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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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No. 101.

GOVERNOR SIR WM. JERVOIS, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the EARL OF CARNARVON.

(No. 335.) MY LORD,

(Received January 3, 1876.)

Penang, 2nd December 1875. In my Despatch, No. 334, of this date, I have stated what has transpired respecting the affairs of Perak since the 16th instant, when I last addressed your Lordship on the subject.

In this Despatch I propose to submit for your Lordship's consideration some observa- tions respecting the policy which has hitherto been pursued in regard to this State, and the considerations which it appears to me should be a guide for the policy to be adopted in the future.

2. Referring to my Despatch of 16th October,† your Lordship will see that I did not anticipate that any forcible resistance would be made by the Malays to the Government of Perak being undertaken by British Officers, in the name of the Sultan, and with the aid of a Malay Council. That opinion, as your Lordship will see, was deliberately arrived at, after having gone through the country myself, and after receiving information from parties likely to be informed upon the subject, including amongst them two of the principal Chiefs of Perak, who appeared desirous of a better state of things.

3. Referring to my Despatch of 16th November,t your Lordship will see that I deprecated the conclusion that the present state of affairs had been caused by the new policy of which I informed your Lordship in my Despatch No. 291 of 16th October.§

Since writing those Despatches, I have had further opportunity of considering the subject, and I have much more information, not all I must admit of a very satisfactory nature, but which still affords materials for assisting to form an opinion, which may however hereafter turn out to be incorrect.

4. I now fully believe that, but for the Interpreter Arshad striking one of the men who pulled down the Proclamations, the murder of Mr. Birch would not have taken place, and that the new policy, highly approved by some, would eventually have been acquiesced in by all throughout the whole country, especially after they had begun to realize the advantages to be obtained from it.

5. I am bound however to confess that it would appear that the feeling of dissatisfac- tion at reforms instituted or proposed, since the appointment of a Resident in Perak, must have been stronger and wider spread than I had any idea of, or could gather from those most acquainted with the state of the country. I do not think this arose from the new policy that was published in the Proclamation, but a soreness was felt by some of the semi-independent Chiefs, such as the Maharajah Lela, and I believe also by some of the highest rank, in consequence of their arbitrary exactions being stopped, and of the dread that the system of debt slavery would be interfered with.

6. Several notices with regard to taxation seem to have been, in my opinion, injudi- ciously posted shortly before the attack on the Resident, and Mr. Birch had protected several slave girls who had absconded from their masters.

With proper explanation, the dissatisfaction I refer to would no doubt have cooled down, but for the unfortunate occurrence at Passir Sala. Your Lordship can judge from the behaviour, which I have described in my Despatch No. 327 of 16th November,|| of Abdulla, the Laxamana and the Shahbundar, and from the letters from Ismail, Rajah Yusuf, and Rajah Driss, which I have enclosed in another Despatch No. 334 of this date, T whether it could have been considered at all probable that any of the principal Chiefs in the country were likely to have resisted our new policy by means of force.

7. My idea is, as I have telegraphed to your Lordship, that there was a smothered feeling of opposition to reform which was much more widely spread than I imagined, and that that accounted for the sympathy which was undoubtedly shown to the man who killed Arshad, and which led to the attack upon Mr. Birch and his people. In fact, there was a large amount of combustible material requiring only a spark to kindle it.

8. This feeling was not produced by the Proclamation, I think, is evident from the fact that it does not appear that the Proclamation was even read before it was pulled down, and it is not likely that any person in the Campong at Passir Sala would have pulled it down unless he was instigated or directed to do so by the Chiefs in the village. That the Chiefs in this village, and in that opposite to it, Campong Gaja, viz., the Maharajah Lela and the Datu Sagor were disaffected, I think subsequent events thow.

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Indeed, with regard to the Maharajah Lela, it had been previously mentioned to me by Mr. Birch that this Maharajah opposed him, and he was one of the parties to whom I referred as one of the refractory Chiefs in my Despatch of 16th October.

