8227.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
885
13 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
"
Article 9.--We would suggest that in the second paragraph the words "as well should be substituted for "as much." It reads at present as though as much weight were necessarily to be attributed to the declarations of the interested parties as to the evidence. We presume this is not the meaning of the French draft.
Article 10-We presume that this is intended to confer some new powers of administering justice. If so, legislation will be requisite.
Article 16. Does this make lawful what is now unlawful ? If so, legislation will be required.
Article 18.-We do not understand the meaning of the exception of all the pro- visions of Articles 1 and 2. Some of these would seem to be inapplicable except for the time during which the treaties accord to the French the right of fishing, and drying their fish.
The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby,
&c.
&c. &c.
We have, &c.,
(Signed)
HENRY JAMES. FARRER HERSCHELL.
MY LORD,
No. 11.
(STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.)
LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.
Boyal Courts of Justice, 25th April 1884. We are honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Sir Julian Paunce- fote's letter of the 7th instant, transmitting papers relative to the case of the crew of the British steamer "Nisero," who were detained by the Rajah of Tenom in Sumatra. That by Article IX. of the Treaty between Great Britain and Holland of the 17th March 1824, all the English possessions on the Island of Sumatra were ceded to Holland, and that it was agreed that no British Settlement should be formed on that island, nor any Treaty be concluded by British authority with any native Prince, Chief, or State therein. That, by a Treaty of the 2nd November 1871, Great Britain engaged to desist from all objections against the extension of the Netherlands dominion in any part of Sumatra. (See documents C, D, and E.)
That since the date of the last Treaty the Dutch had extended their dominion over the whole of the Island of Sumatra, but that they had of late years been engaged in warfare with the Rajah of Tenom (F).
That the Rajah had long resisted the dominion of Holland, and his port had been blockaded by the Dutch for four years before he submitted to them. That he then lived on good terms with them until about a year ago, when the Dutch believing him to have instigated an attack by Acheenese against them, closed his port and burned his residence.
That it was affirmed that he was quite innocent of any complicity in the attack, and. that he had been treated with great injustice.
That since then he had been hostile to the Dutch (Colonial Office letter, March 6th, 1884).
That on the 7th November last, during the blockade of the Rajah's port (which still continued), the British steamer "Nisero was wrecked on the coast, and became
a total loss.
"
That the crew, twenty-eight in number, were seized by the Rajah, and, with the exception of the master and two others, were still detained by him as captives, his avowed object being to extort from the Dutch, through the intervention of Her Majesty's Government, compensation for the losses inflicted on him by the Dutch, the re-opening of his port, and a guarantee against further molestation.
That all efforts to obtain the liberation of the captives had failed, owing to the nature of the conditions imposed by the Rajah.
That the Dutch having attacked him and burned his residence, he retired inland, taking the prisoners with him.
That a British mission was dispatched to him from Singapore, with the assent of the Dutch authorities, and that they had succeeded in reaching the spot to which the Rajah had retired, and in carrying on negotiations with him; but that mission, which had now returned, was unsuccessful.
That the terms still insisted on by the Rajah were a payment of 40,0001,, the re-opening of his port to trade, and the protection of Great Britain against the Dutch.
That, after referring us to the documents transmitted with his letter, Sir Julian Pauncefote stated that the Netherlands Minister had informed your Lordship that a new Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies was on his way out to Acheen, with instructions to make fresh efforts to effect the liberation of the captives by compelling the neighbouring States in the interior to take up arms against the Rajah, thus forcing him into submission, but that the success of such an operation seemed very pro- blematical.
That your Lordship was therefore disposed to act upon Governor Weld's suggestion, and to offer mediation on the ground of the alleged misapprehension as to the Rajah's complicity in the attack against them, which had led to the renewal of hostilities, as well as on account of the deep anxiety which the fate of the captives had aroused in this country.
A 15997.-18. 35.-12/85.