PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PLLC.O. 882
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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claim to consideration by their adoption of the cause of Tuanku Kudin's enemies; that, as to the Rumbowe people, when Tuanku Kudin returned from Padang, be should go up to Bukit Tiga and explain to the people there that, if they do not at once cease their illegal levies, they would call for his, the Governor's, interference; and as to the petition of the Malacca traders if they go in for large gains they must take the risk also. On the 19th April the Malacca traders had petitioned Government against the exactions of the Rumbowe men at Buki Tiga.
Proposed Treaty.-In May there was an attempt to make a Treaty between Tuanku Kudin and the Klana. It appeared, however, that the Klana desired to be neutral, as he had always been before, and saw no necessity for taking a part in the war in which he was not interested.
Tuanku Kudin and Datu Perba.-Tuanku Kudin had a meeting with Datu Perba, in the presence of Mr. Watts, at Qualla Lingie on the 10th May. Tuanku Kudin remon- strated with the Datu for having disregarded the Governor's orders on the river, and required him to promise that no boats should iu future be detained. The Datu Perba, without admitting, said in future no boats should be detained, and wished to palliate previous conduct by saying that no boats had ever been detained by force, but the boatmen had merely been asked to give a little rice as a free gift.
Datu Perba and the Klana.-Datu Perba then complained of the Datu Klana for helping Hajce Mustapha, and a copy of Proclamation by the Klana and Datu Bandar was produced to the effect that the Sungie Ujong people were not to trade with Rumbowe men under a penalty of 400 dollars, so long as the tolls are levied in the river by Rumbowe men. It was alleged that Hajce Mustapha's people were allowed to trade notwithstanding the Proclamation. The Datu Perba promised to stop the levy of blackmail, and added that, if he should find it necessary to attack Sungie Ujong, he would give notice to Government in time to warn British subjects.
On the 7th June the Lieutenant-Governor reported that the Klana had come down the river with 120 small boats and destroyed all the stockades except that at Bukit Tiga; that the Datu Perba had recognized the Klana, and requested his support of his claim as Punghulu of Rumbowe. The Lieutenant-Governor also reported information, gathered from the Klana, as to the rival claims of the Datu Perba and Hajee Mustapha in favour of the latter.
Rajah Mahdie.-On the 10th June the Lieutenant-Governor, having heard from Tuanku Kudin that Rajabs Mahdie and Laut were at Rokoh, in Sungie Ujong, assembling men to attack Klang, wrote to the Klana for information on the subject, and warned him against interfering in matters which did not concern him. The Klana in reply said he had examined Hajah Laut, who is making no more disturbances, and that he, the Klana, did not allow access to Rokoh, and, if any trouble really arose, he would report.
Datu Klana to mediate.-With reference to reported disturbances at Gaminchi the Lieutenant Governor, on the 11th June, sent explanations, and suggested that if the Datu Klana was allowed to take his arms, and if it were known that he had again the friendship and countenance of Government, he would, from his influence amongst the smaller States, be enabled to settle all matters in dispute in them.
On the 12th June, the Lieutenant-Governor reported that Hajee Mustapha was about to attack Datu Perba, and again suggested that the best way of settling the dispute was through the powers and rights of the Datu Klana to arbitrate between them.
To this it was replied, 17th June, that the Lieutenant-Governor had formed a very strong opinion of the good faith and trustworthiness of Syed Ahman, but that he had mistaken the character of the Syed, who during the Lieutenant-Governor's absence had proved himself to be a meddlesome and mischievous intriguer, who should not be upheld by Government.
Title of new Datu Klana not recognized.-During this time, although Syed Ahman was clearly in possession of his office as Datu Klana of Sungic Ujong, as to which there had in reality never been any dispute, and was written to and spoken of by the Lieutenant- Governor as Datu Klana, he is always called Syed Ahman in the Colonial Secretary's letters. On the 13th of June the Colonial Secretary wrote that, although Syed Ahman stated (see letter of 7th June) that the Datu Perba had acknowledged him, it would be more satisfactory if he produced some evidence from Datu Perba himself; and that there is nothing in Syed Ahman's statement to show that he had repudiated Hajee Mustapha, still less that he had recognized Datu Perba. The letter ends by instructing the Lieutenant-Governor to advise Syed Ahman to abstain altogether from interfering in Rumbowe affairs, until the people have decided on their Chief when he should recognize him.
