CO882-(3-4) — Page 136

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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Krean district, and services rendered. I took Crance

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Mat Arshad

with me, and put up at first with the Laxamana where the Sultan then was, at Doorian Sabatang

Mr. Birch arrived in the S S. Quedah" on the 6th November and agreed to take monto his service, and on the 7th November we moved up to Bandar, and on the 13th we started for Blanja, arriving there on the 16th. The next day we had an interview with Sultan Ismail.

The next day we started for Syong in order to have a talk with Rajah Bindahara, arriving there on the 19th of the month.

The Bandahara received us civilly, and we asked him whether he was willing to be present at the meeting between Ismail and Abdulla, and to put up the balai at Blanja; he agreed to do so, and we started the same day for Qualla Kangsa, arriving there at 4 p.m., but put up at a goldsmith's shop. Che Mida, the principal person there, a relation of the Mantri. and the divorced wife of the Laxamana, was absent, and we returned down the river to Blanja, arriving there on the 21st November, then had a private interview at night with Sultan Ismail, who was afraid of the interference of the chiefs. At this inter-

view Sultan Ismail agreed to meet Abdullah and to give up the regalia. We had another public meeting on the 23rd, everything went off with great success and good humour, and Raja Muda Yusoof agreed to sign the l'angkore Treaty. We returned down the river, and arrived at Doorian Sabatang on the 25th November, where Mr. Birch had an interview with the Mantri. Mr Birch taxed him with having been present at Blanja sometime previously at an interview between Ismail and Mr. Woods; the Mantri denied it all. Mr Birch then issued some proclamations relative to Lord Carnarvon's letter, stating that he would hold the chiefs signing the Pangkore Treaty responsible for observing its provisions, and spoke hopefully of the result of his negotiations.

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On the 21st December 1875 I started for Blanja to prepare everything for the meeting between Abdulla and Ismail. I touched at Passir Salah, when Maharaja Lela asked me to give him a letter of introduction to Mr. Birch, saying Abdullah had refused to give him any money for expenses. He spoke in a friendly way, and seemed surprised at my going up unarmed. The Datu Saga spoke in the same way also I gave him a similar letter to Mr. Birch

On the 25th December I met Hadjee Allee at Telok Bakong, he asked me if it was true that Sultan Abdullah had collected a large number of boats to attack Ismail. toll him it was a false report. He said he had been sent by Ismail to inquire into the matter, and to watch the movements of Abdullah, &c., &c.

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Hadjee Allee impressed me very favourably, and told me that I had nothing to fear in going up the river, the Maharaja Lela on the contrary had tried to frighten me from going up the river.

Raja Muda Yusuf was at the time at Blanja and at first used his influence to prevent Ismail from seeing Mr. Birch, he was one of those that did not sign the Pangkore treaty, and therefore was not recognised by the Government as the real Raja Muda.

The meeting between Ismail and Abdulla took place at Blanja on the 5th January 1875. We were all very well received, and remained there till the 19th. Sultan Abdullah however refused to make any advances towards Ismail, and in consequence Mr. Birch had to return as he could not get Ismail or the Raja Muda to sign the treaty. I believe that Hadjee Allee and Tunku Panghina Besar did their best to get Ismail to sign the treaty. See my diary dated 9th January 1875.

On the 15th January 1875, Mr. Birch being disgusted with the delay, told Datu Tuah to tell the Bandahara and Ismail that unless they agreed to give up the regalia and sign the treaty within 24 hours that he would go down the river, that Perak would be blockaded. •

See my diary dated 17th January 1875.

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Mr. Birch left Blanja on the 19th January and in the evening Abdulla, and the Laxamana reported that they had heard that the Tunku Panghnia Besar was going to atrack and burn down their houses at Sunghy Bidor (vide diary), Doorian Sabatarg.

In my opinion had Sultan Abdulla behaved in a better spirit to Sultan Ismail there would have been no difficulty in getting the latter to sign the treaty. Independently of this there was a rumour that Sultan Abdulla himself had written to Sultan Ismail telling him not to sign the treaty.

On our way

down the river on Sunday the 24th January, Mr. Swettenham met us at Passir Panjang, when I was ordered down with all the boats to Doorian Sabatang to prevent the threatened disturbances. Mr. Birch and Mr. Swettenham remained

behind.

On Tuesday the 26th January 1875 commenced building the police station at Doorian Sabatang. On the 30th January 1875 Mr. Birch and Sultan Abdullah fixed on the present site Bandar Bahru for the residency.

