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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TILLC.O. 882

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

72. I further propose to have stations :-

1 non-commissioned officer and 5 men.

14. Sogagala

15. Lamboh

16. Blanja

2 1

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37

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8 5

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14

17. Chindrong Klubi 1

5

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18. Bernam

2

8

22

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19. Sipatang

20. Trong

1 1

6

39

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73. The whole of the sea frontier, as well as the interior of the country, will thus be well guarded, though I shall probably have hereafter to place stations at-

21. Slim.

22. Campar.

23. Gopen.

24. Patani boundary.

74. I trust this report will show how I have employed my time during the five months I have been in Perak. Till within the last fortnight, I have lived entirely in a boat, except when journeying by elephant, when I had to take my chance of a village to

halt in.

75. I have now a temporary balei where I am located close to the site of the Sultan's new palace, and from which it is easy for me to superintend the buildings. I am pushing on the Sultan's residence as fast as I can.

76. All the police not yet sent away to their stations, Nos. 6 to 13, are employed on the buildings and in clearing ground. I have also procured a party of house builders, and another of coolies from Province Wellesley, as it is impossible to get Perak Malays to work.

77. A few have lately come in to offer to supply timber, and I am encouraging them as much as I can to assist.

78. Chinese sawyers and carpenters are rapidly coming into the country, and the town of Durian Sabatan is being rebuilt of planks.

79. I cannot close this report without a few remarks on Larut, upon which district, however, I have called on Captain Speedy to report.

80. I hurriedly visit Larut in November, and went over the road to Kamunting, and through the bazaars. The weather was wet at the time, and several houses had been blown down by a hurricance at Taiping. The road from Permatang to Kota was in very bad order.

81. I was unable to spend any time there till February. Great changes have taken place since I was there in May last, and progress has been very satisfactory, but there has been an absence of system in the making and the repairs of roads, and the bazaars and their drains have been allowed to get into a state which it is difficult to account for in a town only in reality eight months old. The sanitary state of Kota and Taiping as well as Klian Pow bazaars is anything but good; steps are now being taken to remedy this, and I am happy to say with good results, as when I was there a few days ago, I found great improvement.

82. The road to Kamunting is a new one, about three miles, and is not yet metalled, but it is very important that this road should be hurried on and made available for traffic, and the metalling will be at once commenced.

83. The state of the Kamunting bazaar, and of the new road generally, is a great contrast to the rest of the roads and bazaars, and a very great credit to the Native Inspector of Police there, who keeps the place perfectly clean and quiet, and seems also to pay great attention to the drains, &c., of the road being kept open, while all the bridges are substantially made.

84. The main and important road from the landing place at Permatang to Taiping has lately been taken in hand. It was never properly formed in the first instance, and has never been systematically worked upon, but parties have been employed in repairing here and there without proper supervision. This is being remedied, and the whole of the people are now employed in repairing, reforming when necessary, and metalling. They have commenced at Permatang, and will steadily work on till they arrive at Taiping, and they will thus be under one European, who will easily be able to look after them, if he is fit for his work.

85. There are many minor changes as regards weighing and shipping tin, &c., which may be advantageously made, and are now under consideration. I am of opinion that the time has arrived when we should extend the road to Ujong Tembob, where the steamers

can anchor, and thus do away with the boat carriage to Permatang, which is inconvenient and costly.

86. That want of system was very difficult to secure in a new country at first starting is not to be wondered at, but in road making it is very costly. I am, however, now in hopes that in a few months, we shall have our whole line of road from Permatang to Kamunting completely newly metalled, and in reality at very little more cost than mere patchwork repairs cost now.

87. There is a well traced road, and once available for cart traffic, from Sempang to Bukit Gantang, and this is now being put into order under the Mantri's supervision on

a contract.

88. The public buildings here might all with advantage be improved, and could all be made to look neater and cleaner at very little cost. The Assistant Resident's house is nearly completed-a very commodious residence, on a hill commanding a good view of the mining plain.

89. The old gaol has been renewed, and is now only waiting for some doors, I have asked Captain Innes to have made of open bars of iron, as I did not think the ventilation of the cells sufficient, and the warders could not, with the other doors, look into the

rooms.

90. The British Administration in Larut has been very successful, and it may be made still more so now, by admitting all persons who apply for mines. The lands have been now kept in reserve and left unoccupied for over 15 months from the pacification, to wait for claims. Those who have mines now should have some addition given to them adjoining their present mines, and the rest should be given out to applicants, of whom there are several.

91. The Assistant Resident has fears about the water supply, but this only requires supervision, and there is far more water than can ever be required. Located, as the whole 96 mines at Taiping and 43 at Kamunting are in areas of such small radius, there can be no difficulty in the Assistant Resident personally exercising all the supervision that can be needed. At present, there is no doubt whatever, for I saw abundant proof of it, that the water is wasted very much.

92. A Surveyor has arrived, and I have placed him at surveying the roads, the streams, and the existing mines, which will be a great assistance in regulating the water- supply, and giving out new lands.

98. The land in Larut is not adapted to agriculture, and until you get near Sipatang on one side, and Bukit Gantang on the other, I doubt it being worth while attempting anything.

94. The mouth of the river requires buoying, and I have caused inquiries to be made about it as the Krean and Prye rivers had just been done.

95. I will, in future, if his Excellency approves, forward for publication a quarterly report, of which the next will be to 30th June.

The Hon, T. Braddell,

Secretary for Native States, Singapore.

I have, &c. (Signed) J. W. W. BIRCH,

Inclosure 2 in No. 35.

British Resident at Perak.

His Excellency the Governor to the Sultan Abdullah.

(After compliments.)

WE regret to hear from Mr. Birch, our Resident in Perak, that our friend could not come to meet us in Penang, as we had requested.

We are leaving the Straits in a short time, and we had hoped to meet our friend in Penang, and give him our advice, so that the engagement made by our friend at Pulo Pangkor might be carried out in its entirety, and our friend and our friend's country obtain that prosperity which can only be secured by a strict observance of that engagement.

Our friend came to meet us at Pulo Pankgor, though at very short notice; and our friend known whether that meeting was to his advantage or not; and we are sorry that our friend could not meet us this time, as we may not again be able to meet our friend.

We, however, send this letter to our friend; and we trust our friend will weigh it well in his mind, and act upon it, as it is only by this means that our friend can hope to fulfil with honour the high position which we recognized at Pulo Pangkor, in the name of the British Government.

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