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free occupation, grants in fee would be given for all cleared lands, on paying a small price per acre. It would not be necessary that the price should be paid all at once, as the grant could be held by the Government till the whole amount had been paid. When a man knows land is once his own, to do what he likes with, he is far more likely to improve it, to add to it, and if necessary to fight for it, than if it can be ever taken from him, at however distant a period.

Apart from the question of revenue, the advantage to the country of having gardens and tracts of cleared lands, instead of jungle, is hardly to be estimated. The chief and almost only difficulty in making roads is the clearing of virgin forest, there being but few engineering difficulties here, and native proprietors, as a rule, are always ready to give up

land to make a road.

This encouragement to planters even if extended to the miners, could, I think, only benefit the country. Formerly tin was as much as 105 dollars a bahra; now it has been for a long time only about 70 dollars a bahra, and yet the royalty is just the same now as it was then.

It is true the duty is taken in kind, but it is also true that it costs as much to procure a bahra of tin now as it did when its price was high enough to pay the miner well, after deducting the tenth and the ground rent. Many who formerly cared for nothing provided they could mine tin, are now beginning to seek other means of livelihood, complaining that taxes are heavy, labour dear, and prices so low, that it does not pay them to work tin, and this when there are still miles of unopened ground rich in

the ore.

Were the Royalty reduced, even though it were made as low as one twentieth, I think it would give a new impetus to tin mining, which might even more than double the amount of tin produced, and thus, whilst the Royalty would still be the same in value, the increase in the Chinese population, and consequent increase in the con- sumption of exciseable articles, opium, spirits, foreign tobacco, &c., would raise the revenue considerably, whilst an additional trade must come, to supply the wants of the increased population.

Provided no future wars disturb the present peace and feeling of security, and I think none can arise to do so, Salangore would seem to be in a fair way to secure for herself a future of wealth, of comparative safety to life and property, and the prosperity and happiness of her people.

I inclose a sketch of Salangore, showing its rivers, mines, and villages, and all the places referred to in this report. The tracing, made from notes taken at different times, sbows the relative positions of all the principal places in Salangore.

(Signed) FRANK A. SWETTENHAM,

Langat, April 8, 1875.

Her Britannic Majesty's Acting Assistant Resident, Salangore.

Inclosure 3 in No. 37.

Sketch of Salangore, showing its Rivers, Mines, &c.

No. 38.

Governor Sir A. Clarke, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the Earl of Carnarvon.~~(Received June 7.) My Lord,

Government House, Singapore, April 28, 1878. WITH reference to my despatch of the 30th December, 1874, relating to the appointment of British Residents in the native States, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that Captain Tatham of the Royal Artillery, who is there referred to as Acting Assistant Resident at Sungie Ujong, has been invalided on account of ill- health by a Board of Military Medical Officers, and has since proceeded to England.

2. Lieutenant H Palmer, of the 10th regiment, the next senior officer present with the troops stationed in Sungie Ujong, has been temporarily discharging the duties of the office vacated by Captain Tatham, but having applied to be relieved of them, I have, subject to your Lordship's approval, nominated Retired 'Commander Patrick James Murray of the Royal Navy, to be the Acting Assistant Resident.

3. Commander Murray was acquainted with this locality during his service in the Royal Navy, and at that time dedicated himself to the study of the Malayan language, of which he has acquired a fair knowledge.

• No. 18.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.C

882

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

a small

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IAM,

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PUBLIC

RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPEPIC.O. 882

COPYRIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO |

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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April 28, 1875.

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ayan language,