CO882-(2-3) — Page 530

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

།།།།|TCO. 882

3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Position

Early history.

Dutch factories, A.D. 1841.

Che Long Jaffar openn first tin mine,

Chinese miner

Earlier disturbances among the Chinese.

Compensation demanded.

Later disturbances,

Chinees factions.

Mantri. Nga Ibrahim.

Country tuin by warfare.

Pacification by Bir Andrew Clarke

Agreement of Chiels al Pulors Pankor.

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bis Excellency that this country, small in extent yet wonderfully rich and productive, with capabilities the extent of which have not yet been developed (although there is indisputable evidence of their existence) is, and has been since the restoration to peace of the Kingdom of Perak, so ably effected by his Excellency's wise administration, in a condition of the happiest prosperity,-requiring only time and enterprise to render it one of the wealthiest and most flourishing of the Malay States.

2. The Province of Larut in the Kingdom of Perak is an irregular strip of territory about 70 miles in length, varying from 20 to 50 miles in breath, lying between 4° and 5o of north latitude and 100° and 101° of east longitude; bounded as follows :→→→→

On the north by the River Kurao;

On the south by the River Bruas;

On the east by the Bulu Mountains; and,

On the west by the Malayan Sea.

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3. From the earliest times it has been well known to the inhabitants that this country was rich in minerals.

The word Perak, in fact, signifies silver; but, as this metal has not hitherto been worked, it is supposed that the tin with which the country abounds, and which when melted becomes white and glistening, was mistaken by the primitive people for silver.

4. The Dutch had a trading factory for tin on the Perak River in the year A.D. 1641, and the Portuguese during their possession of Malacca, even more than a century before, were traders in Perak for the same article; but although the wealth of this Kingdom was thus early recognized, Larut appears to have been totally unexplored until 1848.

5. During that year an enterprising Malay, named Che Long Jaffar, while bathing in a stream, had his attention arrested by some black sand, which when assayed was found to be tin.

He immediately took steps for obtaining coolies, and with twenty Chinese from the Chin Seah district opened a mine at a place called Galian Pao, which proved to be extremely

lucrative.

6. As the report of this success reached China, a large number of other emigrants, comprising the men of many districts (generally, but erroneously, designated "tribes "), flocked to Jarut, and the mineral resources of this country then first began to be in some measure developed.

7. In 1862, quarrels, relating to the ownership of the mines, arose between the Chin Seab and the men of another district, viz., the Fui Chin, which ended in the expulsion from the country of the latter.

8. In consequence of the representations of some of the Fui Chins, who were naturalized British subjects, the then Resident Councillor of Penang, Colonel Mann, sent a man-of-war to demand compensation from the Rajah of Larut for the serious losses which the complainants had sustained.

The Rajah in his turn demanded this of the Chin Seah, and the sum of 17,500 dollars was accordingly obtained.

9. During the ten succeeding years, affairs in Larut appear to have been tolerably peaceful, but early in 1872 disturbances again broke out among the miners, which soon assumed a most serious aspect.

10. Two factions were formed, called respectively, after the districts in China from which the men came,--Sih Quan and Goh Quan, viz., five districts and four districts.

11. The Government of the country was at this time in the hands of the present Mantri, Nga Ibrahim (son of the above-mentioned Che Long Jaffar), and it was in great measure owing to the weakness and vacillation shown by him in siding alternately with each faction, together with the inability of his police force to render effectual assistance to either, that he lost the confidence of both parties, at this time comprising nearly four-fifth of the entire population of Larut.

12. So complete was the ruin brought about by this most disastrous warfare, that the country became almost depopulated, villages were demolished wholesale, thousands of people were massacred, the destruction to property was enormous, the land was laid waste, and not only did Larut itself thus suffer, but the returns of the value of imports at Penang, during the years 1872 and 1873, showed a decrease of nearly 1,000,000 dollars, owing to the cessation of the importation of tin to that island from Larut.

13. This distressing state of affairs continued to exist until the beginning of the year under review, when it was most happily ended by the judicious policy of his Excellency, whereby peace and prosperity were once more established.

