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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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permission to Mr. Skinner and Mr. Pickering to proceed in that steamer, to give all assistance to Captain Dunlop in carrying out his verbal instructions.
Captain H. B. Woollcombe, R.N.,
Sir,
Senior Officer, Malacca Straits.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. C. PATTERSON, Commander.
Lieutenant-Governor's Office, Penang, January 23, 1874.
I have the honour to transmit a copy of instructions received by mne from Sir Harry Ord, and also a copy of a letter from him to the Orang Kaya, Mantri of Larut, which it has occurred to me may not have been placed by him among the rest of the Larut papers.
I am, &c. (Signed)
A. E. H. ANSON, Lieutenant-Governor.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Singapore.
Memorandum to the Lieutenant-Governor of Penang.
As I am satisfied from the various documents which the Orang Kaya Mantri has produced, that he is the lawful Ruler of Larut, and as such, independent of the Sultan or any authority in Perak, he will now be recognized by the Government as the Independent Ruler of Larut.
In the accompanying letter which I have received from him, it will be seen that, whilst asking for this recognition the Mantri states that the Chinese party known as Sin Nengs or Seequans are his bitter opponents and are keeping him out of his country. That on the contrary, the party known as Ah Quays or Goh Quans, who are now in possession of the mines, is that which has a right to these privileges and being friendly to him, it is his wish to protect them in their rights. In this view of this case, the Governor in Council has this day issued a Proclamation repealing the Proclamation of 21st of February, 1873, and prohibiting the exportation of arms, ammunition, and food only to the Chinese and others at war with the Mantri.
To give effect to this Proclamation, it will be necessary that very great vigilance should be exercised by the police and harbour authorities to prevent any prohibited articles from reaching these people, and I think it would be advisable that precise and peremptory instructions should be given to insure inquiry in all cases where applications are made for the clearance of junks containing arms and provisions.
The present police boat ought to be sufficient to guard the northern exit from the barbour, but for the south further assistance will be needed, and I authorise the establish- ment of a police station at Pulo Kra or some convenient place in the neighbourhood, and a temporary employment of one native police officer and nine or ten marine policemen, whose sole duty it should be to guard the exit from the South Channel, and prevent any evasion of the Proclamation. Two boats, one fast pulling six-oared gig or sampan and a smail two-cared sampan for communication with the town, must also be supplied to them. Station must be under the charge of a trustworthy European, and if necessary, one may be engaged for the purpose, or to supply the place of one who may be selected from the force.
You are aware from what I stated to you verbally to-day, what has been effected by Her Majesty's ships "Thalia" and "Midge" in searching the various creeks and rivers between the Krean and the Dinding, for the vessels and boats which have been engaged in these recent piratical proceedings on that coast.
Captain Woollcombe has arranged that Hor Majesty's ship "Midge" shall remain cruising constantly there, and overhauling passing junks and boats, and detaining any that appear to be breaking the law. He has also applied for the services of another gunboat with whose assistance I think an effectual stop may be put to the piratical proceedings of those people.
Penang, September 3, 1873.
(Signed)
H. ST. GEORGE ORD.
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Translation of a Letter to the Orang Kaya Muntri of Larut from his Excellency Sir H. Ord.
We inform our friend that we have received his letter of the 11th Rajab (2nd Sep- tember) and we have carefully considered its contents. We have also seen the written authority which our friend showed to the Lieutenant-Governor of Penang, and we are of opinion that our friend has got a title, which is authentic and sufficient, from the late Sultans of Perak to be the ruler of Larut, and we are very glad to recognise him as such. We think it should be well if our friend were to ask permission to import arms and ammunition and other warlike stores, both for the protection of himself and his party, and with a view to recovering his territory, which is now in the hands of the Sin Nengs.
We have given orders that arms, ammunition, and warlike stores are not to be exported from any of the three settlements, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca, unless these articles are ordered by our friend or his party.
We hope that this order will be an assistance to our friend, and that he may be enabled to win back his country from his enemies speedily.
Dated September 5, 1873.
(Telegraphic.)
Colonel Anson to the Colonial Secretary.
January 31, 1874. Dunlop, Swettenham, Pickering here, all leave for Larut six to-day-Dunlop wants prosecution stopped against Ho-Chee-Sew, thirty-six Sin Neng women brought from Larut all stockades destroyed, and arms brought here.
Extracts from Letters from Colonel Anson to Bir A. Clarke.
Penang, December 22, 1873.
I have no means of communicating with the Dindings, but will take the first that occurs to direct the police to strengthen the stockade which the Pungulu made formerly round his house, and to construct another round their quarters or round the sergeant's quarter on the top of the hill. The "Pluto" would be a great convenience here at present if she could be spared, she would be much more convenient for going about in than a man- of-war. I could not make up my mind except under very urgent circumstances to make a trip with Captain Patterson.
Penang, December 30, 1873.
The European police officer at the Dindings having reported that he thought it possible that the pirates would attack him, I got Captain Woollcombe to send his cutter with a Lieutenant, a medical officer, and ten men, and the gig of the " Midge" by the "Pluto" as far as Dindings. I also sent word to have a stockade built in accordance with your wishes. Five additional police constables were also sent. In consequence of another piratical attack off the Krean and the report upon it by the Assistant-Superintendent of police, I have ordered a party of police under Captain Tatham to go on board a junk and Bail down in the direction of Krean, The Mata-Mata and several other boats will be hidden in creeks near where the junk will be, and be ready to go to her assistance in case she should be attacked. I have ordered a 12-lb. mountain howitzer to be placed on board the junk.
P.S. 1st January, 1874.-The expedition against the pirates, although well managed, was a failure, as the pirates declined to take the bait.
Penang, January 5, 1874.
Mr Pickering has seen the condemned prisoners, but can get nothing out of them. I have put him on the scent of Ho-Ghee-Sew, but it is very doubtful whether he will be able to make anything of it.
The pirate boats, it appears, showed themselves after the expedition I sent with Captain Tatham. It seems they must have got wind of the vicinity of the Mata-Mata and the other boats, and hid themselves in the creeks until the Mata-Mata had gone, when they sent the challenge for us to come and fight them in their own waters. There is nothing for it but to take Silensing and Tanjong Pudang villages. The Mantri, the Ruler