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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

Sir,

90

No. 66.

Colonial Office to Admirally.

*

Downing Street, January 21, 1874. WITH reference to my letter of the 6th January, conveying the thanks of the Earl of Kimberley for the services rendered by the navy in dealing with the Laroot pirates, I am now directed by his Lordship to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch which has since been received from the Governor of the Straits Settlements bearing testimony to the conduct of Commander Grant, of Her Majesty's ship "Midge," throughout the late operations.†

I am. &c.

Sir,

No. 67.

(Signed)

Admiralty to Colonial Office.

R. H. MEADE

Admiralty, February 4, 1874,

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit here- with for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies extracts from a letter of Captain Woollcombe, of Her Majesty's ship "Thalia," addressed to Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Shadwell, dated the 9th December, showing that the Laroot pirates were still actively engaged in committing depredations; also giving a plan of the proposed attack on Acheen by the Dutch forces.

Inclosure in No. 67.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

ROBERT HALL.

Extract from a Letter from Captain Woollcombe, of Her Majesty's ship “Thalia,” dated

Singapore, December 9, 1873.

HER Majesty's ship "Midge” arrived at this port on the afternoon of the 5th instant; Commander Grant informs me that the seven large row-boats left in the possession of the Laroot pirates are committing great injury to trade, and are conducting their depredations with wholesale murder.

They do not fight now under any flag: to destroy them is almost an impossibility, for no matter how many boats we put on the creeks, &c., they bave only to hide the row- boats and take themselves off to their villages, there to remain until the departure of the men-of-war's boats. The See-ling-sing village should be burned, and the Headmen of the different China societies, viz., the Sinkings, the Yo Quangs, and Hohiens summoned at Penang, and informed that for every act of piracy which takes place they will be made responsible and heavily fined.

Money and provisions are undoubtedly found from Penang..

Seven men have been found guilty of blowing up the Orang Rajah Mantri's house in Penang, accompanied by murder, in September last; the whole of these have been sentenced to death.

In a case lately tried before the Supreme Court, the Judge, Sir William Hackett, ruled that the indictment stated the piracy to have taken place upon the high seas, whereas it took place in a creek, or at least within three miles of the land, it must fall through. This rather complicates matters. I suppose, however, should a chance occur, the boats must be sunk and no prisoners made.

From the Commander of Her Majesty's ship "Sumatra," I learn that the Dutch troops, to the number of 13,000, were to have landed on the 5th instant; in addition to these, 2,000 to 3,000 seamen would be engaged. I append a small outline of the plan of operations :-

A represents an island (Nancy) occupied by the Dutch troops;

B, proposed landing-place to the eastward of the Achinese batteries;

C, the batteries which will be bombarded during the landing of the troops.

I am also informed that cholera has almost disappeared from among the Dutch squadron.

• No. 62.

+ No. 65.

91

Should my services not be immediately wanted for the Troop Service, I shall proceed to Penang and Acheen early next week; the Lieutenant-Governor of Penang having requested Commander Grant to remain on the Malay Coast, Acheen has not been visited.

No. 68.

Mr Seymour Clarke to the Earl of Derby.

My Lord,

CERTAIN parties of influence at Singapore have obtained from the Viceroy of

Walthamstow, February 23, 1874. Salangore a Concession for working tin in the whole country (save only the portions already worked) for 109 years.

They have comroissioned me to form a public company for carrying out their scheme. There is no doubt of the value of the minerals in the Malayan peninsula; Salan- gore is about the centre of the tin-producing district. Up to now no well-organized system for working it has been established, partly from the lately unsettled state of the country and partly from want of confidence in the minds of British residents and merchants as to the policy of Her Majesty's Government in the Peninsula.

In trying to place this proposed company on a good footing, I have been met by the objections that Salangore is but little known; that the policy of England has not been defined in the Peninsula; and the authority of the present ruler of the country not suffi- ciently established, though he is recognized by the Government of the Straits Settlements, in official documents.

Lord Kimberley did me the honour to receive me and some of my colleagues late in 1873. He expressed much interest for the success of my proposed company, as likely to tend materially towards the settlement of, and consequent prosperity of, the State; but his Lordship would not give any opinion on the points I put before him, as above, and the protection we might expect from Government until a report from Sir Andrew Clarke, the new Governor of the Straits Settlements, should be received.

Lord Kimberley said that an application I had previously made to the Colonial Office in this respect, shortly before he granted me this interview, had been sent out to Sir Andrew Clarke, and his especial attention called to it.

Since that, several important steps have been taken by the Governor at Laroot and Perak, and now at Salangore steps have been taken to insure order. Residents have been sent to the two first-named States, and I have heard by telegraph to-day that Tunku Dia Oodin, the Viceroy at Salangore, has been put in authority over the whale of the kingdom, and his position confirmed by the Sultan and Sir Andrew Clarke.

My correspondent, Mr. W. H. Read, of Singapore, tells me that the steps taken are, in his judgment, most judicious as regards the future well-being of the Malayan Peninsula.

I do not doubt this for one moment myself; but I am very desirous to obtain an expression of opinion from Her Majesty's Government, which will give similar confidence to the public, who will be invited to find the capital for working the mines in Salangore.

As things have progressed thus far, my Lord, I am emboldened to ask your Lordship to be so good as consider whether anything can be done in the way of reply to this letter, or as to full powers over the whole territory of Salangore being now given over by the Sultan to his son-in-law, and bitherto Vicegerent, which I might use in the prospectus of the company I am about to put out.

If, my Lord, this subject belongs more especially to the Colonial than to the Foreign Office, may I ask the favour of your ordering it to be sent forward. I have addressed your Lordship in the first instance, as I have had the honour of your acquaintance long enough for me to hope that what I have said will convey to your Lordsbip the conviction that it comes from a genuine and honourable source; and that, so far as appertains to the Department over which your Lordship presides, I may have the benefit of your support.

I have, &c. (Signed) SEYMOUR CLARKE.

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