PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O.
882
3
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Kasicense 4.
260
I also enclose a letter dated 18th instant, in which many details are given respecting Dos. 10, 1978. the advance upou Kinta, from Mr. Swettenham, Acting Deputy Commissioner, with
Major-General Golborne's force.
4. I beg especially to bring to your Lordship's notice the admirable qualities displayed by Mr. Swettenham, who went forward with a scouting expedition of 45 friendly Malays in advance of the troops and blue-jackets. It will be remembered that at the time these scouts advanced under Mr. Swettenham, there was no reliable information as to the amount of opposition that would be made to the occupation of Kinta by us.
The cop- duct of Rajah Mahmood on this occasion is also worthy of all praise. This Mahmood, as your Lordship is no doubt aware, is one of the Rajahs who gave a great deal of trouble to our Government formerly, in connexion with the affairs of Salangore and Sungie Ujong, but he has of late attached himself to Mr. Swettenham, was with that officer at the time he passed down the Perak River immediately after the murder of Mr Birch, and has been of great assistance to us since the commencement of our operations in Perak.
I propose to take an early opportunity of rewarding Rajah Mahmood in a suitable manner for the loyalty which he has displayed.
5. It will naturally be asked how it came to pass that so little opposition was made by Ismail and his Chiefs. It was commonly believed, and I think not unreasonably, that large armed forces of Malay would collect at the bidding of these Chiefs, and would dispute our advance upon Kinta. I attribute the absence of opposition, partly to the blockade that was maintained, which cut off supplies of food from Perak, and so had the effect of preventing the assembling of any large bodies of hostile Malays, and partly to the Proclamation which I issued on the 22nd November, calling upon the friendly to separate themselves from the hostile, to the instructions I issued in connexion therewith, and to the loyal co-operation of Major-General Colborne and Major Dunlop in carrying out my views.
I have desired all along to bear in mind that our troops are acting in a country where the mass of the people are really friendly, and where the opposition to us proceeds mainly from a few Chiefs, whose power would no doubt be affected by the introduction of civilised rule. Had I acted on the assumption that the country was all hostile, and proceeded indiscriminately on the burning and slaying principle, I should have turned friends into foes and have bred in Perak a hatred of the British name.
6. The troops in Perak now remain in occupation of the country, pending the decision of Her Majesty's Government as to the policy which shall in future be adopted towards that State, and with reference to which I am now in telegraphic communication with your Lordship. There are at present about 1,200 men in the country distributed at Enclosure 5. Kinta and at different points along the Perak River from Qualla Kangen to Bandar Bahru,
inclusive.
Enclosure 6.
The force which moved from the mouth of the Perak River occupies Bandar Bahru, Passir Sala, and Kinta, whilst the force which moved through Laroot occupies Blanja and Qualla Kangsa, and keeps up the communication with the latter place.
7. Your Lordship will observe from the letter of Major-General Colborne, dated 1. 1, 1875. 22nd instant, that a post is also about to be formed at Bhota, between Blanja and Passir Sala. Part of the population of Bhota has always been suspected of being hostile to us, and opposition was expected there in the advance of our force up the river. The place, however, was evacuated at our approach. Since the occupation of Blanja, boats con- taining provisions for the troops have sometimes been fired at from this place. It has, therefore, become necessary to make an example of this village, as stated in the Major- General's Report. Major Dunlop bad previously mentioned to me that our boats had been fired upon from Bhots, and I agreed with him that chastisement should be inflicted on this campong.
Enclosure 7.
•
8. I have written to the Major-General Commanding, requesting that about 300 of the Des. 26, 1875. force now in Perak may be moved to Malacca and its neighbourhood, where, as explained
in my Despatch No. 373, dated 30th instant, matters are in a very unsettled state.
I have also requested that the Naval Brigade, consisting of about 100 men, under Captain Buller of the "Modeste," may return to their ships.
a short time I hope to be able still further to reduce the number of men in Perak.
