CO882-(2-3) — Page 238

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

TLITII

Reference -

C.O.8

882

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

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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That besides trading your Petitioners had, by a lease signed by the Tunku Mantri of Larut, rented the opium, spirit, timber, chunam and other farms situate along the sca-shore of Goolah, in the country of Perak aforesaid :

That after your Petitioners had traded and leased the above farms for about two or three years, the Hysan and Toh-Peb-Kong kongsees, not satisfied with the depredations and injury they have done to Larut, come to Goolah and burnt the village down to the ground, after plundering it of the merchandize and killing and wounding all the residents who had not taken to flight; on which occasion your Petitioners suffered a loss of 6,000 dollars, besides 2,000 dollars by the traders in the neighbouring village called Klompang, who were indebted to your Petitioners, and whose warehouses were also attacked, plundered, and burnt by the same kongsees:

That after the village had been re-built and your Petitioners reinstated in trade, these kongsees again came, devastated and burnt the whole village, scuttled and sunk the junks and topes then lying in the river which belonged to Chin Chek Hye, Seang Ah Hat, Ang Fok Seng, Koh Eng Fee, and Uong Chee Foo, merchants of this island lately arrived from China:

That your Petitioners' men, namely, Hong Ah Tyang, Lim Chuah Yet, and Pok Ab Hong, who were in charge of your Petitioners' trade in Goolah aforesaid, petitioned the lang-de-per Tuan of Perak representing the matter to him, who, in reply, told your Petitioners that he could do nothing for them as the village had been plundered and burnt by subjects from Penang, who, he said, had repaired there for that purpose:

That your Petitioners petitioned to the Honourable Mr. Campbell, then Acting Lieutenant-Governor, with respect to the loss they suffered, caused mainly through the improper and unjust manner in which the Tunku Mantri of Larut governed his place, and who evidently appears to have encouraged one side of the rioters instead of endeavouring to quell the late disturbances and restore peace:

That as your Petitioners have received no reply to the said petition, they humbly pray your Honour might be pleased to take the matter into your kind consideration, and that you may also be pleased to grant them a letter to the lang-de-per Tuan of Perak, requesting a compensation to be made to your Petitioners who have resided in this island for more than thirty years, and after a long hard toil and labour are now ruined and reduced almost to beggary,

And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.

Penang, June 23, 1873.

(Signed)

Answer.

CHEANG LONG SENG.

CHIN GUAN TAK.

ONG PAK LIN.

WENG GOK YONG.

Lieutenant-Governor's Office, Penang, July 24, 1873. Cheang Long Seng, Chin Guan Tak, Ong Pak Leng, and others are informed, with reference to their petition, that the Governinent knows all about them, and that they neither deserve nor will get any help from it, but that if any people from Penang are found taking any part in these disturbances, they will be severely punished.

(Signed) A. E. H. ANSON, Lieutenant-Governor.

Statements made by the Tunku Mantri in reply to questions regarding affairs of Larut.

Law Ah San is the head of the Hysan Congsee, and farmed the tin mines at Larut from me.

He is the representative of the original settlers at the mines, and he had as farmer the management of them.

I have always protected this man. He paid me 8,000 dollars per mensem for the first six months he had the farm, after that the amount was raised to 10,000 dollars per mensem, but, further, the understanding was that should he make more than that sum he was to keep 1,000 dollars per mensem and pay the remainder over to me.

could.

Latterly, Law Ah San paid a fixed rent of 15,000 dollars and made what profit he

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For the last seven months I have received very little. I get about 1,000 dollars per mensem at present.

The mines are working, but not doing much-a good deal of the tin smelted is bartered for food on the spot a little is sent overland to Bruss and Kurrow, and finds its way here. No account of the amount worked at present is kept on account of the disturbances.

Law Ah San used to make the distribution of the allotments at the mines.

The clearing permit was issued by me to the miner. Allotments vary from 8 to 20 orlongs in proportion to the number of coolies the miner employs.

The miner borrows the money either at Larut or Penang to pay for working his

allotment.

Some of the coolies go from Penang, others direct from China.

The emigration direct from China to Larut is to the extent of about 2,000 to 3,000 coolies a-year.

About 10 to 20 per cent. of the coolies die from fever when clearing new jungle; when first the mines were opened 50 per cent. died.

These Chinese coolies are very superstitious. They believe that if they go about in shoes or bajoos the tin disappears, so that they will not wear either.

It is only the poorest people who engage themselves for this work. Whilst Law Ah San was farmer (ie., the commencement of these disturbances), about 2,000 to 3,000 Chinese came in boats from Trong, and at the same time about 1,000 more came by land, and, without any previous intimation of their intention, attacked the miners.

I had heard some vague reports about being attacked, but had also heard them con- tradicted, and I did not know at that time what to believe.

These men who came were not miners, but came from Province Wellesley to Krean

on the Malay side near Nebong Tabal and collected there.

I asked them to whom they belonged, and they said they were carpenters and gold-

smiths, and were Ho Ghee Sew, Ah Chan, Gan Tah, and Tong's men.

They attacked my house (which is strongly built of brick) for two days-broke down

my godowns-killed ten of my police, and stole all my tin, &c.

I thought when they came they were only going to attack the farmer and miners, but they immediately attacked me also.

They could give no reason for their attack, and said they were only fighting men, and had been sent from Penang to fight. I could not at the time find out to what Congsee they belonged; some said they were Ghee Hins, others that they were Hap Shahs (Ho Ghee Sew's Congsee)-some were Hysans, and I thought at first they were Law Ah San's friends as he is head of that Congsee, and some of his tribe are Ghee Hins.

They took possession of the town of Larut, but did not succeed in taking the mines.

About three months after this I went to Penang, hearing that several of the Headmen of the attacking party had gone to Perak to see the Raja Muda; I went there also, Raja Ismail (the Raja Bandabara at present Acting Sultan) came to Larut before I left, and advised me to go and see the Raja Muda in case he should join the attacking party. He suggested this, because he had heard that some of that party had gone to see him.

I knew the Raja Muda was badly off, and I thought he would join them to get money from them.

The Raja Ismail (the Bandhara) said: "We are all Mussulmen, and you had better go and see the Raja Muda that we may all join together to drive away those who will not obey our orders."

This took place after I bad acknowledged Raja Ismail, before I had given the letter acknowledging the Raja Muda. I gave that letter to the Raja Muda in Penang, because he promised if I would do so he would not join the Chinese who were attacking Larut, and would not in any way interfere in the Larut affairs.

My letter to the Raja Muda was not intended to acknowledge him as Sultan there and then, but to acknowledge his claims to the Sultanship as being Raja Muda, and was written on the understanding that he was to go to Perak, assemble all the Chiefs, and get himself elected, when I was prepared to give him my vote.

The Raja Muda said to me, "I want only your acknowledgment of my right'as Raja Muda, and I will not interfere in the affairs at Larut.”

Three or four days after I gave him the letter he joined the attacking party.

I saw an agreement made between him and the Chinese, a copy of which was given

me by the Raja Muda's clerk who was formerly in my employ. (He was the Shroff in the Registrar's Office, Supreme Court, who was a defaulter in the time of Mr. Benson

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