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still existed, strongly manned and armed as before. Indeed, the advanced post of the Go Kwans was only distant some four hundred yards from a stockade held by their opponents, the See Gwans; and it may be easily imagined how one hasty shot might have again plunged the whole country into civil war.

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5. Further, although I gave no promise nor pledge that I should take such a course, the submission of the Chinese factions to my mediation was doubtlessly, to some extent, prompted by the hope that I would, on the first settlement of the question, not leave them without the protection that the presence of an English officer in Laroot would afford to their interests.

6. So that I could not but feel convinced that the only method of securing any permanent result by the negotiations which had so far been successfully conducted, was the appointment, and that immediately, of a British Resident in Laroot, who would assist the Malay Government in destroying the stockades, in disarming the Chinese factions, and in restoring peace to that territory. A delay in this appointment would cause a return to the old form of Government, or, in other words, to the old form of anatchy.

7. The difficulty to be overcome was the selection of a person to whom so grave a responsibility could be entrusted; for it was necessary that he should enjoy the confidence of this Government, of the Chiefs of the Malay Government, and of the Headmen of both rival Chinese factions.

8. Captain Speedy essentially fulfils all these conditions. During his tenure of office in Penang he had great opportunities of making himself acquainted with the character both of the Chinese and of the Malays; and although his services have recently been enlisted by the Mantri of Laroot against the See Kwans, he has, nevertheless, in no way forfeited the ascendancy which he formerly exercised amongst them.

9. Fearing then that if a local Representative of this Government was not at once appointed, the negotiations would end idly, as so many previous negotiations have ended, I appointed Captain Speedy as Assistant Resident in Laroot pending the receipt of further instruction from your Lordship.

10. I would suggest that this officer should receive an annual stipend of 2,0001. a-year, an amount that will be a first charge on the revenues of Perak as arranged in the agreement, and which is not excessive when it is considered that he will be deprived of all association with Europeans; that the cost of all the necessaries of life will be enormous in so inaccessible a country; and that the dangers and privations which he will have to undergo in a tropical climate whilst visiting the various parts of this territory, will be far from inconsiderable.

11. I am aware that the power of appointing a British officer to act as Resident was not deputed to me in your Lordship's instructions; but when all the surrounding circum- stances are taken into consideration, the civil war by land, stockades on the river, piratical assaults at sea, the Malay Government utterly powerless, and, above all, the futile results that have followed on previous engagements from the omission of some such step to ensure an effectual carrying out of the arrangements resulting from our intervention, I cannot but hope that your Lordship will be pleased to approve of the course that I have taken, and to confirm Captain Speedy in his appointment as Acting Resident in Laroot.

I have, &c.

A. CLARKE,

No. 71.

(Signed)

Governor Sir Andrew Clarke, K.C.M.G., to the Earl of Kimberley.-(Received March 2.)

(Telegraphic.)

Singapore, March 2, 1874. COMMISSIONERS returned from Perak having rescued fifty-three wonen, dis armed belligerents, razed all stockades, settled mines. Immigration and capital setting in.

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last, from the Naval Commander-in-chief on the China Station, at Penang, in regard to the proceedings of Her Majesty's ships in connection with the endeavours to suppress piracy in the Straits of Malacca; and the Treaty entered into by Governor Sir Andrew Clarke with the Sultan of Perak and other native authorities in the neighbourhood.

ROBERT HALL.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure in No. 72

"Iron Duke," at Penang, January 29, 1874.

Sir,

I REQUEST you will inform the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I arrived at Singapore from Bangkok on the 22nd instant, accompanied by the "Frolic," "Midge," and "Salamis." I found the "Thalia" at anchor in the roads.

2. Since the date of my last report, the vessels employed in the Straits, viz., "Thalia" and "Avon,” as also "Midge," till sent in January to meet me in the Gulf of Siam, have been very actively employed, both themselves and by their boats, cruizing about the coast between Penang and the Dindings, endeavouring to suppress the piratical proceedings of the various row-boats, which, issuing from the numerous rivers and creeks along the coast, have lately caused so much trouble, anxiety, and suspension of trade. Their proceedings have not recently been attended with any successful results, the ordinary ship's boats being wholly unable to overtake and capture the fast pulling native row-boats, aided as the latter are by their intimate knowledge of the creeks and inlets along the coast.

3. Captain Woollcombe, the senior officer in the Straits, frequently calls attention to the impracticability of successfully repressing the disorders of which we complain without the aid of steam launches or cutters, of which at present the squadron out here are wholly deficient (except in the steam pinnace of the "Iron Duke"), as already impressed on their Lordships' attention.

4. I deem it unnecessary to trouble their Lordships with the details of the recent proceedings of the ships and their boats, not only because they have not been attended with any specific issues of importance, but because affairs have just passed into a new and promising phase, which will, I hope, lead speedily to a more satisfactory condition of matters all along the coast by the restoration of law and good order.

5. His Excellency, Sir Andrew Clarke, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, who had recently been on a visit to the Dindings in order to communicate with the Sultan of Perak, and the various native Chiefs in the neighbourhood, returned to Singapore on the 23rd, the day after my arrival. His Excellency informs me that he has succeeded in forming a Treaty with the Sultan of Perak and other native authorities in that neighbour- hood, by which it is proposed to obtain the pacification of the Province and the settlement of all outstanding quarrels between the Malays and the various Chinese settlers. The Treaty further contains provisions for the disarmament and surrender of the piratical row- boats, and the appointment of two resident British officers to supervise the details of the local administration, and the settlement of the quarrels as to the tin mines. Sir Andrew Clarke appears to be sanguine that these measures will be attended with the most beneficial results. Further details will no doubt be communicated by him to Her Majesty's Government.

6. I propose that the ships stationed in the Straits shall continue to give support to the Colonial Administration by cruizing along the coast as may be necessary.

The Secretary of the Admiralty.

I have, &c. (Signed) CHAS J. SHADWELL. Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-chief.

No. 73.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH——NOT TO

Sir,

No. 72.

Admiralty to Colonial Office.

Admiralty, March 3, 1874.

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit, for the information of the Farl of Carnarvon, a copy of a despatch No. 15 of the 29th January

Sir,

Colonial Office to Mr. Seymour Clarke.

Downing Street, March 3, 1874.

I AM directed by the Earl of Carnarvon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ultimo, and to state to you in reply that his Lordship will learn with much satisfaction that it is found possible to establish a Company of high character to carry on mining operations in Salangore, but until the receipt of further information from Sir * N. 68.

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