PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TRIPC.O. 882
ய
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Enclosures
96
The States near Malacca had recently elected a head Chief called Yam Tuam Besar, but the consent of the Chiefs of the several States, of whom the Datu Klana of Sungie Ujong is one, was necessary to this election. As the Datu Klana of Sungie Ujong would not give his consent, the Chiefs went through the form of deposing him, although he was under the protection of the British Government, and elected another Datu Klana in his stead.
It had also been reported that serious disturbances had broken out in the State of Salangore, and with reference to them I addressed a letter to the Sultan of Salangore, marked II. in Enclosure No. 7.
I had an interview with Tunku Kudin, the Sultan of Salangore's Viceroy, and found everything safe at Klang.
I enclose three reports from Mr. Davidson, the present Acting Resident of Salangore, 7. from which your Lordship will observe that although he at first considered himself to be
in great straits, he is now satisfied that he can deal with any difficulties that may arise.
I am sending him an auxiliary force of about 100 men, that I have raised here for
his assistance.
In the river I met H.M.S. "Thistle." Captain Stirling, R.N., who accompanied me to Klang, after which I despatched the "Thistle" to the Perak River, where she was more especially required.
1
9. Upon arriving at the mouth of the Perak River early on the 8th instant, the colonial steamer “Pluto” brought me the intelligence of the unsuccessful attack which had taken place the day before. I had previously telegraphed on the 4th instant to say that I intended starting for Perak on the 5th, but my telegram did not arrive at Bandar Baru until the afternoon of the day of the attack.
Upon receipt of this intelligence, I immediately took such measures as seemed to be urgently required. I telegraphed to the Acting Colonial Secretary at Singapore, to ask for 300 men of the 80th Regiment from Hong Kong, and to summon H.M.S. "Modeste" from Labuan, and issued general directions for holding Bandar Babru, and maintaining our communication with Durian Sabatang, the highest navigable point for gunboats on the Perak River. I proceeded myself to a point on the river between Batarabit and Durian Sabatang, where Sultan Abilullah, the Lazamana, and the Shah- bandar, came to see me. The Sultan promised me to give assistance in men and boats for operations on the river.
Before leaving the Perak River appointed Major Dunlop, R.A. (who had accom panied me from Singapore), Commissioner, and Mr Swettenhamn, Deputy Commissioner, with the force which will proceed up the river from the Residency.
I have also appointed Major McNair, Commissioner, and Mr. W. E. Maxwell, Deputy Commissioner, for the force which I have proposed tɔ move through Laroot to Qualla Kangsa.
I left Batarabit on the evening of the 9th instant, and arrived at Singapore on the 11th.
10. On arrival bere, I requested the commandant to send 80 more men of the 10th Regiment to Perak.
I made arrangements for the inncdiate construction of 40 flat-bottomed boats, besides six to carry guns (all the boats will be sent up finished to Perak this week), ordered Bugis men and coolies to be engaged for the movements of these boats, gave the necessary instructions for commissariat arrangements and for forming a depôt at Durian Sabatang and Laroot, chartered a coaling ship to be stationed at the Dindings, so as to avoid the expense of sending our steam vessels to Penang to coal, and directed preparations to be made for the reception and employment of troops expected from India and Hong Kong. I also made arrangements for blockading the coast of Perak.
11. Seeing what has occured aince the issue of the proclamations enclosed in my Despatch No. 291 of the 16th ultimo," it is not impossible that a conclusion might be hastily formed that the present state of affairs in Perak has been caused by the policy described in that despatch. Such a conclusion, however, would at once be unjust and quite inconsistent with a due appreciation of facts since the date of our first intervention in Perak.
I do not of course mean to say that the striking of a Malay for pulling down procla- mations posted by an employé of the British Governinent was not the immediate cause of Mr. Birch's death; nor do I mean to say that that event was not the immediate cause of a section of the Perak people gathering to oppose the steps taken by the British Government for the welfare of the country; but I do mean to say, and I confidently assert, that from the day when we deposed the late Sultan Ismail and set up Abdullah
• No. 49.
