PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILICO. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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successful, and that I have received a communication from him reporting that, acting as the representative of this Government, he had held a most satisfactory interview with the ex-Sultan Ismail, who had agreed to sign the Engagement of Pangkor above referred to, but wished that the Sultan Abdullah should meet him first.
3. The desired meeting between the two Princes was accordingly arranged to take place in a few days, and was to be attended by all the Sultan Abdullah's chiefs, as well as by all the chiefs in the interior of Perak, except two of no importance, comprising—three chiefs of the first order, five chiefs of the second order, six chiefs of the third order.
4. At this meeting the Boundary Commissioner representing Perak was to be elected, and extensive preparations were being made by both the Sultan and the ex-Sultan in collecting men and provisions for the interview, which it is desirable should be as imposing as possible.
5. I will not fail to inform your Lordship of the result of these proceedings on receipt of further information, but I have little doubt that the reconciliation now effected between the Ruler and ex-Ruler of Perak will prevent auy further complications in that State.
No. 12.
I have, &c. (Signed)
A. CLARKE.
Governor Sir A. Clarke, K.C.M G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.-(Received January 30, 1875.)
My Lord,
Government House, Singapore, December 29, 1874. IN my despatch of the 8th May last, I described the steps I had taken to free the Lingy River (the boundary between Malacca and Sungie Ujong) of pirates, and to restore confidence amongst the traders and miners of Malacca and Suogie Ujong, and I have the honour to inform your Lordship of my further proceedings in endeavouring to secure peace and good government in Sungie Ujong, with safety to the lives and property as well of British subjects trading to that country as of the inhabitants themselves.
2. Leaving Penang in July last to return to Singapore, I called on my way at Klang, and there heard that a piracy had been committed at a place called Qualla Labu, the mouth of a tributary of the Langat river, some 35 miles above the town of Langat.
3. It was reported that the perpetrators were followers of Rajabs Mahdie and Mahmood, and that these chiefs, so celebrated as the originators of all disturbances in Salangore, were on the point of making a supreme effort to throw the whole of Salangore again into confusion, and spreading war and desolation amongst the mines and villages, to attack Tunku Kudin, and drive him from Klang and Selangore, there being even a whisper of a meditated attempt on the life of the Sultan.
4. I proceeded in the "Pluto," accompanied by Her Majesty's ship "Avon," Com- mander Powlett, to Klang, where Tunku Kudin joined me, and thence to Langal, where, on the 2nd August, I had an interview with His Highness the Sultan, and explained to him what might be the consequences should the perpetrators of the Qualla Labu outrage be left unmolested.
5. I was unable to ascertain who the pirates were, but the impression at Langat was that they were Sungic Ujong men, and there was no doubt that in any case they had come from that State.
6. The Sultan and Tunku Kudin agreed, in my presence, to make a combined move- ment on Labu both from Klang and from Langat, and I determined to call upon the Datu Klana of Sungie Ujong to aid with a force from his side, as the pirates, if not already fled to Sungie Ujong, would no doubt seek refuge there, and I resolved to request one or more of Her Majesty's ships on this Station to cruise about between Malacca and Klang to prevent the pirates escaping by sea.
7. On my arrival in Singapore I lost no time in making the necessary arrangements, and on the 12th August Her Majesty's ship "Hart" left for Malacca, there to meet Captain Shaw, the Lieutenant-Governor, in the Colonial steamer "Pluto," both ships to proceed to Qualla Klang to join Her Majesty's ship" Avon," which was lying there, and to make such arrangements with Tunku Kudin and the Sultan of Salangore as should seem most likely to secure the capture of the pirates, and, if possible, to finally drive out from Salangore or procure the submission of Rajaha Mahdi and Mahmood.
8. I considered, as I have already informed your Lordship, that although the Sultan of Salangore had ever shown himself ready to listen to my advice, and do what he could to insure safety to the lives and property of his subjects, yet that he was surrounded by a No. 60 of Command Paper [C. 1111] of 1874.
