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I have only recently (within the last two months) been over the country where opera- tions must take place, and it is possible therefore that I may be able to offer the General some suggestions.

15. My view is that it will be desirable to move up the Perak River with one portion of the force, and across Laroot to Qualla Kangsa and down the Perak River with another portion. The portion going up the Perak River will punish the enemy at Passir Sala, and at any other place in the neighbourhood which may have joined the Maharajah Lela, and possibly there may be no other fighting.

If otherwise I should propose to send a combined European and native force across from the Bruas River to Blanja.

In any case I should propose that the two forces shall occupy the principal points between Qualla Kangsa and Passir Sala, and thus practically control the country, or perhaps it may be found sufficient to occupy Passir Sala and Qualla Kangsa only. This done, I would call upon all the well-affected to join us, and endeavour to bring about an amicable settlement of affairs.

16. As regards the future policy to be adopted with respect to Perak, I submit that it should depend very much upon the attitude of the Chiefs, after we have shown them that we are able and prepared to enforce their engagements with us.

I will, as your Lordship desires, take such steps as are immediately necessary, and when the time arrives I shall, of course, duly inform your Lordship of the circumstances which may affect our ulterior policy, and apply for instructions. Meanwhile I am disposed to think that a better course cannot be devised than that sketched out in my despatch of October 16th last. I have there stated my reasons for governing the country in the name of a Sultan with the aid of a Malay Council, in preference to a policy of annexation.

17. Before concluding this despatch I am most desirous of bringing to your Lordship's notice the admirable manner in which Sub-Lieutenant Abbott, R.N., acted after the death of Mr. Birch.

I have already stated the measures he adopted on his arrival at Bandar Bahru for the defence of the Residency, and it is probable that the maintenance of our position at the Residency was due to the energy and ability he displayed.

Should your Lordship deem fit, I would suggest that the gallant and able conduct of Sub-Lieutenant Abbott should be brought to the notice of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

I beg also to submit that their Lordships be informed of the ready co-operation and valuable assistance rendered to me and to the force at Bandar Bahru by Captain Stirling, the present Senior Naval Officer on this Station,

The presence of mind shown by Mr. Swettenham when passing through the dis- affected district on the night after he left Blanja, is worthy of all praise.

I have, &c.

(Signed) WM. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS. The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

P.S.-Major-General Colborne arrived from Hong Kong this afternoon, bringing with him 300 men of the 80th Regiment, who will proceed to the Perak River to-morrow. I have explained to the General the political situation in the States, the measures which I have already taken, and the plan of operations which I propose.

W. F. D. J.

Enclosure 1. in No. 82.

From SULTAN ABDULLAH.

·

We have gone up to Durian Sabatang to see our people and consult with the Laksamana, having received a letter from Bandar Bahru asking for our assistance.

We have accordingly gone up to Durian Sabatang to consult with a view to render assist- ance to Bandar Bahru. Inche Amin is entrusted with this information, so that if an English officer arrives he can communicate it to him.

3rd Shawal 1292, 3rd November 1875.

• No. 48.

99*

Enclosure 2. in No. 82.

From SULTAN ABDULLAH to MR. ABBOTT, Resident at Bandar Bahru, dated 4th

Shawal (i.c. 4th November 1875),

(After compliments.)

Oon friend's letter dated November 3, 1875, has been received and understood its contents, at that time it was clear to us about the news, and before this we have made inquiries from the sergeant of the station; he did not give us a word of truth but fled. By this action of the sergeant rumours are afloat that all the people are after him.

Moreover, our friend likes to seek a way of protection at Bandar Bahru. At this time we are collecting the people who fled, and whatever number we can get, we will bring to the place.

-

This sad news reached us too late, and if at the time when the action happened it came to our knowledge we shall be there before the people fled. This is what we inform our

friend.

Enclosure 3. în No. 82.

From SULTAN ABDULLAH to Mr. ABBOTT, Resident at Bandar Bahru. (After compliments.)

We inform our friend that we ordered our kranie, who is a trustworthy man, named Mahomed Ghaos, to come to our friend, and inform our friend that we are collecting men to assist our friend; our friend must not be sorry that we are delayed, because our sickness is not yet got better, and all people have fled to different places on hearing the uncertain news, and the peons also did not tell anybody. This is what we inform our friend.

CAPTAIN INNES,

Enclosure 4. in No. 82.

