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assuring the Bandahara that I bad come with none but the most pacific intentions, and that I was only anxious in my dealings with him and other Malay Chiefs to assist in ensuring that peace and good government which alone could secure the prosperity of the peninsula. I hoped, therefore, that His Highness would consider me as a friend and as an impartial arbitrator in arranging any question between himself and the Maharajah of Johore, which questions he was doubtless aware were by the Treaty of 1862 to be referred for settlement to the British Government. Having thus somewhat reassured him, I then informed His Highness of the occurrences which had been reported from the Indau River, and of the report that these atrocities had been committed in His Highness' name, and indeed attributed to his direct orders, and that it was stated that His Highness was desirous of annexing the Johore bank of the river.

11. This, however, the Bandahara strenuously denied, and earnestly assured me that, far from having given any such directions, he had been in profound ignorance of the circumstances, and that he would be exceedingly glad to assist in an investigation.

12. I then suggested that as His Highness was too unwell to proceed to Indau himself, perhaps the course to pursue would be to appoint a Court of Inquiry. This suggestion the Bandahara at once adopted, and undertook to appoint three of his Chiefs who should proceed as Commissioners to the scene of the murder, and institute a searching investigation, and His Highness further expressed a wish that Mr. Read should accompany the Commissioners.

13. On taking leave Captain Smith, R.N., courteously invited the Bandahara on board Her Majesty's ship "Charybdis," and His Highness' confidence was so far restored that on the next day he came and was much pleased at the reception accorded him. The three Commissioners accompanied him, and after His Highness had taken leave, which he did with many professions of friendship, they proceeded to Indau in the same afternoon with Mr. Read in the "Pluto," and on the 24th September ascended the river with a view of commencing their investigation. On their way up one stockade was dis- covered near the dwelling of a certain Panglima Kitchil, one of the Pahang headman of the river, and the very person who was stated to have committed the murder.

This stockade was at once destroyed by order of the Commissioners; the two guns and powder found in it were confiscated, and Panglima Kitchil placed under surveillance. 14. A little further up the jungle was found to be cleared, possibly with a view to the erection of another stockade, but no signs were to be discovered of any attempt to take possession of the Johore bank.

15. Panglima Kitchil, and the two other headmen of the river, accompanied the Commissioners on board the "Plato," and on the 25th the Court of Inquiry continued its investigations, two Johore headmen being present. The evidence produced was, however, very defective, and I am inclined to believe that the Pahang Government was in no way implicated in the murder of Inche Jawa, and that, although I fear the evidence will fail to bring it home, the deed was one of private vendetta committed by Panglima Kitchil, who, dreading a counter attack, had erected the stockade which was found near his house and destroyed.

16. It is, however, difficult to say to what complications this one act might have led. The murder had assumed a political colouring, and a good deal of anxiety existed amongst the Johore authorities as to what would ensue, the more especially when it was stated that stockades had once been erected. Doubtless a good deal of this anxiety was attributable to the former differences which have taken place between Pahang and Johore, and was increased by the near approach of the north-east monsoon, when this part of the coast could not be approached by cruisers on account of the heavy surf over the bars of the rivers; and it was this very feeling of uneasiness that I was anxious to allay, and, if possible, to prevent a recurrence of its existence.

17. On the 26th September, accordingly, Mr. Read conveyed the Commissioners and witnesses to Pahang in order that the Bandahara might have an opportunity of investigating the case himself, and I also dispatched a letter to his Highness requesting him to communicate the result of such investigation to his Highness the Maharajah of Johore.

18. I was the more anxious that this communication should be established between the two princes because I am convinced that many of the difficulties that have, more especially of late years, arisen between Pahang and Johore are due to the want of cordiality that at presents exists between the rulers of the two States, a feeling which, it All is only fair to say, none is more anxious to dispel than the Maharajah of Johore. the overtures made by the latter had hitherto met with an indifferent reception from the Bandahara, who, although not personally adverse to the Maharajah, is easily influenced by some of his advisers whose interest it is to foster the quarrel.

