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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O. 882

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

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Enclosure 3.

GOVERNOR Sir W. JERVOIS to H.B.M.'s RESIDENT in Perak.

Government House, Singapore, August 10, 1876.

MEMO. for J. G. DAVIDSON, Esq.

I FORWARD to you a letter which I have addressed to Sultan Abdullah, from the enclosed translation of which you will observe that I have summoned the Sultan, together with the Laxamana, the Shahbandar, Rajah Mahkota, and Orang Kaya Mat Arshad, to come to Singapore to answer charges which have been brought against them, relative to their complicity in the murder of the late Mr. Birch.

It appears desirable, in order to meet the possibility of Abdullah and those with him refusing to comply with the summons, that you should request the attendance at Qualla Kangsa (or other military post in Perak which you may deem preferable) of Abdullah, and any or all of the four chiefs named that may be with him, and that you should personally deliver the letter to him. Abdullah and the others should not, however, be asked to come to Qualla Kangsa, until you have secured means of transport for the conveyance down the Perak river of a sufficient armed party to accompany the boats of the Sultan.

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You will observe that in the letter the number of days allowed to the Sultan between its receipt and the date of embarkation has been left blank, and I am to request that will fill in this number before you deliver the letter to the Sultan, using your own discretion as to the time that should be so allowed. The "Pluto " will be at Durian Sebatang on Wednesday the 23rd instant.

I deem it desirable that the embarkation should take place at Durian Sebatang in preference to the Laroot river, to avoid the necessity of the Sultan proceeding overland, from Qualla Kangsa to Martang, a district which is but little known to him, whereas he will be able to drop down the Perak river with but little inconvenience.

You will take every precaution in the event of the summons being disobeyed. Orders will be sent by the same opportunity as this letter to the officers commanding the troops at the military stations in Perak, instructing them to afford you any assistance that you may require.

In the event of any of the chiefs named not being with Abdullah, you are to make arrangements for securing their persons at the same time as you deliver the letter to Abdullah, and you will time your movements accordingly.

In enclose draft instructions for Mr. Paul, to be carried out in the event of any of the chiefs named being in his neighbourhood. These instructions should be sent by you to Mr. Paul, modified, however, in any point which in your opinion the circumstances of the case may render desirable. You should keep Mr. Paul informed of your movements.

It is scarcely necessary for me to observe that it is of course desirable that the Sultan and chiefs should be induced to obey the summons quietly, and that no unnecessary display of force should be made.

W. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS.

(Signed)

MEMO. for W. F. B. PAUL, Esq.

I FORWARD for your information copy of a memo. addressed to me by H. E. the Governor and of the enclosure thereto. From these you will learn that Sultan Abdullah, together with the Laxamana, the Shahbandar, Rajah Mahkota, and Orang Kaya Mat Arshad have been summoned to Singapore.

You will also observe that it is stated "in the event of any of the chiefs named not "being with Abdullah, you are to make arrangements for securing their persons at the

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same time as you deliver the letter to Abdullah, and you will time your arrangements accordingly."

It is with reference to this statement that I send you the following instructions:-

(1.) You will strictly observe the confidential nature of this communication, in order that the chiefs concerned shall not entertain any suspicion of our intentions before the time for action shall have arrived.

(2.) Until you receive further instructions, therefore, you will will take no active step beyond ascertaining the probable movements of any of the chiefs named who may be in the neighbourhood of Bandar Bahru.

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(3.) You will ascertain the houses in which they are residing and the character of the adjacent ground, especially notice being taken of the paths, &c., between the houses and the river.

(4.) I will subsequently inform you of the day upon which I propose to deliver the letter to Sultan Abdullah, and you will on the evening before that day take the chiefs referred to on board the man-of-war stationed at Durian Sebatang, pending my arrival there with the Sultan.

(5.) In case of need you may request the officer commanding the detachment at

Bandar Bahru to give you any assistance which you may require.

(6.) You will keep me informed of everything concerning the movements of the chiefs in question, and of anything affecting the carrying out of the general arrangements.

Enclosure 4.

EXTRACTS from the PRÉCIS of EVIDENCE taken at the Inquiry as to the Complicity of Chiefs in the Perak Outrages.

On the 10th May 1875, Mr. Birch returned to Bandar Bahru from Kinta. In the meantime, the day after he had gone up country, the Sultan, acting under the advice of the Laxamana, wrote two letters: one to Sir Andrew Clarke, stating that he was in great trouble on his own account, and on account of the country generally, and that he deputed the Laxamana, Orang Kaya Mat Arshad, and Rajah Driss to repre- sent his grievances to his Excellency. It also contained a request that he might be given a written kuasa confirming him in his title as Sultan, so that the new Governor could not repudiate it: the other letter was addressed to Mr. Kim Ching, asking him to come to Perak and undertake the collection of the revenue of Larut under the kuasa which Sultan Abdullah had formerly given him, so that the Sultan might have his assistance to hold his own against Mr. Birch. The Laxamana was also given, according to Haji Hoosein, a memorandum of five points, on which the deputation were to speak to Sir Andrew Clarke :-

1st. That Mr. Birch should not interfere with any question respecting Malay

religion or custom. 2nd.-That Mr. Birch should not do anything without consulting the Sultan and

his Chiefs.

3rd. That Mr. Birch should not do away with the taxes that the Chiefs had been

accustomed to receive for their own benefit.

4th.-That Mr. Birch should give up all the slaves and other people who had run

away to Bandar Bahru.

5th. That Mr. Birch should give up all the slaves that had run away to Pangkor

before his arrival.

On the 12th May, Haji Alli, a strong supporter of Ismail, reported fairly accurately to Mr. Birch the facts of this secret deputation, and, moreover, that he had heard that the Mantri had pulled down Sir Andrew Clarke's Proclamation in Larut, and advised Sultan Abdullah to do the same in Perak. Mr. Biroh does not state in his diary what proclamation is here alluded to, but the probability is that it was that dated 9th April.

On the 28th May, Sir Andrew Clarke arrived at Penang from Singapore, the Lazamana and Rajah Driss returning in the same steamer, and Mr. Birch had a conversation with them on the subject of their mission to Singapore, when they succeeded in completely misleading him, for in his diary Mr. Birch says—" I saw the "Laxamana and Rajah Driss, and they gave me a correct account of their interview "with Sir Andrew Clarke, and with Sir William Jervois.

Driss assures

me he is now in hopes that Abdullah will behave properly and take my advice; but "I doubt it." Mr. Birch returned to Bandar Bahru on the 4th June.

No. XIX. From SULTAN ABDULLAH of PERAK to Sir ANDREW Clarke, dated 26th April 1875. (After Compliments.)

We send many compliments to our friend, and inform our friend that our relation Rajah Driss, the Laxamana, and Mahomed Arshad, are sent to be our agents E 2