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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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and with the Laksamana to meet at the Qualla Perak on the following Thursday. I further arranged that I would look in at Laroot, and that a signal should be made to show whether the party had left for Perak or not. I then proceeded to Penang, where the "Pluto "

was coaled, and returned to the Laroot River on Thursday the 9th of May, about half-past 2 in the afternoon. The Tunku Mantri was lying off the river in his steamer, and he came on board and said that the Raja Muda was too sick to come. The Laksa- mana's boat was also lying off the river, and he sent a message to say that he had got a headache and could not come. I sent back word that he must come. The anchor was

got up, and the "Pluto "steamed towards where his boat was lying. On this he came on board, and we took his boats in tow, entered the river, and anchored about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Here I got into the Tunku Mantri's steamer and went up to the town. After arriving at the wharf we got into the "Pluto's" gig with the Tunku Mantri and the Laksamana and pulled some distance further up the river. Here we landed and walked to the house where the Raja Muda was living. The Tunku Mantri stopped outside, but I went in with the Laksamana and saw the Raja Muda. He looked wretchedly ill, but said that he would be ready to start on the morrow, and finally it was arranged that we should start on the following day, not later than 12 o'clock. I then returned to the "Pluto," where I arrived about half-past 7 in the evening. The Tunku Mantri also came down the river, but returned again the same evening I understood that he and the Raja Muda were to come down the next day in the Tunku Mantri's steamer, the "Butara Bayu," before 12 o'clock.

30. The next morning, Friday, the 10th of May, the Laksamana came on board, and said that the Raja Muda had sent him to say that the Tunku Mantri had said that he could not start until about 2 o'clock, and that he sent word to this effect because I had appointed 12 o'clock; and if he did not come at the time appointed very likely I should think that it was his fault. I sent word back that if they came down by 3 o'clock in the afternoon it would do. The Laksamana then returned, and I waited till 4 o'clock, when the Laksamana came back again to say that the Tunku Mantri kept on making delays, and had advised the Raja Muda not to go on the grounds, that it was of no use his going as he was so sick. On this I got into the gig and pulled up the river with the intention of seeing the Tunku Mantri and the Raja Muda, and coming to an understanding who it was that was in fault; but as I was going up I met the "Butara Bayu" coming down, and returned in her to the Qualla. The Tunku Mantri was not on board, but the Raja Muda told me that after making delays all day the Tunku Mantri had at last given orders for What the Tunku Mantri's the steamer to go without him, and said that he would follow. object can have been in endeavouring in this way to thwart an arrangement that be him- self had proposed is not very clear. The Laksamana attributed his conduct to desire to throw discredit on the Raja Muda by making it appear that, under a pretence of sickness, he was endeavouring to get out of his engagement with me, and this very likely may have been the explanation, or he may have thought, on further consideration, that he should find himself in a false position at Qualla Perak, if he went there as it were in a train of the Raja Muda's.

31. By the time we reached the Qualla, and the "Pluto" had got under weigh, it had become too dark for the "Pluto" to cross the bar, and she anchored just inside. The next morning, Saturday, the 11th of May, the Tunku Mantri having, as I expected, not made his appearance, we left the Qualla Laroot shortly after daybreak. The Tunku Mantri's steamer the "Butara Bayu" followed in charge of the second officer of the Pluto," having a small vessel in tow. We entered the Qualla at 2:45 P.M., and anchored at 5 P.M. off a village on the left bank, of which the name, as nearly as I could catch it, was Batang Rabit.

32. The next morning, Sunday, the 12th of May, I scat for the Laksamana, who came on board; we steamed up the river one or two miles to a village called Sungei Durian. It was here that I saw the old man called Sa Indra Maharajah, to whom I have referred above as having given me important information with regard to the succession question. I also saw a person called Raja Makota, who said that he was engaged in levying duties on the river for Sultan Ismail. That the Bandahara's officers should be levying duties undisturbed so low down the river as this, is a fact that should not be left unnoticed in endeavouring to form a view of the relative positions of the two parties. I gave to Raja Makota the Governor's letter to the Raja Bandahara, to whom also I wrote myself, saying that I was sorry I had not been able to get up the Guntar to see him, and expressing a hope that he would do everything in his power to bring about a satisfactory settlement of the country.