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19. I hoped, therefore, that, by opening a correspondence between these two Chiefs, I might pave the way to a reconciliation which might be more firmly cemented during the Bandahara's promised visit to Singapore; and I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I have since received intelligence that a letter has been written by the Bandahara to the Maharajah of Johore, acquainting his Highness of my visit to Pahang and of its causes, disclaiming all knowledge of the crime committed at Indau, mentioning the appointment of the Court of Inquiry, and promising that the matter shall be still further investigated, and every effort made to discover the perpetrators, and that, if discovered, they shall be duly punished.

20. To this communication His Highness the Maharajah of Johore has returned a courteous answer, thanking the Bandahara for the steps taken for the discovery of the murder at Indau and offering to co-operate with the Bandahara should there be any further difficulty in tracing the perpetrators; and I have also written to the Bandahara of Pahang, congratulating him on his proceedings which he describes in a letter written to me since I left Pahang, and encouraging him to further efforts, so that there are fair grounds for hoping that, by my visit to Pahang, an "entente cordiale" may gradually be established between the ruler of that State and the Maharaja of Johore, and that the private pique between these two princes being once removed there may be little difficulty in effecting a permanent settlement of any questions between them.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

A. CLARKE.

P.S.-I have just learnt that the Bandahara has, in writing to his principal Chinese agent here, alluded io my recent visit and saying that, acting on the advice I had offered to him, he was desirous of opening up his country to immigration and giving foreigners very favourable terms for settlement, assuring them of every protection for their lives and property. He also asked to have engaged for him, at good wages, 200 Chinese

miners.

Sir,

No. 3.

A. C.

Colonial Office to Major-General Sir Harry Ord, C.B.

Downing Street, November 27, 1874. I AM directed by the Earl of Carnarvon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 18th instant, respecting the statement made by Sir Andrew Clarke to the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements with reference to British policy in con- nection with the native States in the Malay Peninsula.

2. Lord Carnarvon has read your letter with much interest, being well aware that you have given great attention to the subject to which it relates; and his Lordship desires me to acquaint you that in his opinion the success which appears to be attending the policy now adopted towards certain native States in the Malay Peninsula affords no ground for the imputation of any blame to you, because in former years (in obedience to the instructions which you received) you refrained from a course of action which did not appear to Her Majesty's Government to be likely at that moment to lead to any satisfactory result.

Sir,

No. 4.

I am, &c. (Signed) R. H. MEADE,

The Earl of Carnarvon to Governor Sir A. Clarke, K.C.M.G., C.B.

Downing Street, December 4, 1874. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 16th of October last,† reporting the steps you have taken in consequence of the intelligence you had received from His Highness the Maharajah of Johore, that Inche Jawa, his headman on the Indau River, had been murdered by a party of Pahang men as he was coming down the river, and that another man had been killed, and that His Highness apprehended a

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revival of the difficulties which had formerly occurred between him and the Bandahara of Pahang.

2. The measures which you adopted were, I think, right, and I have much pleasure in approving the promptitude and discretion with which you carried them out.

3. The successful result of your mediation between these Rulers is satisfactory, and will, together with your action in the matter, I have no doubt, be appreciated by His Highness. It will, I trust, prevent any recurrence of similar acts of violence and hostility on the part of the people of Pahang.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

CARNARVON.

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known to all the Rajahs, Chiefs, and people that they may be made acquainted with the wishes of the Great Queen's Government.

By his Excellency's command,

(Signed) T. BRADDELL,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, November 2, 1874.

No. 6.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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No. 5.

Governor Sir 4. Clarke, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.-(Received

My Lord,

December 7.)

Government House, Singapore, November 4, 1874. IN order to give effect to the instructions contained in paragraph 7 of your Lordship's despatch of the 4th September, 1874,* I have the honour to transmit herewith six copies of the original and translation of a Proclamation dated the 2nd instant, to the native Chiefs which I have caused to be promulgated throughout the Malayan Peninsula.

I have, &c. (Signed) A. CLARKE.

Inclosure in No. 5.

Proclamation of the Governor of the three Settlements, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca, to the Malay Rajahs, Elders, and People, to make known to them the good wishes of the Great Queen of England.