14. The Chiefs of Perak having been induced to sign a bond of peace and amity with cach other, the heir apparent to the throne (whose coronation had been during the previous

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two years deferred, owing to the dissensions of these very Chiefs) was by them acknowledged the rightful successor; and, in compliance with the request of the Sultan, a British Resident was appointed for Terak.

This took place at Pulo Pankor on the 20th January last year, and from that day the pacification of Larut may be dated.

15. For the first two months traders hesitated to enter a country where so lately fire Reopening of trades. and sword had unsparingly been used, but enterprising Chinese merchants made advances

of money and provisions to such men as were willing to commence reworking the disused

mines, and Larut gradually assumed an aspect of industry and amendment.

16. During the early part of the year, several petty outbreaks occurred, but this was Feity outbreaks. entirely owing to the machinations of a few fighting Chiefs of the Goh Quan faction, whose occupation, now that peace was proclaimed, was gone; nine of these men, however, were, by my advice, deported by the Mantri on the 23rd July, and since then everything has been as satisfactory as could be desired.

17. Slowly but steadily the population began in some measure to regain its former Population lacrassing. status; and as early as March I found it necessary to select sites for towns in the centre of the mining districts,

18. The Commissioners appointed by his Excellency to settle the claims regarding the Mining boundaries disputed mines had done so during the previous month by drawing a line through the mottled. mining country, and placing the Sih Quans in possession of the mines to the northward of this boundary, and the Goh Quans to the south.

19. Two towns were accordingly planned-one for each district; that in the Goh Towns ball; Quan division, about two miles from Kotah Galian, I called Thaipeng, which, being the Thaiping. Chinese for "everlasting peace," I regarded as a happy omen for the future.

This town had, at the close of the year, 5,000 inhabitants,--one-tenth of whom are shopkeepers who supply the miners with goods.

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20. The town for the Sib Quan miners was named Kamunting, being the Malayan Kamanting. name for that district; and before the close of the year contained 4,000 inhabitants and 300 shops.

21. The population of the whole country had, during the disturbances of 1872 and Population during 1873, been reduced to the number of 4,000, who were merely the fighting men of both the war. factions. Not a trader, Chinese or Malay, had remained; but since the establishment of peace, at the end only of eleven months, the population had reached the number of 33,000, of which 26,000 are Chinese. So flourishing is the present condition of Larut, that this bids fair to be trebled before the close of the year.

22. The Chinese as a race are easily governed. They are enterprising and industrious, Charass of Chiness. but unfortunately very clapnish; and this propensity is taken advantage of by ambitious men among them to form secret societies, every member of which is bound, not only by the most solemn oaths, but, by the terror which these societies inspire, to blind obedience to the orders of their superiors, even to the commission of the most heinous crimes, should these be required of them.

23. These secret societies are known to be so mischievous, that not only throughout Seerat sosistion. the whole Chinese Empire, but, even in the Dutch Possession in the East, they are entirely forbidden; death being the punishment awarded to anyone proved to be attempting to establish a lodge.

In the British Settlements where they are permitted, however, much inconvenience has often been found to arise from them; and not only do they often cause trouble to the police, but the assistance of the military force is sometimes required to restrain these brotherhoods within due bounds.

24. I therefore deemed it an important point to make the establishment of any lodge Secret sosistion for- of this kind in Larut, penal; and in this view I have been entirely supported by the bidden in Larat, Chinese head-men in the country, who, although themselves probably compulsorily belong

to lodges in Penang, yet one and all concur in saying that they are but productive of evil, and never of good.

establish lodges,

25. Two attempts have been made during the year to establish lodges in Larut, but, Afterpi made to having received timely information, I have happily been enabled to crush each attempt in the bud.

In one case the secretary of a lodge was arrested, and a quantity of documents and seals, &c., relating to the working of the society, were seized. In the other instance, four men were arrested for having issued a circular calling on members (who had shortly before been enrolled) to attend a meeting. Since the suppression of these two attempts, in which I had the hearty co-operation of Mantri, nothing further has been attempted with regard to

secret societies.

26. The physical aspect of Larut is level from the sea shore to some twenty miles Physical sepert.

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