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On Friday the 5th March a report was spread by Nacodah Orlong that Mr. Birch who was away in Penang would not be allowed to come into Perak by Government, I believe this report was spread by Hadjee Abboo Bakar, Sultan Ismail's lawyer.

In a few days after his return from Penang, Mr. Birch took up his residency at Bandar Bahru, and told me Abdulla had been writing some absurd letter to the Governor against him, for which he had got a good wigging. On the 25th April Mr. Birch went up the river to sec Ismail, visiting Kinta, Gopeng, and Kampar, and was well pleased with Sultan Ismail.

On the 13th May Hadjee Allee came to Bandar Bahru, and gave us a full account of a secret visit to Singapore of Laxamana, Raja Dris, Hadjee Hussein, Hadjee Mat Syed, and Orang Kaya Mat Arshad, saying that they had been sent by Abdulla to try and induce the Governor to do away with the Resident altogether, and that the Governor had refused to take any notice of their complaint, and told them that if they had

any complaint to make they should forward them to him through Mr. Birch. On this occasion Hadjee Allee told me that the officers at Bandar Bahru were not safe going about without arms, and that we had better be very careful. He told me to tell Mr. Birch so. I went and told Mr. Birch. Mr. Birch said, "Are you afraid ?" I said,

No, what I have heard it is my duty to tell you."

He then laughed, and told to me to order double sentries to be put round his house. The same day Mr. Birch wrote a long letter to Sultan Abdullah, and had it sent down to Durian Sabatang.

On the 17th May Mr. Birch took me to Batarabit, on his way to Penang, and we saw the Sultan. Mr. Birch read out some manuscript notices which he had prepared relating to the farming out of all the taxes in the country, Abdullah said he could not put his chop without consulting Raja Dris and the Laxamana.

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Mr. Birch then wanted him to put his chop to a permit granting some land at Laroot and Tipus to Mr. Knaggs. Abdullah made some objections to the wording of it, and Mr. Birch ordered a fresh permit to he made out. In the evening however Abdulla did put his chop to the perinit after he had been paid $550, as put to account of his allowance. At the time be turned round to me, and said, "Government only pay me money when they want me to put my chop to papers."

On the 21st May 1875 two slave women, named Manis and Se Unjong, debtors, who had run away from Batarabit to Durian Sabatang, were brought up to Bandar Bahru by the police to be dealt with, and I allowed them to go at large on their own bail. On the 22nd May, Mahomed Amin's son, one of Abdullah's men, came to demand that the two women should be given up. I told him that I could not listen to him unless he brought a letter from Sultan Abdullab.

On the 23rd of May Mahomed Amin came with a letter from the Sultan, demanding these two women named Manis and Panjang to be given up. I had the women

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arrested, and put under a Sepoy guard, when they asked leave to go to Sergeant Deen's house to get their clothes, the moment they went inside they disappeared, and Mahomed Amin had to go without them.

On the 28th May I went down to Doorian Sabatang on business, and saw Abdullah. He asked me why I did not give up the women. I said I had no authority to do so. He said that there was nothing in the Pangkore Treaty about slavery. I said very true. On the 13th July 1875 I went to Penang on business. While in Penang I heard that Sultan Abdullah had written to Kim Ching to come up and give him advice about Mr. Birch's propositions relative to the taxes of the country. On the 23rd July I left Penang, and arrived at Kota Stia on the evening of 24th July. I went to Cheng Tee's house, and found Mr. Birch and Kim Ching there. They waited until midnight expecting Abdullah to come, who had promised to meet them at nine o'clock. At last I went on board the steamer. At midnight Sultan Abdullah sent for me and asked me to read and explain to him a letter that he had received previously from Sir Andrew Clarke; the letter was written in English to the effect that as the Governor was going away he wrote to recommend him to adhere to the terms of the Pangkore Treaty. said what do you intend to do? he said I will follow the advice contained in the letter. Next morning Sultan Abdullah came down to Cheng Tee's house, when Mr. Birch had some conversation recommending him to put his chop to certain papers relating to raising taxes in the country as well as to the appointment of Raja Dris and Mr. Birch as judges, and the allowances to be made to Abdullah and the other chiefs. Upon hearing this Abdullah said he had the belly-nche, and went to his boat, repeated messages were sent to him to come back, and at last he did so, and was asked by Kim Ching to sign the papers. Mr. Kim Ching got angry and said you sent for me all the way down from Singapore, and after I have taken all the trouble to come you