97
upon the throne, it was merely a question of time, and that of no long duration, when opposition to our intervention would become apparent.
12. Seeing this, I desired to carry the Ismail party along with us; I visited Ismail and his chiefs with a view to conciliation and promised them all suitable payments (the absence of which was one great cause of their complaints); I proposed to give them a share in the government of the country, and that we should be the agents for carrying out that government with the aid of a Malay council (see copy of Instructions to Enclosure 10. Commissioners herewith).
I wrote to the several members of the Council, proposing that each should act in that capacity.
Yusuf, the heir apparent to the Sultanship, and former strong ally of Ismail, saw the advantage of this arrangement, and so did other chiefs, but Ismail, advised by men who fear that their power of squeezing the people will cease with the introduction of a better order of things, hung back, and, contrary to my expectation, appears inclined to resist by arms. This is, indeed, another phase of the old feud between the two aspirants to the throne, and which we certainly did not remove, when, on the 20th January 1874, in a British vessel, with a British man-of-war alongside, we collected together some Perak chiefs to "elect" a Sultan, when we put down one who was absent and set up another who was present, that other being the wretched individual I have before described.
This new Sultan signed a letter in which he requested to have a British officer at his side to "advise" him, and ten months after his election Mr. Birch was appointed "Resident" with Abdullah, with the results of which your Lordship has already been made acquainted..
I certainly hoped and expected that my action, which practically took power out of the hands of this Malayan Guikwar, would soon meet with the assent of all, as it did with some of the upper country chiefs, and Yusuf, the heir apparent to the throne, was amongst others decidedly of the opinion that they would never think of forcible resis- tance to the policy which I proposed.
At present, if I am to believe the information I receive, this opinion has not been realised. Ismail, urged by his chiefs, is collecting his people with a view of opposing us, and nothing but a display of force can bring the malcontents to reason.
Your Lordship will gather from Enclosures Nos. 11 to 15 the degree in which he may be concerned in opposition. The statements vary between the maintenance towards us of a thoroughly peaceful attitude, and the raising of a force of 10,000 men for war.
The Maharajah of Johore, at my request, sent a letter to Ismail informing him of my desire to benefit him and to get him to take part in the government of Perak, but the messenger who took this letter has not yet returned.
For nyself, I do not think it certain that Iemail is badly affected towards us, and * I think that if he sees that we are able to bring a force into the field which will be able to overcome opposition if it be made, it is most probable that he will take, part with us in obtaining good government for the state of Perak. I have reason to believe that the long duration of the Acheen war has had a bad effect upon the Malay Peninsula.
18. It is with these views, my Lord, and in accordance with the spirit of
your Lord-13 ship's telegram of the 10th November, that I asked for 1,500 European infantry and¬s battery of artillery with mountain guns from India, and I do not consider such force, with about 400 or 500 men, which can be spared from the garrisons of these Settlements and Hong Kong at all excessive for the work it would have to perform over some 50 or 60 miles of country, along the l'erak River, besides maintaining communications and cutting off supplies.
Unfortunately, just after I had sent your Lordship a telegram in reply to yours of November 12th, stating reasons for demanding the force which I required from India, telegraphic communication with Europe was interrupted both by the Madras and by the Siberian line. I am therefore not at present aware of your Lordship's intentions. Anticipating, however, that your Lordship will have caused my requisition to be com- plied with, at all events to some extent, I expect that some force will arrive from India in the early part of next week, and am acting on this expectation.
14. General Colborne, who commands the troops both in Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements, is coming here to take charge of the military operations, but I shall afford him every assistance in my power which he deems it desirable to accept.
36367.
A million rounds of ammunition was a mistake of figures, one tenth will suffice.
N
Oct. 23, 1875.
Exelonures U.
12, 13, 14, 15.
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C.O.
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