You will proceed on board the colonial steamer " Pluto at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning to Perak, and take temporary charge of the late Residency, and act as Assistant British Commissioner in the absence of both the Commissioners appointed under Government notification of 22nd October 1875, and in accordance with the proclamation of 15th October 1875.

You will make every possible inquiry into the facts connected with the statements made by Commander Welner of the colonial steamer " Pluto" regarding the attack made upon Mr. Birch and his party, and, if possible, secure the persons of any one reasonably suspected of being in any way implicated in that attack.

You will use your best endeavours to explain to the population generally the good intentions of this government towards them, and the consequent injury to their interests likely to accrue from such a course of action as has been adopted by those who have instigated the outrage which has been committed on British officers and British subjects, and you will call upon the Sultan, and the other chiefs in authority, to find out and hand over into your custody all persons implicated in the affair.

You will be accompanied by a detachment, 60 strong, of H.M.'s 10th Regiment, under charge of two officers, and a party of 30 police, under the superintendent; also by Mr. Kynnersley, as an interpreter, and by an apothecary of the Colonial Government. You will probably meet H.M.S. "Thistle" at the Dindings to-morrow evening, but should that vessel not have arrived, you should leave for the officer in command an account of what has occurred, and request him to join you at once.

Unless he should have reason to think that the necessity of going to the assistance of Mr. Davidson at Klang is more urgent, in which case it would be desirable that he should proceed without loss of time to Klang, and join you in the Perak River aù soon as possible afterwards, in which case he will probably take with him to Perak Mr. Davidson, the joint Commissioner appointed to act with Mr. Birch, when you would be free to return to Penang.

(Signed) A. E. H. ANSON,"

Lieut.-Governor, Penang,

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Enclosure 5. in No. 82.

Bandar Bahru, November 18, 1875. CAPTAIN Innes, the Acting Assistant Commissioner, having been killed yesterday in action it devolves upon me to inform you of the last two days' occurrences.

In continuation, then, of my report of the 6th instant, I have the honour to inform you that on the arrival of Captain Innes and party our preparations were hurried on, and I informed Captain Innes of the plan Lieutenant Abbott and I had proposed, namely, to send a force up each bank of the river, supported by two guns, a 9-pr. field gua and 12-pr. howitzer lashed in the boats, the former for service in the boat only, the latter to be landed if necessary. Rockets were also to be taken in the boats and used as occasion required.

This plan was generally approved that day, and the boats were finished and the fired from them, the result being satisfactory.

.

guns

Fart of this plan was that empty boats should accompany the gun-boats to be used either to cross the gun over the river or to bring the whole party back.

In the afternoon Dein Patundo, son of Raja Dein, brought down the body of Mr. Birch. Raja Dein, a Bughis, who lives at Qualla Trus, had received information that the body was on shore at Passir Sala, and he went at once there, saw the Maharajah Lela, and asked for it. The Maharajah Lela denied that the body was there; but Raja Dein declared it was, and asked that he might be allowed to look for it. Permission was given, and the body was found just where it was expected to be, some 200 yards below the place of the outrage, and some 200 yards in shore from that in the jungle, thus:—

Pasir Bala.

Chinese shop

Scene of the murder

Body found here X

PERAK RIVER

Campong Gaja.

Those who brought the body told us a stockade had been built just below the Chinese shop, on the river bank, and that the Maharaja Lela and the Datu Sagor were both

in it.

The Bughis also said they heard there was another stockade 400 or 500 yards inland from the first stockade, and a little behind it from our position,

Mr. Birch's body was covered with wounds, the worst being behind the neck and in the chest, but it was not mutilated; the toes of the right foot were cut off, but I should think that was done when having received the first blow he fell into the water, and a cut was made at the first part of the body which rose to the surface.

I may as well here mention the account of Mr. Birch's death given me by the serjeant of sepoys, who was present and bimself dreadfully wounded.

He tells me that Mr. Birch had given directions to the sepoys not to use their firearms, and had added that if the Passir Sala people tried to make a disturbance he would leave the place. He then ordered the sepoys to clean their arms, and went himself to bathe, his orderly standing by the bath with a revolver. Meanwhile, Arshad the interpreter, acting as I have described in my former letter, and as it seems injudiciously, brought about an attack. The moment Arshad fell, the Malays, of whom there was a large number I am told, rushed part on Mr Birch and part on the boats.

