CO882-(3-4) — Page 390

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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TLC.O. 882

4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

SIB,

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British Resident's Office, Klang, Salangore,

May 28, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 17th instant, Misc. 2506/78, in which his Excellency desires to call my particular attention to the letter No. 5115/76 of 19th August 1876, stating in general terms the duties of Residents in the Native States, and covering the Secretary of State's Despatch 1st June 1876, laying down the future policy in regard to the States.

In reply, I have the honour to state that as far as my own acts are concerned I have studiously endeavoured to the best of my ability to follow out the policy laid down in the Despatch referred to, and that I shall carefully continue so to do; but I would remark where the special duties of the Resident as laid down by Lord Carnarvon

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are

the maintenance of peace and law, the initiation of a sound system of taxation, with the ".consequent development of the general resources of the country and the supervision "of the collection of the revenue so as to ensure the receipt of funds necessary to carry " out the principal engagements of the Government, and to pay for the cost of the "British officers and whatever establishments may be found to support them," it is some- times difficult to carry out these most important and very comprehensive duties in even the most guarded and cautious manner without conveying the idea that the officer in doing so is acting on his own responsibility.

The pliant, easy-going, trouble-avoiding nature of the Sultan of this State renders him at all times careless in assuming the reins of Government, and he too willingly places his power in the hands of the officer accredited to him; but I must, in justice to myself, assure his Excellency that I have ever carried out the advising policy to the best of my ability, and I think if reference was made to the Sultan he would readily bear testimony to my unvarying desire to consult him on all points not coming within the departmental routine of the different establishments.

My aim has been to give security to life and property; to prevent the oppression of petty rajahs and their followers; to reduce the heavy duties and attract a population to develop the resources of the country; to reduce the expenditure, and pay off the liabilities of the State; to administer justice impartially, and ensure peace and tranquillity in those districts remote from the seat of Government. I most earnestly hope his Excellency will believe that I have honestly endeavoured to carry out this policy in obedience to his own instructions; at any rate, I have attempted to do so, and think with the cordial rela- tions which exist between the Sultan and myself it may be assumed the policy as laid down in the Despatch referred to has been as closely followed out as possible; errors of judgment I can readily admit, but I must respectfully disavow any intention of disregarding the line of duty prescribed by the Secretary of State.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,

Straits Settlements, Singapore.

MY DEAR SIR WM. ROBINSON,

I have &c.

(Signed) B. DOUGLAS,

Her Britannic Majesty's Resident, Salangore.

Durian, Sabatang, May 28, 1878.

FEEL myself obliged to claim the indulgence you formerly were good enough to grant to me to address you confidentially on the subject of the two recent Despatches, the one reminding me of the duties of Residents "as advisers," and the other in reference to the slave debtors.

When I came into this country it was under military occupation, and there was no native Government in it. The Sultans were in exile, the effete Bandahara had recently died, and the Rajah Muda Yusuf had been appointed, because it was necessary to have some head, and to ascertain by trial whether he was fit to be entrusted with the govern- ment, but except the Panglima Kinta, who was believed to be inimical to our interference, there was not a single native authority who had exerted any considerable influence in former times. The Datu Tumonggong was certainly present, but he had no real autho- rity in the country, and the Government had been administered by the British officers without any consultation with Native Chiefs. When I asked Mr. Meade "who was the rajah I was sent out to advise?" He said, "we don't know of one, you must try to ascertain whether there is any one fit for the position, and then he will be supported."

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My greatest difficulty in endeavouring to settle the country has always been the Rajah Muda, who was generally hated to such an extent that he never could have succeeded, if

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left to himself, in establishing himself in any authority except with a few personal fol- lowers, he is a man of very good natural abilities, but he has no idea of government, except that the ryots were created to produce revenues for the rajahs, and to be at their entire disposal; if I were only here to advise such a man, and if he did not believe that I had nuthority to control his caprices when they are likely to be dangerous to the country, our hope of restoring peace to it would be vain, and the position of Resident untenable.

Without arrogance I think I may say that I believe I have brought about a better state of things; the Rajah Muda has often told me that he knew he only held his position by our support, and by giving way to him in small things I have, I believe, received his cordial support to all that has been done during last year, and have brought a great many of the people who hate him to accept him in the position we have placed him; but this is only done in the belief that the British Government intend to take care that he should be powerless for harm, and that the peculiar system of Malay administration, tempered by English honesty and justice which now prevails, is guaranteed by Her Majesty's Government keeping a Resident in the country authorised to give influential advice.

It is only in Kinta that there is any Native Government, and the instructions 1 gave to Mr. Leech will now put your Excellency in possession of the manner in which I am attempting to support and develop it.

I have lately advised native governors being appointed in Kampar, and I am about to do the same for Chenderiang, and my desire has always been most loyally to carry out the intentions of Her Majesty's Government, for I have no personal vanity to save Dor care a pin for the position and power which would belong to an autocratic Resident. Duty is my only watchword, and I fully understand the wishes of Government, and intend to carry thein out, but we must first create the Government to be advised, and this is what have all along been trying to do, and for which, if you approve of it, I must respectfully beg your support.

But if the Rajah Muda is to be led to bieve that he can act in spite of the Resident if he pleases, it will soon be seen that the greatest dissatisfaction will prevail, and we may say goodbye to all hopes of introducing capital and skill, whether European or Chinese, into the country.

Taking the rajah as he is, I think that if the system I have adopted were carried on for a few years even he would be a very decent rajah ; I always consult him, I humour him, and I praise him when he deserves it, and if he were asked and revealed his whole soul on the subject, I believe he would say that Mr. Low is a very good Resident on the whole, but personally he will not let me indulge myself in petty personal matters which are generally of a spiteful character.

I am not in the least afraid of taking the responsibility of the course I am pursuing, and if it fails I must have the blame; it is too early to certainly prophecy success, but

I do hope in two years more to have laid a foundation on which a lasting Government may be built up; but under the Rajah Muda it can never be supported except by the influential advice of a Resident equal to the whole duty.

I beg you will not think I have taken too great a liberty in writing to you in this style, but I wish to have no concealments, as I hope the day to day and bour to hour entries in my diaries make clear, I should be glad to leave the State fully conscious that I had benefited or laid the foundations for benefitting this country and people, and I have no other personal object to serve; it is a hard life and surrounded with difficulties, but I do hope that we may look forward in time to a satisfactory solution of it.

I keep no copy of this letter, and I again beg your Excellency if I have in any way trespassed upon official etiquette in writing it, to be good enough to excuse me, my motive being only that you may thoroughly understand the position.

SIB,

I have, &c. (Signed) 'HUGH LOW.

Sunghie Ujong, May 31, 1878.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipts of letters Misc. 2506/78, Col. Sec. 2403/78, Native, 2672/78, and will strictly conform to the instructions

I have, &c. (Signed) P. MURRAY,

contained therein.

L 704.

Resident.