CO882-(2-3) — Page 262

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

C.O.882

2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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Sultan, had attacked Raja Dollah, the Governor of Klang, a Rhio relation, married to a daughter of Sultan Mahomed, and had driven him out of the country. Raja Dollah soon after died, leaving a son, Raja Ismail. Tuanku Kudin married a daughter of the present Sultan, and was living with him. The Sultan, seeing Tuanku Kudin doing nothing, said to him. "Why do you remain idle, what would you like to do?" The Tuanku answered that he had not been brought up to business (meaning trade), but that he used to help his brother, the Raja of Quedah, in carrying on the government of his country. The Sultan said he was pleased at that, as he could help him (the Sultan) in the same way. The Tuanku, who is well educated and intelligent, made himself very useful to the Sultan, who became attached to him; but the Tuanku complained that as a stranger he had not the same authority as he had in his brother's country, and asked the Sultan to give him a writing, which he could show if his authority was challenged. On this the Sultan gave him the writing of 1868, a copy of which was printed in the Salangore Parliamentary Papers. At the same time the Sultan gave him Langat as a The Sultan at place of residence, with the revenue derivable therefrom for his own use. this time was at Klang.

49. During the course of Tuanku Kudin's administration at Langat, a Malacca boat opposed his orders, and the Custom-house officer, Datu Bunder, took the side of the Malacca men. The Tuanku reported this to the Sultan; and at the same time news having arrived from Quedal that the Tuanku's mother was very ill, he asked the Sultan for leave to go and see her. Leave was given, and the Tuanku went to Quedah, leaving his wife behind him at Langat.

50. After having been in Quedah three or four months (the visit probably was caused or extended in time in consequence of the insult to his authority at Langat) Tuanku Kudin heard that the Sultan had returned to Langat, and had authorized Raja Ismail, son of Raja Dollah, to attack Raja Mahdic in Klang, saying, in answer probably to complaints made to him against Raja Mahdie, they were both young men and might fight it out between them.

51. Tuanku Kudin, having the Sultan's authority as Viceroy over Salangore, at once asked his brother to give him some men and he would return to Salangore. The Sultan of Quedah gave him 500 men, 250 of whom be sent on at once to guard his family at Langat, and with the other 250, he started himself for Klang. Ismail he described at this time as his enemy, but on his arrival at Lower Klang, Ismail came to receive him and recognized his authority under the power from the Sultan. Tuanku Kudin at once sent off a letter to Raja Mahdie, with a copy of the Sultan's power and claiming obedience. Raja Mahdie refused to recognize the power, and said the document was a forgery. Tuanku Kudin reported to the Sultan, and asked to have 200 of his 250 Quedah men sent down to him, leaving 50 to guard his family, and the war between him and Raja Mahdie commenced. After some months Raja Mahdie was driven out of Klang and retired to Salangore. Tuanku Kudin took possession of Klang, which place was then given to him to live at instead of Langat, as set out in his power of 1868. This appears to be the origin of Tuanku Kudin's title to hold Klang. He conquered it from Raja Mahdie, a rebel against the Sultan, and he has lived there ever since, occupied in developing the resources of the country, protecting the miners and making roads, &c. When the place had become a little quiet he brought down his wife from Langat.

52 At that time the Sultan was at Langat with his sons, Yacoob and Kahar, and there was a large trade in there, fifteen or twenty Malacca bosts being in the river at a time. Yacoob was then on good terms with the Tuanku, but Kahar was jealous of the power given to him by the Sultan. Moosa was at Salangore.

53. When Mahdie left Klang he went towards Salangore, then under Raja Moosa. Tuanku Kudin wrote to Moosa, who was up the river, to be on his guard, but no attention was paid to this warning, and when Mahdie arrived, with Raja Itam, of Birnam, and his followers, he at once took possession of the Dutch fort and seized on the revenues: Moosa came to Langat and complained to the Sultan, who told him to go to Tuanku Kudin and arrange with him to drive Mahdie and Itam out of Salangore. Tuanku Kudin arranged an expedition with Moosa and Yacoob, and appointed Syed Mashahore, an Arab Syed from Pontianak, Chief of the fighting men, including some of Tuanku's Quedah men.

54. After the expedition started Syed Abdulla, brother of Syed Mashahore, was killed at Langat. Syed Mashahore accused the Sultan and Yacoob of having caused his brother to be murdered, and went over with his men and joined Raja Mahdie, Raja Itam went to Birnam and Moosa was left alone, almost as a prisoner, in the hands of Mahdie at Salangore.

