PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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letter I sent to Sootau Possah marked No. I., the original of his reply marked No. II. the original letter from Rajah Kahar marked No. III, translation of the letter from Rajah Kabar to Tunku Dia Oodin marked No. IV., and report of my messenger, Inche Leh, marked No. V. The same messenger brought me a letter from Shaik Mahomed Ally of Ulu Klang, containing a letter from his spy at Slim, translations of both are enclosed, marked respectively VI. and VII.
It will be seen that Sootan Possah distinctly refused to come to me and is acting in concert with Rajah Kabar. In both letters I am denied the title of Resident of Salan. gore, and called Resident of Klang. It is a small matter but significant of the line of conduct both intend to adopt. In both letters all mention of Rajah Broman is omitted. Besides the statement of Mahomed Salley to my messenger, I have other information that people are collecting and arriving at Bintang, which is a place in the interior of Pahang under the charge of Orang Kaya Plawan, and within one day's journey of Ulu Klang. There are also paths from Bintang to Ulu Salangore and Ulu Langat, and if, as I fear, the Sultan and Moosah as well as Rajah Kahar are parties to these intended dis. turbances, we will probably find some of the Pahang men in Ulu Salangore, which is not well defended. I have heard from more sources than one within the last two days that Rajah Assal is actively engaged in promoting these disturbances, and has had many meetings with the Pahang people and received many letters from them.
I was very slow to believe that Rajah Assal was mixed up in these disturbances, but I am now convinced that he is, and being so, I see no reason to doubt the statement of Rajah Broman's party that Mossah wrote the letter asking Assal to attack Ulu Klang. If we assume this fact to be true it is easily to presume that Rajah Assal wanted some. thing more to assure him of the Sultan's support, and sent Rajah Broman and his party to Sootan Poasah to procure some mark of the Sultan's approval, and that the pass was given for this purpose. This would explain Moosah's altered manner towards Tunku Dia Oodin about the middle of September, and, if his letter to Rajah Assal was written about the beginning of September, all the dates would fit into the narrative. Rajah Assal has the greatest influence among the Mandaling men, and is a very clever and very energetic old man. But for him the last disturbances in this country would have been easily put down.
in
The information in my possession regarding Syed Massahore and Rajah Assal is quite sufficient to justify my asking them to be arrested, and I have therefore written to Mr. Birch asking him to do this, and also to arrest Rajah Broman should he be found in Perak. I have sent the letter by the steam launch "Alert" this morning. A copy of my letter is enclosed marked No. VIII. I have also written to the Acting Assistant Resident of Sungie Ujong, asking him to arrest Rajah Broman if he should turn up Sungie Ujong as it is probable he will; as also to arrest Rajah Mahdie and some others if they should come within his Residency. Copy of this letter is enclosed No. IX. I have heard that Rajah Mahdie is collecting men at Sree Marandee, but have no special information about this. I am also told that Mahdie is trying to collect Bugis in Singa- pore and elsewhere to assist in attacking Klang. He is said to have offered at Rochore a sum of 5,000 dollars to the Bugis there for a sufficient number of men, and that his plan is to land a number of them at Tumboh, a place between Qualla Ingra and Luente, where they expect to be joined by some of Tunku Panglima Rajah's people, and will proceed to Qualla Lumpor, the rest are to come up the Strait Lumut, and go up the Langat river to a place called Pandamaran, from which they can come on to this town. My informant says, that Mahdie has not yet succeeded in getting any men in Singapore, but that he has written to Batu Litchin to get Bugis men from that place, and as the Pungeiran of Batu Litchin is an old friend and supporter, he is likely to succeed better there. I hope that inquiries may be made quietly at Rochore and Pulo Dammar into the truth of this, and steps taken to prevent any assistance being got from the Bugis in Singapore. I have received a letter from the Viceroy requesting me to arrest Sootan Poasah and any others I may think proper, and to do all things necessary for putting a stop to the present and contemplated disturbances. I have written to the Sultan (the letter of which a translation is enclosed, No. X.), and sent along with it His Excellency's letter to Rajah Kabar. I feel confident that if the Sultan would exert himself these dis. turbances might be stopped, and my letter has been written in terms to arouse his fears and stir him into action in order to clear himself.