9. The junction of Major Colborne's force with that of Brigadier-General Ross renders it unnecessary for me to retain any longer two Commissioners, and being desirous that Major Dunlop should as soon as posible return to his duties as Inspector-General of Police, I have directed Major McNair to act as Commissioner with the forces, assisted by Mr. Swettenham and Mr. Maxwell as deputies.
• No. 180.
261
I send your Lordship a copy of the instructions which I have issued to the Acting Commissioner since the occupation of Kinta.
I also transmit copy of my letter to the Major-General with reference to those
instructions.
10. I have directed that endeavours shall still be made to capture the Maharaja Lela and others implicated in the recent outrages, but I am not sanguine as to the result. Meanwhile, I have written to the Chiefs of neighbouring States not to harbour them, and I have addressed a letter to the Consul General at Bangkok, requesting he will move the Siamese Government to instruct these Malay States under their influence not to afford them protection.
I have, &c. (Signed) WM. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon,
SIB,
&c.
&c.
&c.
Enclosure 1. in No. 129.
MAJOR-GENERAL COLBORNE to His EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
Head Quarters, Kinta, December 19, 1875.
I HAVE the honour to acquaint your Excellency with the arrival of this part of the expeditionary force at Kints on the 17th instant. On arrival at Blanja it appeared to me of the utmost importance that the dangerous jungle road between Blanja and Kinta should be secured, and I accordingly decided, with the concurrence of Captain Buller, R.N., and your Excellency's Commissioners, to proceed without delay towards Kinta. Your Excellency will have been informed of the opposition which was encountered on the road, and with the preparations apparent for the intended obstruction of this route. is my intention to remain here until receiving instructions as to your Excellency's further views and wishes.
To his Excellency
I have, &c.
(Signed)
FRANCIS COLBORNE,
Major-General Commanding, China and Straita
Sir Wm. Drummond Jervois, K.C.M.G., C.B., &c.
&c.
&c.
P.S.-I regret that this letter has been accidentally delayed in transmission.
SIR,
Enclosure 2. in No. 129.
It
From Mason DUNLOP to HIS EXCELLENOY THE GOVERNOR.
Blanja, December 14, 1875. I HAVE the honour to report that on Wednesday the 8th instant we left Bandar Bahru for Blanjah with 240 soldiers of the R.A., 10th and 80th Regiments, and 70 sailors. We brought with us 2-pr. rifle boat guns, two field 7-pr. rifle guns, two 24-pr. rocket tubes, and one 12-pr. rocket tube, with as much ammunition as it was possible for us to carry.
We had in all about 50 boats.
We encamped at Selat Pulo on the night of the 8th and started early the next morn- ing and reached Passar Garram, where we halted for the night. Next morning we left between 6 and 7 a.m. and encamped for the night at Tullok Bakong, Next morning we left early and reached Bota at 12.80 a.m., and afterwards went on about a mile and a half further to Campong Pulo Pisang, a campong on the same side of the river belonging to Rajah Yusoof. Here we encamped and remained for the night; left at 6 am. next morning, and after a
long day's poling encamped about three miles below Blanjah. Finding that Ex-Sultan lamail was still in Blanja, I wrote to him, stating I wished to see him. To this I received an answer from Rajah Mahmood, a relative of his, that Ex-Sultan Ismail had gone on to Kints. This we afterwards ascertained to be false, as be only left yesterday morning. I laid before the General all the information I had obtained, and he considered it advisable early yesterday morning to continue our journey to Blanjah and afterwards to Kinta. Accordingly we started very early on the 13th and marched the troops by land to Blanja, the Naval Brigade proceeding in the gun- boats in front. We reached Blanja at 8 a.m. and found it unoccupied, and at 11 a.m. started for Kinta with 200 infantry, 40 artillery with two 7-pr. rifle guns, 40 reamen
Kk3
Enclosure &.
Dov. 23, 1875,
Enclosure 9.
Dee. 28, 1875.
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Reference-
PICO.
882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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