55. The affair of the Chinese junk, and the attack on Lieutenant Maude of the

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"Rinaldo," occurred at this time. When the "Pluto" went to Salangore, Mahdie and Mashahore put forward Moosa as spokesmen; and, when the place was taken by the "Rinaldo," Mahdie went to Birnam, and thence to Sumatra; and Mashshore went to the Bandahara Ismail Perak in

66. Moosa came to Langat, calling at Klang, where he stopped a few days with Tuanku Kudin on friendly terms,

57. Tuanku Kudin was requested to occupy the Salangore forts, after the place was left by the "Rinaldo." He sent a force of 100 Sepoys and 30 Malaya, under a European officer on this service.

58. When the Tuanku undertook to garrison Salangore, he went up to Langat to see the Sultan, and told him that Moosa was not fit to command, as he had allowed the place to be surprised before, and asked to have Yacoob appointed, which the Sultan agreed to. 59. Yacoob accordingly went as Chief, with the Tuanku's troops and men under his orders; and with power to collect the revenue, pay the troops and expenses, and keep the balance for himself. He remained, however, only two or three months, when he returned, saying he did not like Tuanku Kudin's men being at Salangore, and asserting that he had been re-called by the Sultan.

60. The Tuanku sent Tuan Kuchut to re-place him, and, a fortnight after, Salangore was taken by treachery, by an expedition, under Raja Issah, Hajee Balleh and others, said to have been organized at Langat, where Mahdie had lately arrived, last from Johore, to which place he had gone from Sumatra.

61. Moosa at once went to Salangore and took charge of the place.

62. Tunku Kudin reported this loss to the Sultan and informed him that, As Mashahore was pressing him at Klang, and Mahmood, who had joined Masbahore in his desertion, was attacking him at Pitalling near Klang, he could do nothing at present at Salangore.

68. In about ten or twelve months Mashahore and Mahmood were driven out of Klang, when Tuanku Kudin reported to the Sultan that he was ready to attack Salangore, but was distressed by the fact that Moosa was there, and begged the Sultan to re-call him. The Sultan replied evasively that Mooga was obstinate, and did not follow his advice or orders, and asked the Tuanku to say what he thought should be done. The Tuanku wrote back to say that he was sending away his men, and trusted that Moosa would co-operate with them in turning out the present occupants of Salangore. No answer was received to this letter; but Inche Ahman, one of the Sultan's head men, is said to have told the messenger to return quickly, otherwise he would be killed, and that the Klang men would find Selangore ready for them.

64. The expedition set out and Salangore was taken by Tuanku Kudin. Moosa escaped to Langat, when the Sultan, after two days, expelled him; on which he went to Perak, where he was said to have been, at the Raja Muda's place, when the Governor took the Raja Muda up the river last month from the Dindings, and where he stopped till the 10th February, when he suddenly returned to Langat, during the present visit of the Governor to that place.

65. Tuanku Kudin has thus got possession of the whole of Salangore territory, but he has powerful enemies in the Sultan's two sons, Yacoob and Kahar, who have their father's indulgence; and in Mahdie, Mahmood, and Mashahore, who, although outlawed by the Sultan, were said to have been at Langat during the Governor's visit. Moosa does not seem to associate himself with Yacoob and Kahar, and there is every reason to believe that, with his character, peaceful and inclined to religion, he will, in due time, be fully reconciled to Tuanku Kudin.

Question of Piracies.

66. Having brought Tuanku Kuḍia into communication with the Sultan, and thus laid a foundation for further proceedings relating to the settlement of internal difficulties, the other question remained, namely, the recent piratical outrages, as to which nothing had as yet been said to the Sultan.

67. It was of great importance that the people should see that the Sultan himself was engaged in putting down piracy; so that they should not think that, when the men- of-war left, they might recommence with impunity. It was known that Tuanku Kudio was earnest in his attempts to destroy piracy, and it was desired to enlist the Sultan personally in this work.

68. An interview bad been arranged for 1 P.M., on Tuesday, 10th February, at the Sultan's palace, and a letter was now sent to the Sultan to prepare him for the interview. It was necessary to fix such a late hour owing to the habits of the palace, where the inmates sit up very late at night and sleep all the morning.

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