PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TIC.O. 882
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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chiefs through 1872 and 1873. I gave my fullest support to the former, and encouraged the Rajah of Quedah and Bandahara of Pahang to assist him with troops, which the latter did. I visited the Sultan twice, and obtained from him the assurance that he had repudiated Mahdi and Mahmoud and that he had the firmest confidence in Tunku Dia Oodin, and should be guided entirely by his advice.
18. In Perak the death of the Sultan bad led to quarrels regarding the succession. I availed myself of the assistance of Mr. C. J. Irving, Auditor-General, who had a considerable knowledge of native affairs, to visit the country and ascertain what was the real state of matters, authorising him to inform the chiefs that if they would decide accord- ing to native customs who was to be the Sultan, I would at once recognize him as such. Mr. Irving reported that Abdullah, the Rajah Muda, had the greatest claim, though he had no absolute right to the throne, but that he was viewed with disfavour as an opium smoker and dissolute man by many of the Chiefs, and that they had selected one named Ismail as Sultan, and had given him the regalia. Later I proposed to the two rivals and to the Chiefs that there should be a regular election according to Malay usage, but I could not prevail on both to agree to this, and Abdullah, who had at first received the support of the Orang Kaya, Muntri of Larut, having quarrelled with him, became a fugitive from Perak.
19. In Larut the two adverse parties who worked the mines having quarrelled concerning their rights, drove out the Orang Kaya, who had disgusted both of them by his vacillating conduct in dealing with them, and, with the help of supplies received from After Penang, and even from China, carried on a warfare which devastated the country. a time they were checked in receiving supplies from Penang, when they took to plundering our trading and fishing boats. Two men-of-war were then sent to the coast, which they blockaded, and succeeded to some extent in putting a stop to the plundering, but the force available was insufficient and unsuited to the duty, and the further assistance which I applied for had not arrived when I left. At length one party was ill-advised enough to fire on the boats of Her Majesty's ship " Midge," when they were attacked in their strong- hold up the river and severely punished. In the meantime the Orang Kaya had produced deeds showing his independence of the authority of Perak, and I accordingly consented to his recognition as the Ruler of Larut, and permitted him to recruit people for his cause. Captain Speedy was also engaged by him for the same purpose; and when I left there was a prospect of his being ultimately successful in driving out his enemies and restoring peace, a state of things which perhaps had its effect in inducing the other party to listen as readily as they did to the offer of mediation when it was subsequently made to them.
20. Such are the measures I took during 1872 and 1873 for the preservation or restoration of peace and order in the Native States, and such is the result of my efforts. was well aware that if the natives could be brought to feel that the Government was prepared to interfere, by force if necessary, for the protection of life and property within their territories, their security would be easily maintained, and it was notorious that such a policy was in entire accord with the views and wishes of the Straits community. But this course, as I have shown, was not open to me, and the measures that were at my disposal, though freely made use of, proved insufficient to attain the desired end.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. ST. GEORGE ORD.
No. 2.
Governor Sir A. Clarke, K.C.M,G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.-(Received
My Lord,
November 24.)
Government House, Singapore, October 16, 1874. THE relations between the Rulers of the Malay States of Pahang and Johore have been frequently the source of anxiety to the Government of the Straits Settlements, and bave within the past few weeks once more called for our intervention.
2. On the 28th of August last His Highness the Maharajah of Johore requested an interview, and informed me that he had just received intelligence that one Inche Jawa, His Highness's headman on the Indau River, a stream which forms the frontier between Pahang and Johore, had been murdered by a party of Pahang men as he was coming down the river, and that another man had also been killed. I also gathered that His Highness was
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apprehensive that this was only a recommencement of the difficulties between himself and the Bandahara of Pahang-apprehensions which were confirmed by a Report of the 3rd September, forwarded by a brother of His Highness the Maharajah, and by a subse- quent Report of the 7th September, from some of His Highness's Chiefs, who, in the course of an official visit to the outlying districts of Johore, had touched at the Indau River. The information furnished by these agents established the fact, that Inche Jawa and another man had been shot whilst coming down the Indau River, and ascribed the murder directly to political causes, asserting that the Bandahara of Pahang had issued orders to his headmen on the river, to combine and permanently to occupy both banks; that with this object, armed prahus had already ascended the stream, and that three stockades had been already erected, one of which was actually on the Johore bank; and further, that the death of Inche Jawa, far from being a private act of vendetta, was rather to be considered as a foretaste of still more high-handed proceedings.
3. Desirous to avoid any delay in dealing with these matters which indeed appeared to demand that action on the part of this Government which has been guaranteed by the Treaty of 1862, in the case of any differences arising between Pahang and Johore, I requested the co-operation of the Senior Naval Officer on this Station, and on the 17th September left this in Her Majesty's ship " Charybdis," Her Majesty's ships "Hart" and "Avon" accompanying, as also His Highness the Maharajah's gunboat "Pular," and a steam launch also belonging to His Highness.
4. I was the more disposed to believe that beneficial results might accrue from my having a personal interview with the Bandahars, because the relations which I had culti- vated with that Chief had at this time reached a very satisfactory footing; and after some correspondence, in the latter part of which His Highness frequently reiterated a wish to see me at Singapore, I had received an Embassy from Pahang, conveying some presents from the Bandahara, and soliciting my advice and assistance in opening up his country, and in administering its Government.
5. I was not therefore without hope that my mediation might not only effect a permanent settlement of the long-standing differences between Pahang and Johore, but might also result in resuscitating from its present stagnation that trade between Pabang and this Colony, which in 1882 was represented by British property in Pahang of considerable value.
6. I was accompanied on this visit by Mr. Braddell, the Attorney-General, and also by Mr. H. Read, a gentleman long resident in the Straits, whose long experience and thorough acquaintance with Malay customs enabled him to render valuable service to this Government in this matter, more especially because his sympathies are well known to be in favour of the ancient dynasty of Johore, so that although privately on excellent terms with His Highness the Maharajah, he does not wholly uphold the past policy of the Government of India with regard to that Chief, a fact which would commend him to the confidence of the Bandahara.
7. The Indau River was reached on the 19th September, and on the following day I requested Mr. Read to proceed in the "Pluto" to Pahang and make arrangements for my interview with the Bandahara.
8. On the 21st September I reached the Pahang River, and in the evening Mr. Read acquainted me that he had held an interview with the Bandahara who had accorded him a very cordial reception, but that he had been unable to persuade His Highness to come on board Her Majesty's ship "Charybdis "to see me. The alleged excuse was the Banhahara's ill-health, and was, to a certain extent, a plausible one, because His Highness has suffered and is still suffering from the effects of excessive opium smoking; but I have reason to believe that he was rather deterred by the recollection of what had occurred in the negotiation of 1862 and 1889.
9. However, the plea of failing health was, under the circumstances, one which I could not controvert, and early the following morning (22nd September) I sent a message to His Highness expressing my regret at his ill-health, and intimating that as he was unable to come on board I would go and see him: and leaving the "Charybdis " at 10:30 A.M., accompanied by Captain Smith, R.N., Senior naval officer, Mr. Braddell and Mr. Read, reached the town of Pahang (of which a photograph is transmitted) after three hours' steaming up the river.
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10. The Bandahara came out to the landing-place and conducted me to the hall of audience with every appearance of respect, but showed evident signs of a constitution enfeebled by excesses.
About 250 of his men were present, and after a few preliminary observations, His Highness conducted us into an inner apartment where his wives and children were assembled, and into which his leading Chiefs were admitted. I prefaced my remarks by
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