In compliance with the Viceroy's request I have sent on men and provisions, and I start to-day for Quaila Lumpor and will then proceed to Kadjang and Ulu Langat, and take pos-ession of and retain these places. I will have a force of 40 native policemen, all who can be spared from this, in charge of Mr. Syers, Inspector of Police, and Private Dewy of the Artillery has volunteered to accompany us. We take nothing but small
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arms, except one mortar. At Qualls Lumpor we will be reinforced by such number of Chinese as may be considered necessary and some reliable Malays to keep open the communication with Qualla Lumpor. I believe the whole plan of the enemy is based on the belief that Rajah Kahar and Sootan Possah will keep possession of Ulu Langat and Kadjang as a rendezvous for them, and if I succeed in getting possession of these two places, and Mr. Birch arrests Massahore and Assal, the whole of this widely organised combination will be broken up, and I shall then only have to deal with detached bands of plunderers who have no settled plan of co-operating one with another. Of course if Mabdie could be got hold of for a breach of the Foreign Enlistment Act, this would break them up still more. I need not say that people are very much afraid of what is going to happen here, and I think that if a gun-boat can be spared it would be well to send one on to visit the mouth of the Ingra river, then to come on to Klang for a short time, and also shew herself at the mouth of the Salangore river.
I am quite certain that there will very soon be more attempts at fire raising in this district, and I am more afraid of this than any open attack of the enemy. I think, however, that things are now sufficiently alarming to ask a small party of the 10th Regi- ment to be ready for service here if required. A party of 25 European soldiers stationed at Qualls Lumpor would have the most reassuring effect on the minds of the people, and would release a number of men who are not much use at Qualla Lumpor, but would be of great service to me in the jungle. Should it be deemed advisable to send any European troops they will require to bring provisions along with them.
I think it would be well to detain Rajah Moosah in Singapore in the meantime if he has not left. I have just had an interview with Rajah Yacoob who came here two days ago. He had apparently no object for his visit, and it is contrary to the custom of well- to-do Malays to be absent from home at the end of their fasting month. Last night, however, a boat arrived from Langat, bringing information that his sister at Langat was very sick, and he wants to take back Tunku Dia Oodin's wife to see the sick woman, who is her sister. The woman may really be sick, but I think Yacoob was sent by the Sultan to be ready to take back Tunku Dia Oodin's wife when the other boat arrived so that she might be away from Klang during the disturbances. I have spoken very plainly to Yacoob about the part his father and brothers have taken in these disturbances.
I have, &c.
J. G. DAVIDSON,
(Signed)
The Hon. the Secretary for Native States.
B.
No. 1.
Her Britannic Majesty's Resident,
Salangore.
From J. G. DAVIDSON to SOOTAN POASAH.
WHEREAS information has reached me that Sootan Possah has received a visit from a number of armed men from Slim, in Perak, without reporting such visits to me, or the object of it, and it has bean reported to me that Sootan Poasah is conspiring against the peace of the country of Salangore, I have to request that on receipt of this letter, as Sootan Possah will come to Klang at once and bring with him one of his followers, Rajah Brongan, in order to explain to me what Sootan Possah and his followers are now doing. If Sootan Puasah does not come to Klang as ordered, I shall be compelled to treat him as an enemy to Salangore.
No. 2.
(Translation.)
From Sultan Puasa to the Great Resident of Klang, dated October 25, 1875. (After Compliments.)
Our friend's letter has reached us, and we understood all its contents. Our friend is a great man ; do not believe that we are going to attack the district of Salangore. Our
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