33. We then came down the river to Batang Rabit, where I had a final interview with the Raju Muda, at which, however, nothing of importance was said. I had also an

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interview with the Laksamana, in which he said that the Raja Muda intended, in case he came to the throne, to apply for an European officer to instruct him in the art of govern= ment; and further that he intended for the first year to take from the revenues of the country only so much as would be sufficient for his mere support, handing over the balance to the European officer. I believe that this was intended as a personal inducenient to myself, but I persisted in understanding it as a proposal that the bulk of the revenue should be expended on public services, in accordance with the recommendation of the Government, and recommended that the proposal should be made in writing, which the Laksamana, after many hints and demurs, agreed should be done.

34. I did not think it advisable to leave the Qualla Perak until I saw the Tunku Mantri's steamer fairly on her way back to him, and as there was some little delay in getting the Raja Muda's people cleared out from her, it was not till four or five o'clock in the afternoon that we got clear of the river. From thence I proceeded to Bengkalis, and arrived at Singapore on Wednesday the 16th of May.

35. After my return, letters to the Governor were received from the Raja Muda dated the 17th of May, from the Tumonggong dated the 9th of May, and from the Tunku Muntri dated the 20th of May. The Tumonggong is an old man. He lives not far from Laroot, and I should fancy is entirely under the influence of the Tunku Mantri. His letter, with that of the Tunku Mantri himself, may be taken as the official statement of the Raja Bandahara's case, as the Raja Muda's letters of the 21st of February and the 17th of May may be taken as the official statement of his case. attentive perusal, and the statements should be compared with the versions of the two All the letters deserve stories which I have given above, and which have been taken from my notes of the information I obtained on the spot. It is to be observed with reference to all the three letters, that they impute to the Government somewhat more decided bias in favour of the Raja Muda than the Governor's letters to the writers of the 2nd of May were intended to express, or than they really did express and in reference to this, when the letters were referred to me for report, after I bad described how I had sent the Governor's letter to the Kaja Bandahara (see above paragraph 33), I said that in writing myself to the Bandahara I had expressed myself in as conciliatory terms as possible: and that

in this, and throughout, had been, while giving affairs a certain impetus in the Raja my object Muda's direction, to leave things open for the establishment of friendly relations with the Bandahara in the event of his side proving successful; and I continued as follows:-" In clealing with the Bandahara and the Tunku Muntri, it was not easy to keep exactly to the right tone, and to avoid the appearance on the one side of being too much a partisan of the Raja Murla, and on the other of taking no interest in his success at all. But on the whole I think I was fairly successful. I think that the result of the action of the Govern- ment will be that the Raja Muda's claims will be reconsidered under favourable circum- stances, and that supposing him to have the intrinsic weight in the country that he claims to have, the influence of the Government may not improbably turn the scale in his favour. While if it does not, and the Bandabara is confirmed in the Sultanship, nothing that has been said or done need make it difficult for the Government to establish friendly relations with him." I went on to say, "As regards the Raja Muda my task of course was perfectly simple; and I told him most distinctly, and the Laksamana also, that they must not rely in the very least on the influence of the Government; that the Government had no authoritative opinion in the matter; and that if the great men should finally determine to set aside the old custom of the country, and confirm the Bandahara in spite of his not being of the royal blood, the Government would have nothing to say against it."

36. I at the same time submitted drafts of letters which I proposed should be sent to the Raja Muda, the Tumonggong, and the Tunku Mantri respectively. These letters are written in a neutral tone, advocating the assembly of the notables at the Qualla Perak to determine the matters in dispute, and engaging to send an officer of the Government to be present on the occasion. These letters I took with me when I left Singapore on the 15th of June. The letter to the Raja Muda I left at the Dindings to be forwarded by the Panghulu of that place. The letters to the Tumonggong and the Tunku Mantri I forwarded to Laroot after my arrival at Penang on the 20th of June. I at the same time wrote to the Tunku Mantri and said that if he would send his reply to the Governor to me I would take care that it was forwarded. I have had no communication from any one on the subject since.

37. It is only necessary that in conclusion I should restate my reasons for being inclined to advocate the claims of the Raja Muda as against the Raja Bandahara. They

are-

(1.) That he is unmistakeably the legitimate claimant~a fact which has great weight in Malavan countries.

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