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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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LC.O.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Sallih at Sungie Surban, and Syed Ahman at Bukit Tiga. Each of these Chiefs levied a contribution on the trade; and to escape them, a road was being made across the country to Sungie Pidass, where it falls into the Rumbowe branch, near the British boundary.

So strong, however, was the fear of the traders, that they would not carry their goods along this road, and Hajee Mahomed Sallih and Syed Ahman were said to be on the point of attacking the position at Sungie Pidass.

Meeting at Sempang.-There was a meeting, in January 1855, at Sempang, between the Resident Councillor of Malacca, the Klana of Sungie Ujong, the Punghulu of Rumbowe, and some of the Sukus, at which, to certain questions, they replied categorically:

1. That it was not in accordance with custom to levy duties on the trade in the river. 2. That neither the Klana, nor the Punghulu of Rumbowe, nor the Sukus, had authorized the levy of duties.

3. That Lebby Koolup and the others were acting unlawfully, having strong forces to back them.

4. That if they, the Chiefs, attacked the freebooters, they feared they might call in the aid of the Rawas.

5. That in view of the IIIrd Article of the Treaty with Rumbowe, of 30th November, 1831, the lunghulu and Sukus of Rumbowe admitted that it was their duty to treat these people as pirates and robbers. This Treaty was cancelled by one of 28th January, 1832, which contains stipulations to a similar effect, but it is not clear to what part of either Treaty the admission relers.)

The Klana and Punghulu both said they would like to give the freebooters another chance to retire peaceably, and not drive them to desperation; and they even suggested that they might be allowed to remain if they became quiet cultivators.

It was in vain that they were reminded of a promise given to Governor Blundell two years before, that Lebby Koolup should be turned out by force. The Punghulu of Rumbowe said that promise was only verbal. It was, however, arranged that a notice should be sent by the congregated Chiefs to each of the four, requiring him to desiat, under penalty of punishment; a notice which, it need hardly be said, was not attended with any useful result.

It was also greed that the Klana was to be responsible that no exactions should be allowed on the river above Permatang Passir; and further, that should Government, on the recurrence of the exactions, determine to destroy the stockades, the Chiefs should not be entitled to interfere in favour of the freebooters.

About the same time, a letter was received from Rajah Radin, son of the fourth Menangkabowe Ruler, who styled himself' Eam Tuan of Sri Menanti, stating that Lebby Koolup and the other three were not acting with the knowledge or consent of himself or of the Punghulus, and asking for assistance to turn them out, as they were no better than pirates.

The arrangement entered into between the Chiefs and the Resident Councillor, in January, appears to have been of little value, for, on the 7th May, the Singapore Chamber of Commerce addressed the Governor, complaining of the obstructions to trade, and asking for the assistance of Government.

The Governor, Mr. Blundell, had an interview with a deputation from the Chamber, and stated the reasons for which he could not interfere; and on the 5th June, he wrote a despatch to the Government of India, explaining the matter, and asking for instructions.

Report to the Government of India.-Mr. Blundell states, that the bank of the river belonged, according to the map and to his idea, to Rumbowe, but adds that the Chief of that country disclaimed all right to the land, although he acknowledges some degree of authority over it; that owing to claims of subordinate Chiefs, it was often difficult to know to whom any land belonged; that certain persons, tempted by the prospect of realizing profit by levying exactions on the trade, had claimed rights over places on the left bank of the northern branch of the river; that these persons are all more or less connected with the Chief of Sungie Ujong, who had never attempted to get rid of them; that, possibly, being indebted to them, the Chief has allowed them to pay themselves by levying exactions, and while disinclined to move against them himself, he asks the Government to turn them out; that the Chief of Rumbowe, within whose territory, according to the map, the exactions were made, denied all authority from him, and said the stockade might be broken down with his consent, but, it is added, that as he might be a partner in the exactions, he declined to break them himself; that the trade had greatly decreased; that the obstruc- tions could be removed with but little force, but he feared, if Government interfered, it must keep up a shew of force which would end in giving a monopoly to a few merchants; that he had, explained to the Chamber of Commerce at Singapore that, if the Chief of

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Sungie Ujong made a bond fide attempt to clear the river, and failed, an application might then fairly be made to Government for assistance.