WHEREAS disturbances existed in several of the Malayan States in the neighbour- hood of the Straits Settlements, and the Chiefs and Rulers of the said States being unable themselves to keep the peace and protect the people under their rule, applied to this Government for assistance and protection, and this Government intervened to settle such disturbance and to aid the said Chiefs and Rulers to govern their respective countries, and arrangements were made with them for that purpose, and whereas the said matters were referred to the Government of the Great Queen in England: Now this is to make known to all that a letter has been received from the Right Honourable Earl of Carnarvon, of Highclere Castle, Newbury, High Steward of the University of Oxford, Constable of Carnarvon Castle, Doctor of Civil Law, Principal Secretary of State to Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen and Empress of India, Minister of the Great Queen, in which the Minister giving the orders of the Great Queen's Government saya, in that letter about engagement entered into at Pulo Pangkor in Perak on the 10th of January, 1874, the that the engagement is approved by the Great Queen; and the Minister charges the Governor of the three Settlements to acquaint the several Chiefs who have entered into these agreements that Her Majesty's Government have learnt with much satisfaction that they have now combined under our advice to put a stop once for all to the reign of anarchy and piracy which has unhappily so long been allowed to prevail, and which naturally resulted in the cessation of all legitimate trade and the impoverishment of the country, and at the same time to inform them that Her Majesty's Government will look to the exact fulfilment of the pledges which have now been voluntarily given, and will hold responsible those who violate the engagement which has been solemnly agreed upon. The Minister of the Great Queen also says that it is to be hoped that the wealth and material prosperty of the Malay Peninsula may largely increase, and that the Chiefs and people may gradually be led to understand that their true interests are best served upon the by the natural and unrestricted growth of commerce which will surely follow maintenance of peace and order within their respective territories; and this we make

• No. 68 of Command Paper [C. 1111] of 1874.

Governor Sir A Clarke, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.—(Received December 7.)

My Lord,

Government House, Singapore, November 5, 1874.

I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith, in duplicate, the shorthand Report of the proceedings of the Legislative Council at their Meeting on the 15th of September last, from which your Lordship will perceive that an unanimous expression of opinion that body assented to the expenditure that had been incurred so far in giving effect to the measures taken by me for the pacification of the Malayan Peninsular, and sanctioned any further outlay which might be essential to the continued prosecution of that policy.

I have, &c. (Signed) A. CLARKE,

Inclosure in No. 6.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS-LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Singapore, September 15, 1874.

THE Minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

The Governor made his promised statement on the subject of our relations with the native States. His Excellency spoke as follows:-

I must ask you, Gentlemen, to bear with me a little time, and give me your attention and your patience, because the question which I am going to submit to you is one, I feel, that we must approach with very great care, and you must review not only what has been done-what has been the policy of the past-but what steps we ourselves should take for the future. Circumstances have made me pursue a particular course,——— or I have rather to accept those circumstances, and allow them to guide me as to the introduction and establishment of a policy, for which I single-handed, of course, assisted by the Executive members of my Government, but I alone-am responsible, during the last eight months that I have been here. To-day, more or less, this responsibility will pass from me to you, as representing the community at large. I have only certain limited, passing interests, deep as they may be, and strongly as I regard them whilst they are committed to me,-still they are a passing interest for me,—I am practically here but for a short time. You, who have thrown your energies, your enterprise, your lives, into this part of the world, it is for you to consider and to judge, and to advise as to what should be done with reference to the small part of that great Peninsula which you are occupying, in relation to the remainder. It will be my first duty to explain to you, and, through you, to those outside, what is perhaps known to you, and what is perhaps not known very generally, our geographical position in relation to the Malay States, and also our political relations to them. Believing it to be my duty to go into these details, I trust that I may not weary you, but that you will give me your attention with reference to them.

You know that the Malay Peninsula, extending from where we are, at Singapore, some 500 or 600 miles, to a considerable distance beyond our Northern Settlement of Penang, is made up of several independent and semi-independent States. Some of those States, to the northward from Penang, are under the protection, or form part of the Kingdom of Siam, and others have been more or less accepted nominally under the protection of the British flag; and it is to these latter that I now wish to draw your attention. Of the one near our own doors, Johore, I need hardly speak to you. For the last few years, ten or twelve, I believe, the administration of affairs there has passed into the hands of one who has shown himself in every way fit for the responsible

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