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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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knew then the state of anarchy, confusion, and lawlessners which prevailed in the Native States-to see that it was absolutely necessary that this Government, situated as it is, should interfere for the protection of the surrounding states, and almost, in self- defence, for the protection of our own serritories, and of those who might be disposed to extend their trade into those regions, and that the Government should take steps, and strong steps, to restore order in those regions. These steps were taken, and not without great deliberation, but unfortunately the designers of that policy were obliged to leave the Colony before that policy had been carried out, and your Excellency arrived here at a time when the fate of that policy was almost trembling in the balance. You came here at the most critical period, and the most difficult part of the carrying out of that Malay policy has been entrusted to your Excellency, during the last six months, and I must say that I entirely agree with the sentiments so admirably and so forcibly expressed by my hon. friend on the left, that the policy which your Excellency enunciated to us last week, as regards Perak, was the best and the only possible policy that could be adopted under the circumstances. It turned out that the Sultan whom we had placed on the throne, and on whom we relied for carrying out treaty obligations, was utterly incompetent to carry out those obligations, so much so that he confessed he could not carry them out, and was utterly unable to rule or to protect the country. It appeared that the Residents were not listened to, and that the Residential system had completely failed. Under those circumstances, your Excellency rightly considered that the dis. pensing with the Residential system altogether, and appointing Commissioners and ♣ Malay Council to assist in governing the country for the Sultan, was the only plan to be adopted. And even hearing, as we have beard during the last two days, of the terrible events which have cast such a gloom over the Colony, even if these reports, which we yet hope may turn out to be exaggerated, should prove to be true,-if the worst is realised, and that has happened which we all fear has happened,- that is no reason why your Excellency or this Council should swerve from the course adopted. Nay, more, it presents a better reason for carrying it out boldly. fearlessly, and promptly, because once it were known that assassination, treachery, and deeds of cowardice, such as we have heard of, could be successful, I fear they would soon become rainpant, and it behoves the Government to show that those deeds, if committed, will be amply and sharply avenged, and that, despite of them, this policy, adopted by the British Government, will be still firmly carried out.

The Acting Colonial Secretary.--Sir, the Hon. Members who have already spoken have anticipated almost everything I could have said upon the subject. I have always held the opinion, from the very first, that the Residential system, as applied to these States, never could be a permanent one. I stated that opinion to Sir Andrew Clarke as along ago as November 1873. My reason for thinking so was, that I had had acquaint- ance, extending at that time over four years, with the people concerned in the Government at Perak,-Abdullah, and other of those mentioned, and I felt certain that if British Residents were appointed permanently to reside in those places, they would be drawn into such a course of action in the government of those countries that it would come to this, that they would be actually governors of the country, supposing the rulers listened to their advise; and, if they refused to listen to their advice, their position would become absolutely untenable. I say that I expressed that opinion in November 1873, and on my return to the Colony in May 1875, I found everything as I anticipated. Io Klang, where the ruler, the Viceroy, is a man of intelligence and good faith, the system answered exceedingly well; but in Perak, where the Resident had to contend with a ruler of feeble character in every respect,-feeble, and yet obstinate, -things have come to a dead-lock. The Resident saw things which no British officer could see without attempting to palliate, and when he attempted to put them in order, he found himself opposed and thwarted by the ruler. Under these circumstances, the Government had either to recede or advance. It appeared to me that retrocession was impossible. We had gone too far. and excited too many hopes, and given too many implied pledges. The only course was to advance. Now, with regard to that, it was open to people to hold different opinions as to the nature of the advance. My own opinion was that, without going to annexation, it would be better, by the Sultan, or by a Sultan, to govern by Malay machinery. The only thing to be borne in mind,-

‚— and no doubt it was borne in mind, was that it was possible that a serious crisis might ensue at the time of transition, and people will consider whether such reports as we have lately heard do not indicate such a crisis. At the present time it is undesirable to go further into that. A few days will show whether the disaster we are deploring was an isolated outbreak, or one indicating a serious movement; and so long as we are in this state of uncertainty, there seems to me no use in wasting the time of the Council in hypothetical remarks. I feel

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the necessity of the British Government going forward and completing the work hat has been begun. It appears to me that a civilized country like England, placed in such relations as it is with these states, is bound, as a matter of mere duty, either to afford to these states some measure of good government, or else to retire from them altogether and leave the task to other bands. It is not the first time that I have expressed this opinion. I have visited these countries and seen these people.

I have seen what these countries might be, and have seen, over a vast extent of country, what they are. I quite agree with the hon. member at the other end of the table that the miserable desolation arises from the villainous mis- government to which they have been subjected. It is better in some places and worse in others, but in some places, all that can be said is that countries and districts which, in the historical time, were populous and wealthy, have now become a mere waste of dend jungle. You may steam up their rivers for miles and miles, and see beautiful lands, that ought to be covered with crops and abounding with people, covered with jungle. I repeat, Sir, that the state of things in these countries is one which it is the duty of the British Government to attempt to palliate and redress. I am not prepared to say at this moment that the task may not be a somewhat difficult one. I do not wish to indulge in rash anticipations, and probably a few days will give us some better ides of the matter, -but I say that even at the worst, seeing the limited extent of the country and the force of the people, it seems to me that a very moderate expenditure of the force of the British Empire is quite sufficient in a very short time to bring the whole of these states under our hand, and enable us to put them into the position which we all so earnestly desire.

No. 80.

Telegram from GOVERNOR SIR W. F. D. JERVOIS, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the EARL OF CARNARVON. (Rèceived at the Colonial Office, December 18, 7.30 a.m.)

Penang, December 17, 1875. TROOPS sad blue jackets moving up Perak River, reached Blanja 13th without oppo- sition. At every place white flag hoisted on our approach [arrival]. Ismail and his party had left Blanja for Kinta by jungle path; troops followed. When within three miles from Blanja Dr. Randall shot through thigh. Result of advance on Kinta not yet known.

(No. 326.)

No. 81.

GOVERNOR SIR W. JERVOIS, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the EARL OF CARNARVON. (Received December 18th.) MY LORD,

Government House, Singapore, November 16, 1875.

I HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that Commodore Baron Brossard de Corbigny, frigate "D'Assas” (of the French Naval Indo-China Division), recently at Singapore, in the most considerate and courteous manner, and with the assent of the Governor of Saigon, offered me the services of his frigate for any duty that I considered she might be available in reference to the present state of affairs in Perak.

2. In reply, I informed the Commodore that I could not sufficiently thank him for his tender of the services of his fine frigate, but that as H.M.S. "Modeste" is almost hourly expected here, I found it unnecessary to avail myself of it.

3. Your Lordship may perhaps deem it right that an expression of the appreciation of Her Majesty's Government of this kind offer should be conveyed to the French Government.

I have, &c.

I

(Signed)

WM. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS.

The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

M 8

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882

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