Mr. Birch's orderly, without thinking of his master, jumped into the river. Mr. Birch was speared by several men (the first a Battak named Pandak Indut), he fell down into the water and as he rose others inflicted more wounds.

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The sepoys in the boat were taken equally by surprise, one was killed and two severely wounded. One bostman was also killed and one wounded, Mr. Birch's body was then seized and dragged into the jungle, whilst those of the party could make the best of their

escape.

The Datu Sagor, I hear, was standing by when this occurred, but must have at once crossed over to Campong Gaja where he met Lieutenant Abbott, and, strange to say, warned him not to cross the river.

Mr. Abbott, as I have stated, got down with great difficulty.

We buried Mr. Birch's body with all honour, his servants, who would allow no natives

to go near him, carried the coffin, and all the sepoys and the detachment of the 10th Regiment with the Residency employés followed it to the grave.

read the service and the sepays fired three volleys over the grave.

We buried Mr. Birch on the spot which he had always pointed out as the site of his future house.

That night it was determined to attack Passir Sala on the morrow, as every day's delay gave confidence and reinforcements to the enemy, and they were completing their defences.

We got up about 4.30 a.m. on the 7th, and Captain Innes then told me that the pian was changed, and the whole force was to go up the opposite, or Passir Sala, side of the river, and that the guns would not go. I was surprised, and said I thought the guns had much better go, but be said that it had been settled not, and that rockets would be sufficient, whilst it would be difficult with only four blue jackets to manage both and rockets.

guns The first boat load of men left Bandar Bahru about 7 a.m. and landed at Passir Panjang, about one and a half miles up the river, at 8 a.m. Part of the force under Lieutenant Elliott walked up the left bank of the river and crossed in boats, and it was not till 10.30 a.m. that the whole party was assembled on the right bank and ready to move. I had the night before asked Nacodah Orlong (or Jitra) a Sumatran, whom I had long known, if he would join Raja Mahmud and me in a scouting party. He had willingly consented and promised to bring with him all the men he could rely on.

We started to March on Passir Sala with the force in the following order :- Mr. Swettenham and 20 Malay scouts. Raja Mahmud and two men. Nacodah Orlong and 14 men. My own Manila boy, and a policeman as guide.

Captain Booth (in command) with 26 men of H.M.'s 10th Regiment.

The rocket party, under the charge of Lieutenant Abbott, R.N., with four blue jackets of H.M.S." Thistle," and with this party went Captain Innes, R.E.

Honourable H. Plunket (superintendent, police, Penang) with 47 seikhs and 20 police. Lieutenant Elliot with 26 men of H.M.'s 10th Regiment and an apothecary.

I went on ahead with the scouts, keeping a front of about 40 or 50 yards until we reached Rajah Cheh Muda's house.

Here the whole force assembled together for a few minutes and then moved on again. I advanced quickly so as to be able to give timely warning to the troops behind, and about a mile beyond Raja Che Muda's house, at a place called Quaila Biah, passing through a field of Indian corn, when we reached the other side, and were some five yards off the fence of the field Nacodah Orlong, who was just on my right, pointed to the fence, and said "There they are." The words were scarcely out of his mouth before 20 or 30 shots were fired and he fell. This was at 11.30 a.m., Rajah Mahmud was on my left, and the rest of the scouts in skirmishing order behind us. The enemy kept on firing at us, but not one of the scouts moved, whilst I and my own men, who alone were armed with rifles, returned it. We were then close up to the stockade, but almost immediately a heavy fire was opened by our own people in our rear, fortunately high, and I withdrew my men behind a tree some 50 yards from the stockade and shouted to the troops to come up, I then found that another of my men was missing. The main body was some distance behind, but a man of the 10th came up, and I asked him to go back and let Captain Booth know of our position, and almost immediately after Captain Innes and a number of the 10th reached me. Seeing that the field was quite surrounded by a high wattled fence with the enemy in front, the river on one flank, and heavy jungle on the other, I pointed out to Captain Innes that unless we turned their flank they might attempt to turn ours, and asked him if I should take some of the 10th and do so. certainly, and taking about 12 men of the 10th and two Malays we got over the fence at the side and were moving through the thick jungle when our own party opened a severe tire on us from the rear. With difficulty we got behind a large tree, and after

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