On the 17th June the Lieutenant-Governor wrote that he had not intended, in his letter of the 7th June, to convey that Syed Ahman had recognized Datu Perba, or repu-
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diated Ilajee Mustapha; that Syed Ahman had always maintained that Hajee Mustapha was the right heir; that both of them had applied to Syed Ahman for his recognition; that Syed Ahman had given the same answer to both, namely, that when duly elected he would recognize the one selected; and that this was the answer be, the Lieutenant- Governor, had recommended.
On the 19th June the Lieutenant-Governor wrote, in reply to the Colonial Secretary's letter of 17th June, that he had been but lately elected, and is therefore an untried man; that he, the Lieutenant-Governor, attaches great importance to our relations with the person who is Datu Klana, as he is the head of the Menangkabowe States on our frontier, and arbitrator in all their disputes. The Lieutenant-Governor then goes on to say that, on leaving Malacca in May 1872, the frontier States were at peace, and a very flourishing and increasing trade was going on between Malacca and Sungie Ujong; and on his return, in March 1873, he found all trade stopped by stockades, erected by Datu Perba, which commenced on the 13th February, 1873; that, in his opinion, the refusal of Government to allow Syed Ahman to have his arms from Singapore emboldened Datu Perba to erect the stockades; and that he, the Lieutenant-Governor, thought the policy of Government was doing injury, and that he ought not to be silent on the subject. To this the Colonial Secretary replied, 4th July, giving general instructions on the policy to be observed.
The Datu Klana's Visit to Singapore. In this letter it is stated that it was ascertained from interviews with Syed Ahman that he had no authority to interfere as arbitrator in Rumbowe, and that the Syed had honestly admitted that his reason for supporting Hajee Mustapha was that, if successful, he would not push his claims to Lingie, which Datu Perba was prepared to do; that Syed Ahman acknowledges his error in this, and is willing to become friends with Datu Perba, on the understanding that there is to be a mutual acknowledgment of their claims to the Chiefship of their respective countries; that the Syed admitted that he had allowed Mahdie and other enemies of Tuanku Kudio, and of this Government, to take refuge in his country, but he has given the strongest assurance that they do not, and shall not, derive from him the slightest assistance; that he has not attempted to renew his application for the guns and arms still at Singapore, and has promised to follow unreservedly the advice given to him, and to cultivate good rela- tions with Tuanku Kudin, the Rumbowe people, and all who enjoy the confidence of the Government.
On the 8th July the Lieutenant-Governor reported the result of an interview he had had with Syed Ahman at Malacca, on his return from Singapore; that Syed Ahman informed him, the Lieutenant-Governor, that he had had three interviews with the Governor. On the first, Mr. Kim Cheng acted as interpreter; on the second, Mr. Swet- tenham; and on the third, Mr. Davidson, Tuanku Kudin's legal adviser; that the Governor consulted him about the disturbances in Rumbowe: that he had answered that Hajee Mustapha was the rightful successor; that this made the Governor very angry, who said he would not have it so; on which Syed Ahman went away much frightened. At the third interview he said the Governor desired him to recognize Datu Perba, on which he asked time to consult his Chiefs.
In reply to this letter the Lieutenant-Governor was informed, 14th July, that he had already been placed in possession of the facts of the case (letter 4th July) and could there- fore judge how much reliance is to be placed in the statements of Syed Ahman.
Stoppage of Trade. On the 19th July the Lieutenant-Governor wrote that he had been informed that the Datu Perbs had again stopped the trade on the river; that he had sent a trustworty officer to enquire, who reported that he had found a number of boats stopped at Permatang Passir, owing to the occupation of thirteen posts by Rumbowe men on the upper river, where they exacted 10 dollars a coyan on rice and 5 dollars a bbar on tin; that Bukit Tiga was deserted, but Hajce Mamat and Panglima Prang Hassan, with 160 men, were at Towaka, on the upper river, where they were detaining fifty boats whose owners refused to pay.
On the 2nd and 7th August the Lieutenant-Governor reported outrages on the frontier, one at Rumbowe and one at Johole; and feared that, so long as Datu Perba was allowed to act as he was doing in the Lingie, small disturbances on the frontier might be expected.
Data Perba and Hajee Mustapha.--On the 8th August Datu Perba, calling himself Datu Lila Maharaja, successor to the late Datu Sedia Raja, wrote to the Governor referring to his meeting with Tuanku Kudin at Qualla Lingie in Mr. Watts' presence, and stating that he had not been able to come to any understanding with Hajee Mustapha; that he had sent Chiefs to the Datu Klana to consult him, but they had been met with the Proclamation against Rumbowe men trading with Sungie Ujong; that after this the Datu
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