest from the country, with the result, also, it is said, that the "Chin Sangs "have recovered their mines and property. In a letter (of 23rd October, 1872), from Captain Speedy, he calls the "See Yips" the "Gehiuns," and the "In Tye Yoons" the "Hysans." This he does because the majority of the former belong to the "Gehiuns Hoey," and the majority of the latter to the "Hysan Hoey."* faction, however, there are some men belonging to both Hoeys.
Sir,
October 24, 1872.
(Signed)
Inclosure 4 in No. 12.
In each
G. W. R. CAMPBELL.
i
Lieutenant-Governor's Office, Penang, October 27, 1872.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant, on the subject of the Laroot disturbance. Since the 24th you will have received my very full report, with its inclosures.
2. With reference to the second paragraph of your letter under reply, I would explain that the sections of the Penal Code to which you refer were well known to me and were the basis of all the action I took. My object was to obtain such proof as would ensure a successful prosecution should the provisions of these sections have been infringed. To do this, I had to send police into disturbed territory, and, to ensure the safety of these police, I used the presence of the man-of-war. I attained my object thoroughly.
3. I consider it would have been unwise to have attempted to bring the three junks referred to back to Penang. Take the case of their having come without resistance, there would immediately have ensued a course of acrimonious litigation with Government. Dainages would have been demanded for interference with trading vessels, and we would have been called upon to prove that the vessel had done anything wrong, or intended anything beyond at the utmost retaking from the opposing Chinese faction the property of which the owners of the vessels had been robbed a few months before. The proof would have been impossible if the Laroot Rajah had said, as I have reason to believe he will say, now that be has become friendly to the party to which the vessels belong, that the vessels were not antagonistic to him. Litigation was certain; for the first news I heard on my return to Penang was that Mr. Bond, the leading lawyer of the place, had during my absence been retained with a fee of 2,000 dollars by the owners of the junks. Take the other case, of the captains of the junks having refused to return to Penang. They knew quite well what the law is regarding expeditions fitted out in British territory to act against friendly States, for, as I mentioned to you in a former correspondence, I had taken care to make it known in this Settlement. And, while these men assured the Superintendent of Police, Captain Speedy, that they were breaking no law, their attitude showed they were little likely to brook any interference. They spoke the Super- intendent fairly enough, but at the same time their thirteen guns were loaded, their port- fires were lighted, and they had 200 well-armed men at their call. Had Captain Speedy desired them to return to Penang, and had they refused, and he put up with the refusal, the only result would have been a certain loss of our prestige. Had he, on the other hand, attempted force with his thirty policemen, he would probably have had to send for help to the Nassau," anchored fourteen or sixteen miles off, that is, six or eight miles off the mouth of the river. Then the "Nassau" would have sent some fifty men in boats, the only way she could have sent them; and the probable result would have been that the junks would have been brought out, but at a cost which the result would scarcely justily. A number of British sailors and of the police might have lost their lives because they had penetrated eight miles into foreign tertitory to forcibly capture three vessels, which, after all, might in the eye of the law have done no wrong, and for which Govern- ment might have to pay heavy damages. The action I took in this matter was taken
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with a full knowledge of the law, and after much deliberation and much consultation with the Solicitor-General and all the officers near me; and, judging by results, I think now, as I thought then, that it was the wisest under the circumstances.
4. With reference to the third paragraph of your letter under reply, Captain Speedy explains that he was in doubt how to act with regard to the junk he boarded in Penang harbour at 10 o'clock on the night of the 15th, because, in the first place, her clearance was made out for Perak; and, in the next, she was only doing on a more extensive scale what native vessels have been doing unquestioned for years, namely, taking arms and ammunition for sale in the numerous native States; nor had he any time for deliberation, for he had no sooner left her than she started, and sailed from the harbour with a wind which took her at the rate of ten miles an hour. No other vessels with arms are ascer- tained to have left Penang. The one boarded by Captain Speedy supplied with arms the two others found with her in the Laroot river. As for myself, the occurrence was not reported to me until the following day. I then informed Captain Speedy that I considered he might well have detained the junk, depending for assistance, if necessary, upon the "Nassau," which was anchored not far off. As I have already reported, measures were at once taken to prevent other vessels with munitions of war leaving our waters, and not a moment was lost in following up the one which had gone and ascertaining her destination.
last.
5. In your last paragraph you call my attention to a Proclamation of the 28th June You will see in my letter of the 6th ultimo to your address that I was quite aware of that Proclamation, and that I have been impressing the substance of it upon persons in this Settlement. I have, however, now had a similar Proclamation drawn up as regards Penang, in accordance with his Excellency's instructions, and I inclose a copy for his information.
6. I would add that everything is very quiet here, and, so far as I can learn, in Laroot also, for the present.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Straits Settlements.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
G. W. R. CAMPBELL,
Acting Lieutenant-Governor.
Sub-Inclosure in Inclosure 4.
Proclamation.
WHEREAS certain persons are reported to have prepared and despatched arms and men to create disturbance in the Perak territory, and particularly in that partion of it called Laroot; and whereas the Government of that territory is at peace with the Queen of Great Britain, and, in order that persons in this Settlement may not from ignorance be led to commit a breach of the law in that behalf, Sections 125 and 126 of the Penal Code are hereby republished for general information; and notice is hereby given that the pro- visions of the said Penal Code will be strictly enforced. Given at Penang, this 26th day of October, 1872.
By his Excellency's command,
(Signed)
Sir,
G. W. R. CAMPBELL,
Acting Lieutenant-Governor. (The Penal Code, Ordinance No. 4 of 1871, Sections 125 and 126.)
Inclosure 5 in No. 12.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore,
November 12, 1872.
I AM directed by the Governor to acknowledge your letter of the 27th October, inclosing copies of some correspondence showing the course taken by you and by the police with reference to the junks which were allowed to proceed to Laroot after being armed and equipped in Penang. His Excellency has at the same time had under his consideration your letter of the 27th October, stating, in reply to mine of the 24th of October, your reasons for not interfering with the force at your disposal to prevent the junks front carrying out their purpose.
2. 1 am desired to state that it appears to his Excellency from this correspondence
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