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circle of such turbulent Chiefs, that unless re-assured and supported by the constant presence of an English officer, he might hesitate to give orders which he feared might be disobeyed, and to get rid of the responsibilities of his position had even assumed a weak- ness which was really foreign to him,
9. I therefore sent with the "Hart" Mr. Swettenham, who was known to the Sultan and most of his Chiefs, to remain, should the Sultan desire it, at Langat until the country might be restored to an assured tranquillity. I sent at the same time Mr. Isemouges, the police magistrate of Malacca, to Sungie Ujong, with a letter to the Datu Klana, calling upon him to co-operate.
10. The result of the expedition was that Rajahs Mahdi and Musah came to Singa- pore, the former accompanied by Che Karri, the son of the Datu Bandar of Sungie Ujong: and the piratical band, though none of its members were secured, was so effectually dispersed that it has never been heard of since.
11. Before Mr. Isemonger left Sungie Ujong there was a slight disturbance among the Chinese miners there, which he was able to settle, binding the headmen over to keep the peace in heavy securities.
12. The Datu Klana of Sungie Ujong had already several times asked me to send him an officer to reside with him and assist him in governing his country; but though I foresaw that eventually it must be done, if we desired to put a final stop to those oppres sions and cruelties which have so long disgraced the neighbouring native States, I had not yet assented to his request.
13. The Klana had expressed his intention to hoist the English flag at his house as a compliment to this Government and a sign of his friendship and desire to follow our advice in the administration of his country.
14. The Datu Klana, however, wrote to Captain Shaw on the 27th September to the effect that one of his Chiefs, the Datu Bandar, a man of great wealth and considerable influence in Sungie Ujong, after stating his intention to sign the engagement made by the Klana with this Government, and his desire to obtain the countenance and support of the British Government, had not only refused to sign the agreement, but had expressed openly his disapproval of the Klana's proposals and had even threatened his life. Under these circumstances the Datu Klana begged for the assistance of this Government; and Captain Shaw, endorsing the Datu Klan's statements, added that he feared the gravest conse- quences both for Sungie Ujong and for our own subjects settled there and trading between Malacca and that State, should the Datu Bandar be thus allowed to assume the chief authority in Sungie Ujong in the face of the recent engagement with that country's acknowledged Head.
15. It was averred at the same time that the Datu Bandar was harbouring Rajah Mahmood, though when openly charged with doing so he invariably denied it; and lastly it was stated that the Chinese, who form by far the greatest portion of the inhabitants of Sungie Ujong, would not fail, should it come to civil strife, to take one side or the other; and from what occurred in Larut and in Sungie Ujong itself in 1861 and on other occasions your Lordship will easily understand that I determined to use all available means to avoid a possible issue so disastrous to all order and safety in Sungie Ujong itself, and which, considering the intimate relations between it and our settlement of Malacca, could not fail to spread to the latter.
16. Accordingly on the 4th of October I sent Mr. Pickering to Sungie Ujong with etters to the Datu Klana and the Datu Bandar, and instructions to enjoin the Chinese in Sungie Ujong on no account to interfere in any disputes between the Klana and his Chiefs.
17. Mr. Pickering was, I felt, apart from his good judgment and ability, the person of all others who would be most likely to influence the Chinese, and from his intimate knowledge of their language to thoroughly acquaint himself with their real feelings and intentions.
18. With Mr. Pickering I sent Mr. Hayward, the Acting Superintendent of Police, Malacca, and a party of constables, to insure respect both to his person and counsels. Mr. Pickering found matters very much as they had been reported, except that the Datu Bandar disclaimed any intention of breaking the peace.
19. The Chinese, however, seemed to fear disturbances, but promised Mr. Pickering to take no part in any hostile movement.
20 Mr. Pickering met the Datu Bandar and gave him my letter, and after a great deal of “shuffling" on the Datu Bandar's part, being treated with but acant ceremony by him, Mr. Pickering returned to Singapore with a written assurance from the Datu Bandar that he had no intention of making any attack on the Datu Klana, and a promise that he would make no hostile preparation or movement until he heard again from me.
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