PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference-
TTTTTCO.882
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Malayan Peninsula, at the end of the last and the beginning of the present century, would have been beneficial to the neighbouring native States: and so perhaps it was at first; but the Indian Government were early dissatisfied with the result of the establishment at Penang; and soon stringent orders were given to the local Government not to interfere The result has been unfortunate, as in the native States on any pretext whatever. encouraging the existence, by non-interference, of a state of misgovernment and anarchy difficult to describe, and which might, in a great measure, have been prevented by an intelligent fostering of the existing native Governments, and protecting them not merely from external aggression but also from internal troubles.
4. As matters now stand, the whole Southern Peninsula, with the exception of Johore and Quedah, is in a state of anarchy and confusion; population is decreasing, and trade, except in the tin countries, hardly exists. The discovery of gutta-percha about twenty-five years ago gave a great impetus to the prosperity of Johore. The then Chief of that country was aided by Singapore merchants, who paid fair prices for the gutta, and the wealth thus introduced into Johore enabled its ruler, aided by the protection he enjoyed from his close proximity to Singapore, and the lessons of good Government before his eyes in that Settlement, to enter on a career of improvement which the present Maharajah nobly carries out. This part of the Peninsula may therefore be said to be in a flourishing state, the cultivation of pepper and gambier is carried on largely, and population, under a just. Government, is rapidly increasing.
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5. Quedah, to the north, has been protected by Siam, and is now peaceful; and although, like Johore, not rich in minerals, is a prosperous country. Between Quedah and Johore, however, matters are in an unsatisfactory state. The population is small, and the people, living on the bank of the rivers, confine themselves to such rice and fruit cultivation as is sufficient to supply their small daily wants, and rarely attempt to raise surplus produce for export; while immigrants, Chinese and others, find no induce- ment to settle. The only exception is in the case of the places where tin mines are worked.
Tin Districts.
6. It has long been known that valuable deposits of stream tin ore existed in the Peninsula, and they have been worked by Chinese with more or less enterprise at different times, depending on the degree of protection afforded to them by the local Malay Chiefs, and on their proximity to our Settlements.
7. Of late years the mines which have been most worked are situated at Klang in Salangore, at Lingie near Malacca, and at Larut in Perak, near Penang. The undertakers have their places of business at our Settlements, where they receive the tin, and from where they send supplies and money for the use of the miners.
8. The mines in these districts are so rich, and the profit of working them has been so great, that, notwithstanding the difficulties in dealing with the Malay Chiefs as to the royalty to be paid, and notwithstanding the oppression of the Chiefs, when in a position to cope with the Chinese miners, and the frequent massacres of the miners, they are still attracted to the place, and succeed yearly in sending large quantities of tin to Singapore and Penang.
Working of the Mines.
9. The tin ore is found in strata, in the ancient water course near the hills, at a depth of 10 to 20 feet, When the existence of the ore is ascertained, by digging down to it, the miners mark a line for a certain length along the centre line of the valley. They dig out the superincumbent earth on one side, laying it on the other side, till they reach the ore. The ore is then taken out and stored, the earth is replaced and the other side is dug out, and so on until enough ore is collected for smelting. There is no underground work, the men dig the earth with hoes and carry it out of the holes in baskets. The ore is washed in wooden gutters and is sinelted in open furnaces with a common cold blast bellows. The process of washing and smelting are very imperfect. A large percentage of The working-men loss occurs, which might easily be avoided by improved processes. reside in large sheds near the mines, from 50 to 100, and sometimes more, in one shed. Their working hours are from sunrise to sunset. When smelting, which is done at night, there is a feast, and the work continues till the ore is all smelted. At these smelting feasts gambling is carried on, and they form in fact the only amusements enjoyed by the miners.
10. Near the large mines villages spring up. The Headmen have separate houses, in which they live with their families; and there are also a few shops kept by Chinese traders, who supply the miners with goods and provisions from our Settlements, and with fruits
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and vegetables purchased from the Chinese or Malays settled near the mines. In some of the mining districts a few Malays are settled, but, as a rule, except in old established centres of population, they are not numerous; and they contribute but little to the wealth of the community.
Malay Chiefs.
11. The Malay Chiefs reside generally on the banks of the river, by which the tin is sent down to market, and there they levy the duties. They rarely live at or near the mines; and, so long as they get their duties, they trouble themselves but little as to the good order and well-being of the miners.
12. The Chinese are thus left without protection and without control by the Malay Chiefs; and, in consequence, they are obliged to combine together for protection against the Malays, and to depend on their own Headmen for the administration of a rough sort of justice among themselves.
Secret Societies.
13. The Secret Societies, which have had such a prominent place in the history of our Settlements, have supplied the machinery of their organization as a ready, and, in fact, only means of government among the miners.
14. In the absence of any other machinery of government, objection cannot well be taken to these societies, so long as they confine themselves to protection of life and property, and administering justice among their own members; and, although great individual oppression is said to be exercised by the Headmen of the societies, it is supposed that, on the whole they have succeeded in keeping a certain degree of order among their own people, and in protecting them from open violence on the part of the Malays.
Policy of the Chinese.
15. In the districts where the Chinese are in too small numbers to overawe the Malays they temporize, and endeavour, by policy, to protect their industry; on the other hand, when they are in such large numbers as to make them independent of the Malays, they dispute, or in fact ignore, the authority of the Malay Chiefs at the mines; but they have not yet attempted to get the command of the rivers by which their tin is sent down to market, and are therefore dependent on the Malay Chiefs for the safe passage of their supplies and tin, and make the best arrangement they can with them on the rivers where the duties are collected.
Chinese Quarrels.
16. The Chinese in these seas, when living in mixed tribes, are liable to be led into great excesses when quarrels break ont among them. Very slight grounds suffice to commence a disturbance; two boys of opposite tribes playing together have a dispute, which is taken up by their parents or friends, and gradually extends through the whole community; or, two men of different-tribes quarrel about a woman, and soon the whole of the Chinese of the two tribes join in, with their allied tribes and congsies, or societies. The riots in Penang in 1867 show to what lengths they go in these quarrels even in our
Stockades in Rivers.
Settlements.
17. The Malay Chiefs place armed stockades on the rivers, and oblige every boat going up or down to stop and pay toll. When there is only one authority demanding duties the Chinese readily pay, and difficulty on this head is unknown. When, however, rival Chiefs place stockades on the same river, and exact double or trebel duties, the matter is changed. To protect themselves against exaction the Chinese are sometimes led to adopt the course of ous or other of the contending parties, and assist in driving the others away: hence arise disturbances in the rivers and along the sea-coasts, which are brought to the notice of our Government on the complaint of third parties, traders whose boats are attacked. When there are very serious difficulties among the Chiefs of the Malay States, such as disputed successions or open rebellion, the Chinese are forced to take a part on one side or other to protect themselves, and in such cases their difficulties are increased, but when a Chinese congsie quarrel exists in a Malay State in which there are already disturbances among the Malays, the consequences are serious.
Pirary.
18. In cases where the Malay Chiefs dispute among themselves, the natural turn of their followers for piracy soon shows itself, as is found at Salangore and Klang. When
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