9. How far others were involved I do not at present knew. Abdulls, the Laxamans, and the Shahbundar, assured me that no opposition would or could have been offered without Ismail's concurrence, and that the resistance offered to our troops must have been sanctioned by him. On the other hand, many of the accounts received from the upper country represent Ismail as being in no way concerned in the Maharajah Lela's conduct, whilst other reports represent him as collecting large armed bodies for resistance to us. I have a strong impression that it will be found upon inquiry that there was much more concert between the parties than they are now willing to admit. The Ramadan, or fasting month, had just terminated. This is a time when Mabom- medan intolerance and fanaticism is always at its worst, and when, even in India, where we have so long been established, precautions have to be taken, where there is a Moham- medan population, against those feelings which otherwise would lead to bloodshed and loss of life.

10. I have forwarded to your Lordship, with my Despatch No. 334,† letters I have received from Ismail. They do not appear to be very satisfactory, and seem to me to require a considerable amount of explanation. I believe it to be true that he sent back Mr. Birch's boat, which was sent up to him by the Maharajah Lela, but at the same time there is the draft of a letter enclosed in Major Dunlop's report of 16th November (Enclosure 9, in Despatch No. 334) asking "His Highness" for assistance. This draft letter was found in the Maharajah Lela's house, and it would appear to have been intended for Ismail, though it is possible that it might have been intended for Abdulla.

As regards its being intended for Ismail, there is the fact that it would not have been necessary for the Maharajah Lela to have informed Abdulla (who was then assisting us) that the white men intended to attack him.

As regards its being intended for Abdulla, there are the facts that three years ago the Maharajah Lela had been one of his principal supporters, and that this Mabarajah is the nephew of the Shahbundar, who, with the Laxamana, are still Abdullah's chief advisers.

Moreover, reports, certainly not very reliable, state that meetings had been held in Abdullah's house and elsewhere, at which the Maharajah Lela was present, and at which it was resolved that an attack should be made on the Residency, and Mr. Birch should be either killed or driven away from the country.

11. Your Lordship will see in the papers I have enclosed in Despatch No. 334 the documentary evidence, apart from mere bazaar reports, as to the complicity of the Chiefs in the armed resistance to our forces. Amongst the most reliable intelligence to my mind is that furnished to Mr. Kynnersley (Enclosure No. 63 in Despatch No. 334) by Nakoda Trang (one of the principal Bugis men in the country and a partner in the opium farm at the mouth of the Perak) and from Yusuf's messenger, named Lamsah, who, previously to the successful attack, gave important information, which turned out to be correct, respecting the stockades at Passir Sala.

I still place great confidence in Yusuf, who has acted loyally throughout. I also have confidence in Rajah Drias, although his name has been mentioned (I believe incorrectly) as being concerned in combination against us.

If the account of Yusuf's messenger is to be depended on, the opposition to our troops was made, not only with the assent and assistance of some of the Chiefs of the upper country, but also with the assistance of the Shahbundar and Laxamana, and that the Maharajah Lela looked for assistance even to Abdullah himself.

So doubtful was I as to who could be depended upon, that, as your Lordship will see in the instructions I gave to Major McNair (Enclosure No. 5. in Despatch No. 334), I actually desired him to arrest the Laxamana, the Shahbundar, the Muntri, and the Tumongong. These instructions, however, for various reasons, 'I did not subsequently think it necessary to carry out.

12. I have sent Mr. Maxwell to communicate with Hadji Ali, a Chief of the upper country, referred to in par. 7 of my Despatch No. 334 of this date, and now a prisoner in one of our gun boats.

I have instructed Mr. Maxwell to try and get what information he can from this Chief with regard to recent events in Perak. I selected Mr. Maxwell to make this inquiry because of his long experience.in magisterial duties, and because I believe that he is thoroughly conversant with the rules of evidence, and that he would not attempt to extort a confession which would be useless to us hereafter on account of the mears adopted to obtain it.

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