PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LICO. 882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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And whereas the said articles of engagement have been fulfilled in every respect on the part of the British Government, but the said Chiefs of Perak have not fulfilled and are now unable to fulfil the said engagement on their part, and they have no efficient power to administer the government of the country of Perak, nor to maintain peace and order therein, and unless timely steps are taken the said country is likely to revert to a state of anarchy and confusion, whereby British trade and interests must greatly suffer, and the peace and good order of the adjacent native states under British protection, as well as of the neighbouring British Settlements be seriously endangered:
And-whereas the people in Perak are greatly oppressed by certain lawless Chiefs and Rajas whilst no steps are taken by the Sultan and other native authorities to put a stop to these evils, so that the gravest crimes are committed without fear of inquiry or punishment:
And whereas this conduct of the Perak Chiefs, with the absence of all law to protect life and property, hus bitherto deterred foreigners from investing capital in Perak to any considerable extent, and the resources of the country are still undeveloped and likely to remain so, without soine radical change in the Government and administration of justice:
And whereas the Rajas and Chiefs of Perak are divided into factions, parties, and individual interests, fostering and encouraging jealousies and enmities which they confess themselves unable to reconcile:
And whereas certain persons, British subjects, and others, not subjects of the State of Perak, have engaged and are engaging in illegal transactions with certain Chiefs of Perak, which tend to create interests subversive of order in the State and hostile to the interests of the Straits Settlements:
And whereas the British Government has incurred, on behalf of the Government of Perak, financial responsibilities for which there is no adequate security under the present system of Government:
And whereas the Sultan of Perak and other Chiefs of that country, with the view of reconciling opposing factions and promoting order and good government in the country of Perak, have requested Her Britannic Majesty's Government to administer the Govern- ment of Perak in such a way and manner as Her Britannic Majesty's Government may think most beneficial:
Now, this is to make known to all people that, in compliance with the request of the said Sultan and Chiefs of Perak, Her Britannic Majesty's Government have determined to administer the Government of Perak in the name of the Sultan, and to this end his Excellency the Governor of the Straits Settlements is about to appoint officers, who will be styled Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Her Majesty the Queen, to carry on the Government of that State under his Excellency's instructions; further, that the Sultan of Perak has invested such British officers as are or may be accredited to his Highness from time to time as such Cominissioners or Assistant Commissioners, as afore- said, with powers to issue and enforce Proclamations and orders, and generally to administer the Government of Perak:
And this is further to make known that a Malay Council, consisting of Rajas of Perak of the highest rank, will be appointed to aid the aforesaid Commissioners in matters touching the affairs of the Government of Perak.
And this Proclamation is especially to make known to all the inhabitants of Perak and others whomsoever it may concern, that the Government of Perak will hereafter be carried on in pursuance of the arrangement herein proclaimed, and to warn all people to conduct themselves accordingly.
Given at Singapore, this 15th day of October 1875.
By his Excellency's command,
(Signed) C. J. IRVING,
Colonial Secretary's Office, October 15, 1875.
8ta,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
Enclosure 19. in No. 48.
G
Thistle," Singapore, October 16, 1875.
I HAVE the honour to inform you of my return in Her Majesty's ship "Thistle" from the Dindings, where, in accordance with your Excellency's request of the 25th
a gun-yessel has been stationed for some weeks.
,moنالي
Mr. Birch having represented to me that he was about to visit the Burnam River, and had no competent person to take charge of the Residency in his absence, and that also
b...
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he wished some of his men taught how to manage their gun, I have left at Bandar Bahru Sub-Lieutenant Abbott and four men, for the purpose, and beg that a passage may be provided them to Singapore in the "Pluto" or otherwise by the earliest opportunity.
It is not, in my opinion, necessary that a man-of-war should now be stationed at the Dindings, but that one should occasionally visit that neighbourhood is doubtless desirable, and in this opinion Mr. Birch concurs.
During my stay of some days at Bandar Bahru, I was struck by the general friend. liness of the Chiefs, of which I had some means of judging from the numbers of them who daily and hourly were calling at the Residency, and it was also very remarkable the interest they showed in, and the warm approval they gave to, the pending change in the government of their country, on which subject they seemed anxious to obtain all infor- ination, and fully to appreciate the beneficial results that would probably arise from the "transfer," or, rather, “institution" of Government, and from an improved taxation.
Sultan Abdullah, who was friendly in his manner, called at the Residency on two occa sions, but merely to ask some trifling questions relative to his retinue, &c., beyond which his interests do not seem to go.
Rajab Yusuf especially, Rajah Dris, and several Chiefs of lesser note, appeared to me very anxious to commence the new duties and responsibilities that would probably devolve on them, and proud at the idea of serving under British administration.
The natives generally in the country and villages show a most friendly spirit, and I do
not anticipate the smallest probability of a disturbance in the country.
At Bandar Bahru the Resident has, in my opinion, a force of Sepoys and ordnance amply sufficient to keep open his communication and for all other purposes.
anticipate most beneficial results from the establishment of the proposed line of steamers calling weekly at Kotastia, and consider that the effect will be such as soon even to render the present force at Bandar Bahru unnecessary.
I have, &c. (Signed) F. STIRLING,
Commander and Senior Officer,
Straits of Malacca.
His Excellency Sir Wm. F. D. Jervois, C.B., K.C.M.G.,
&c.
&c.
&c.
No. 49.
GOVERNOR SIN W. JERVOIS, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the EARL of carnaRVON, (Received November 22.) (Confidential.) MY LORD,
In reply to your Lordship's confidential despatch of the 25th May last* I have the honour to inform your Lordship that I have given my most anxious consideration to the question whether it would be desirable to address any representation to the Sultan of Perak, with a view of inducing him to abate the cruel practice of debt-slavery.
Government House, Singapore, October 15, 1875.
2. I was already considering the subject of debt-slavery when I received your Lord- ship's despatch, and I subsequently obtained reports on it from the Resident of Perak, and from the Resident and Assistant-Resident of Salangore, whom I had requested to furnish me with such information as they could afford in reference to this crying evil. These reports, dated respectively the 28th July, 23rd August, and 30th Junë, are transmitted with my despatch No. 291.t.
3. Considering the character of Abdullah and his impracticability, as described in the despatch just referred to, it appeared to me utterly hopeless, by merely tendering him advice, to try to influence him with reference to this question..
Debt-slavery is a subject of that character which was expressly excluded from the Pangkore Engagement, as coming under the head of "Malay custom," for, though it is contrary to the Mohommedan religion, it has by long practice become a “custom” in the Malay States.
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It was one of the matters which I considered it was only possible to deal with, in Perak, by the exercise of control. Your Lordship will gather from my despatch on the affairs of Perak that, under the now arrangements I have proposed in thất State, the treatment of this question will, in Abdullah's name, be placed practically in the hands of the British Government; and to this, your Lordship will observe, the Sultan has given
19397.
• No. 24 of Command Paper [C. 1,820], of August 1875. ↑ No. 48.
H
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTILL CO. 882
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3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE | BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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