Attack on the Stockades. It appears that the Datu Klana had attacked some of the stockades, but without effect, as he wrote in May stating his inability to put down the four marauders, and asking for assistance to drive them and the Rawas out of the country. In August following, however, it seems that the Klana had exerted himself.

He bad engaged

an English schooner, with an European crew, and had attacked Lebby Koolup's stockade at Sempang in his absence, and driven his people out. At the end of the month the Resident Councillor proceeded again to the Lingie, and found that the stockade at Sempang had been destroyed, and that the Datu Muda of Lingie had the schooner and a boat ready, upder British colours, intending to attack the stockade of Hajee Mahomed Sallih at Sungie Surban.

The Resident Councillor, after prohibiting the use of the British colours, proceeded up the river, and found that the first stockade of Datu Kanda, at Pengkallang Kumpas, had been surrendered to the Klana; but the second, at Sungie Surban, was a strongly stockaded position, with piles driven at short distances across the river, so as to stop all boats.

Stockade taken.-Before the answer of the Government of India arrived, a further letter was received from the merchants of Malacca, dated October 2, 1855, in which, while complaining that for eight months no tin bad come down the river, it is stated that the Datu Klana had succeeded in turning Lebby Koolup out of his stockade at Sempaug, but had not sufficient force to expel Haji Mahomed Sallih and Syed Ahman, and was afraid to leave his place of residence owing to the Rawas, who were prepared to attack him. The Klana, however, continued his exertions, and in November succeeded in taking the stockade of Hajee Mahomed Sallih at Sungie Surban, and that of Syed Ahman at Bukit Tiga, thus freeing the whole river.

Hajee Mahomed Sallib and Syed Ahman fled, as Lebby Koolup had done, to Rumbowe, where they were protected by the Punghulu, who had always been charged with complicity in the exactions on the Sungie Ujong River.

Instructions by the Government of India.-The Government of India, on the 2nd of November, 1855, sent instructions in reply to the Governor's letter, to the effect that if the payments on the river were demanded openly by the Chiefs we could not complain; but when exactions are made by persons whom the Chiefs repudiate and brand as pirates, Government is bound to protect the trade; and, even assuming that the Chiefs secretly countenanced the pirates, that was no reason why Government should fail to protect its traders from their robberies; and, assuming that interference now will render interference hereafter necessary, Government will not be justified in neglecting one of its first duties, the defence of the trade of its subjects.

The letter then goes on to request the Governor to intimate to the Chiefs that the Government of India will not permit the exaction of unauthorized payments, and it looks to the Chiefs to put an end to such exactions; and if they have not the power, the Government will aid them; and if the exactions continue, or be renewed after this, force should be used against the offenders.

Notification to the Native States.—On the 23rd November the following notification was published and circulated in the neighbouring Native States :-

"The following is published by the Honourable E. A. Blundell, Governor of Prince of Wales' Island, Singapore, and Malacca, for the information of all Punghulus, and to all other persons levying taxes in the stockades on the banks of the River Lingie.

"We are directed by the Governor-General of India in Council to prohihit the imposi tion of such taxes; and whoever fails in, or disobeys this order, we have the power to authorize the Government of Sungie Ujong to put a stop to it. And after we have given such authority we will not interfere any more in the matter.

"Dated the 23rd November, 1855.”

Disturbances in 1857.

In 1856 the exactions were recommended, and by the end of 1857 had reached suca a height, that Colonel Macpherson, the Resident Councillor, acting on the instructions of November 3, 1855, called in the aid of Captain Grenfell, of Her Majesty's ship “Amethyst, with whom he went up the river and destroyed a stockade and village at Pankalang Kumpas, on the Sangalore side of the river above Sempang. The village is described as purely piratical, there being no cultivation about it, and the houses having quantities of arms and goods taken from the traders.

In the month of April the Klana, the Punghulu of Rumbowe, the Datu Bandar, and