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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.882

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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diate submission of all the armed Chinese of both factions on the river, and the handing over of all their boats and arms, as well as the evacuating of all the stockades.

You will decide on your arrival at Penang, and after consultation with Mr. Pickering, how far it may be necessary to require the Mantri of Laroot and Captain Speedy to stay all operations against the Sin Hengs, but, as you are aware, the Lieutenant-Governor has already been requested to communicate with them to this effect.

8. The Lieutenant-Governor of Penang has been instructed, if necessary, to allow the Headmen of the Sin Heng faction to send food to their comrades in the river, and on your arrival at Penang you should enquire what steps have been taken in this direction. You may safely be guided by Mr. Pickering's requisition, and if you see there, or st Laroot on your visit there, that food is wanted, you will make the necessary arrangements for obtaining it, through the Lieutenant-Governor, or, if more expeditious and practicable, in a more direct way.

9. This, as I have said, is the most important preliminary, and you will first direct your attention to seeing, after cousultation with Mr. Pickering, that the Chinese Headmen are prepared to deliver up everything unconditionally, as specified in paragraph 7 of this letter, to his Excellency the Governor on the 14th instant, at the Dindings.

10. The Lieutenant-Governor has been requested to have a proper attap shed prepared at the Dindings for this purpose by the 14th, and you will consult with him on this point.

11. Arrangements must be made through Mr. Pickering for all the heads of the dis- putant Chinese factions meeting his Excellency on this occasion.

12. But it is equally important that the principal Malay Chiefs shall be induced to meet the Governor at the same time, viz., the Bandahara, the Raja Muda, the Mantri, and Laksamana, as well as any other principal Datus or Chiefs of Perak, and I am to request that you will take whatever steps you consider most desirable immediately on your arrival, and after learning from Colonel Anson what he has already done in order to attain this object, to ensure their attendance. Colonel Anson will give you every facility in officers and messengers, as well as in means of conveyance for communicating with these Chiefs, and you must impress upon each of them, in the strongest manner, the absolute necessity of meeting with a view, if possible, of putting an end to the present lamentable state of affairs in their own country, where they seem to be utterly deprived of all authority.

13. It would be premature at present to consider what will be the ultimate arrange- ment of the succession in Perak, which point, however, lies at the root of all the present disturbances, and which is the main cause of the Malay rulers of the country being now virtually deprived of all authority, and I need therefore now only observe that the succession to the throne and Government of Perak appears only to be disputed by the Rajah Muda as the proper heir de jure, and by the Bandahara as the successor de facto.

14. The Governor understands that the Raja Muda is at present unsupported by any of the principal Chiefs, but lends his sanction and authority, such as it is, to the faction of the Sin Hengs, while he also believes that the Bandahara is supported by the Mantri of Laroot and the Laksamana.

15. It is desirable that before the Governor's arrival you should make yourselves perfectly acquainted with the present relationship between all these Chiefs, and ascertain, if you can, which of the disputing Princes is likely to be supported by the great body of Chiefs and the mass of the people.

16. It may be as well that you should privately sound the Raja Muda as to whether he would peacefully relinquish his claim, on receiving a pension, and if so, what pension it is probable he would expect.

17. In the event of its appearing plain that the Bandahara (the de facto Sultan) is to be elected and confirmed, certain fixed incomes will be required to be guaranteed to the Laksamana and other high officers, and although at present this is not a subject of any moment it is perhaps as well to remind you that it must hereafter form an element in any settlement of the question.

18. The districts of Krean and Laroot have, as far as the Governor is able to learn, been an integral part of Perak, though of late years it would appear that their Government has been entirely entrusted to the present Mantri's ancestors, and has descended to the Mantri, and was confirmed to him by the late Sultan. It is probable that in any arrangements to be made the same system must be confirmed, who ever may be ultimately appointed Sultan of Perak, and this renders the settlement of these districts comparatively easy, as it will only remain to be settled what shall be the tribute or subsidy paid to the Sultan as Sovereign.

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19. It must always be borne in mind that this is the valuable portion of Perak, as it is the centre of the tin mines, which after all and above all, are the main source of revenue.

20. A good system of Government will probably discover many other methods of raising a legitimate revenue from the country, but at present it must be dependent for some time on its fair royalty (which should not exceed one-tenth) on the tin produced.

21. It must be clearly pointed out to the Mantri that the present disturbances are owing to a great extent to his own vacillation and want of decision in first dealing with and supporting one faction, and when they quarrelled with another faction who came to the mines, in turn supporting that faction.

22. The Government now will require from the Mantri a complete assurance that good government shall be maintained in these districts.

23. You must impress upon the Malay Chiefs of Perak that it is essential to the maintenance of peace that the land on each side of the Dinding River and opposite to Pulo Pangkor, shall be made over to this Government.

24. I have now dealt with all the points which-apparently need engage your attention previous to his Excellency's arrival and conference with the Malay Chiefs, and the heads of the Chinese concerned. You are both so conversant with the whole question from its origin, and his Excellency believes in all its bearings, that it is quite unnecessary to give you further instructions.

25. The Governor believes that you fully appreciate the delicacy of the mission on which you are now sent, and he desires in no way to hamper your action by instructions, relying as he does most fully on your own discretion aud good judgment in carrying out what his Excellency has at heart, and trusts may be brought to a favourable issue,-the pacification and final settlement of this fine portion of the Malay peninsula without further bloodshed.

26. I am to request that you will on your arrival see the Lieutenant-Governor, Colonel Anson, and read this letter to him, as time does not allow of a copy being sent to him. You are at liberty to use the "Johore" to take you to Laroot, which, owing to her draught of water, she can easily do, and you can also invite the commanding officer of the "Avon" to make use of her, and accompany you if he thinks proper, and his Excellency has little doubt that he will be glad to co-operate with you, and lend you say assistance in the way of arms and men that you in consultation with himself may think

necessary.

27. Should, however, any circumstances arise which induce you not to take on the "Johore," you are to understand that you at liberty to take up any steamer or means of conveyance you consider necessary to carry out in the fullest manner your mission.

The Hon. Major Mc Nair, R.A.,

Colonial Engineer, Straits Settlements; Captain S. Dunlop,

Sir,

Acting Inspector-General of Police.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. W. W. BIRCH,

Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlement.

Inclosure 5 in No. 69.

Report of Proceedings of Major McNair and Captain Dunlop.

On board the steamer "Johore," Perak River, January 14, 1874.

IN accordance with the instructions from his Excellency the Governor communicated to us in your letter of the 7th instant, we proceeded that evening in the steamer "Johore" to Penang, and arrived there on the evening of Saturday the 10th. We lost no time in putting ottrselves in communication with the Lieutenant-Goyernor of Penang and Mr. Pickering, We read to the Lieutenant-Governor his Excellency's instructions, and handed to him for immediate dispatch his Excellency's letters to the Bandahara and the Tunku Mantri, and as he said he had no means of sending to the Raja Muda and to the Laksamana, we undertook to take these letters ourselves. He also said he was afraid that the letter to the Bandahara would not reach him in time to enable him to meet his Excellency at Pulo Pangkor on the 14th (to-day), the day appointed for the con- ference.

He said, moreover, that he had already dispatched letters to all the Malay Chiefs on the receipt of his Excellency's telegram forwarded from Singapore on the 8th instant.

After consultation with Mr. Pickering we arranged to meet the Headmen of the See