CO882-(2-3) — Page 248

TUTT

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

882

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

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

188

the Chinese are engaged in disputes the weaker side is, in a manner, forced to piracy, to provide themselves with provisions when they are blockaded by sea and their supplies cut off, as was the case at larut. But the piracies in these cases can best, indeed can only efficiently, be dealt with by putting an end to the causes which have produced them.

PERAK.

District of Larut.

19. With these preliminary remarks, which are more or less applicable to all the tin districts, I now proceed to the district of Larut, at present one of the richest and best worked of all.

20. Larut is a district of the Kingdom of Perak. The district takes its name from the River Larut, which falls into the sea about 28 miles to the south of the Krean river, our southern boundary of Province Wellesley. The name would naturally apply only to the watershed of the River Larut, but at present the whole of that part of Perak, extending from the Krean river to the Bruas river in the south, is known as the Larut district,

History of the Mantri.

21. The present Mantri Nga Ibrahim, is the son of Inchi Jaffar, a Malay trader who was employed by Sultan Jaffar to collect the tenths on the rice cultivation in the districts south of Province Wellesley.

22. It is not known how this man, who was an ordinary Malay trader, was enabled to have his district extended, but in course of time it was extended to the south. During his lifetime the mines were worked by Chinese from Penang; and, as Inchi Jaffar received the tax or royalty on the tin, the privilege became a very valuable one. He got a grant in writing for the whole district of Larut from Sultan Jaffar, which was afterwards renewed by Sultan Alli.

23. It is supposed that as both these Sultans were indolent men, living far up the Perak river, and unwilling to undertake the direct rule of a district with so many turbulent Chinese, Inchi Jaffar had little difficulty in keeping them in ignorance of the vast revenue received by him, and was able to satisfy them by giving them from time to time valuable presents as tribute. However this may be, Inchi Jaffar had a written grant from Sultan Jaffar, which, on his death, was renewed by his successor Sultan Alli; and when his son Nga Ibrahim, the present Chief, succeeded, about 1862, he was confirmed in the same district by the then Sultan, Alli, and soon after had his powers increased.

24. Inchi Jaffar appears not to have much difficulty with the Chinese, who probably were then not very numerous; but, soon after his death, serious disturbances broke out between the two rival factions, during which Nga Abrahim sided with one of them, the Hye-San or Go-Kwans, which proved to be victorious and drove the other out of the country.

Two Chinese Parties.

25. There were, and are still, two parties of Chinese in Larut: one of Macao Chinese of four districts, called the Sec-Kwan or four district men, and the other of Keh Chinese of five districts, called the Go-Kwan or five district men The See-Kwans belong to the Gee-Hin Society, and the Go-Kwan to the Hye-San.

Chinese Disturbances in 1862.

26. Up till the quarrel in 1862, it appears that the Malay Chief at Larut had not found it necessary to join either side. In other words he was still able to keep a nominal control over all the Chinese; and had never found it necessary to seek the support of one set or party of the Chinese against the other: but there had been in the mean time such au increase in the numbers and power of the Chinese that, on divisions arising among them in 1862, the present Chief lost control over them; and, in order to keep his own position, he thought it better to side with one of the parties.

Claim for Compensation.

27. After the disturbances were over a complaint was made to our Government by one of the defeated party, claiming compensation for the loss suffered by him during the disturbances, amounting to 17,447 dollars. It does not appear clear on what grounds the

189

Government then acted, and whether or not similar complaints, by persons on the other side, for losses sustained by them, would have met with a similar reception: but it is clear that the coast was blockaded by a man-of-war, and the amount of this claim was exacted from the rulers of Perak.

Appointment of Mantri.

28. The Sultan submitted; and, as Nga Ibrahim, who held the tin districts, was the only person able to pay such a sum, he was called upon by the Sultan Alli to pay; and, in consideration of this payment, his powers were extended by the Sultan over Larut, which he was in future to govern with full powers, but under the advice of the Laksamana, and at the same time he was appointed by the Sultan to the office of Mantri of Perak.

29. After the disturbraces, the Mantri, having declared himself on one side, lost his position as impartial ruler of both; and the Chinese, at the mines, daily increasing in number and power practically emancipated themselves from his control. They admitted only the regular royalty on the tin sent out of the country, but they rejected his regulations about opium and gambling.

Disturbances in 1872.

30. Matters were in this state when fresh disturbances broke out among the miners in February 1872. The Mantri had found that his former allies, the Hye-Sans, or Go- Kwans, were not comparatively so powerful as before, and he turned in favour of the Ghee-Hins or Bee-Kwans. The result was that the Hye-Sans were driven out of the country.

Hye-San Petitions.

•

31. On this, complaints were made by some of the Hye-San Chinese to Government at Penang; but, on this occasion, a letter was sent to the Mantri expressing the confi- dence of Government that be, the Mantri, would do what was right in the matter; and the numerous petitions, complaining of the Mantri and his people, were left without notice.

32. The expelled Hye-Sans were active in making preparations to return to Larut, and in their turn to expel the Ghee-Hina. Great quantities of men and arms were collected in Penang and sent to Larut; and at the same time, the question of the disputed succes- sion to the throne of Perak having arisen, the Ghee-Hins made common cause with the rejected Raja Muda against the Hye-Sans, who adopted the side of the newly-installed Sultan Ismail, who was supported by the Mantri. Stockades were erected in the Larut River, and open war was declared between the parties, in the course of which the Hye-Sans re-established themselves.

Preparations for War.

33. During the course of these later disturbances, both parties of the Chinese exerted themselves to strengthen their defences and means of offence as much as possible; and fighting men were even sent for from China.

34. The Mantri, on his side, employed Captain Speedy, who recruited about 100 men from the north-west of India; and, with their aid, was enabled to assist the Mantri and his allies the Hye-Sans so far as to keep them in Larut; but he made little progress in expelling the Ghee-Hins.

Order in Council.

35. In February 1873 an Order in Council had been passed, prohibiting the export of arms and ammunition to Larut; but, in September 1873, this Order was cancelled, as far as it referred to the Mantri; and, in fact, the Mantri had all the moral support of Govern- ment at Penang, and the material aid of Captain Speedy's trained men; yet, with all these advantages, the Ghee-Hins were enabled to hold their own; and, if they had had equal advantages at Penang, it is said that they would soon have driven the Mantri and his party out of the country.

Row-Boats.

36. In their distress at this period the Ghee-Hins sent out fast armed row-boats to blockade the coast and to capture the Hye-Sans' boats, and especially to look for provisions. The men in these boats, being desperate for want of supplies, at last attacked all boats indiscriminately; and, though at first only combatants against the Hye-Sans, they became pirates, and committed such atrocities that the British Government could no longer refrain from interfering.

[133]

3 C

190