CO882-(3-4) — Page 45

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 882

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

$12.

+1

62

No. 63.

W. A. PICKERING, ESQ., to COLONIAL OFFICE.

52, Woodsome Road, Highgate Road, London, April 24, 1876.

I HAVE the honour to forward the enclosed paper on "A Principle Cause which necessitates the interference of the British Government in the affairs of the Malay States, together with some suggestions as to the control of the Chinese population in our Colonies and the Peninsula," which I beg respectfully to present for the consideration of his Lordship the Earl of Carnarvon.

I have, &c.

(Signed) W. A. PICKERING,

Chinese Interpreter, Straits Settlement.

To the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies,

Downing Street, London.

MY LORD,

Nottingham, April 15, 1876. I BEG most respectfully to present for your Lordship's consideration the following remarks, on a principal cause which necessitates the interference of the British Government in the affairs of the Malay States, together with some suggestions as to the control of the Chinese population in our Colonies and the Peninsula.

1. At the present stage of affairs in the Straits Settlements and Native States on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, there is one question of great importance which should not be overlooked in any arrangements to be made for the future.

2. Whether the British Government decide to annex Larut, Perak, Salangore, or Sungei Ujong, or merely to keep the peace there; it is certain that the Chinese will flock over in large numbers to those States for mining or agricultural purposes; the important question is, how are they to be controlled and kept in order?

3. The establishment of regular and just government in the Malay States will be an inestimable boon to the natives, and the development of the vast resources of the country will be of the greatest advantage to commerce in general, and to our colonies in particular; the latter result can only be accomplished by Chinese, who, however desirable as colonists, and indispensable to the prosperity of the Straits Settlements, require the most careful management and strict supervision.

4. The Malay Chiefs are totally incapable of governing Chinese; it would be as reasonable to suppose the white settlers of the Western States of America submitting to the rule of Indian chiefs as to expect that the most conceited, and in their own eyes the must civilized, of races, should, when in large numbers, obey the caprices of such weak tyrants as the so-called Malay Sultans and Rajabs.

5. Johore may be, perhaps, cited as an instance of Malays being able to govern well the Chinese; this State is in an exceptional position.

The Maharajah of Johore, having been educated in Singapore, has imbibed notions of justice and civilization; he is, moreover, entirely under the infuence, guidance, and protection of our Government. We must wait at least a generation before such rulers can be found for the other States; long before that time the Chinese element will have becouse a great power in the Peninsula.

6. In Larut, now, there are at a low estimate 15,000 Chinese, where in January 1874 there were not above 4,000, the dreadful scenes which have been enacted there are too well known. In Sungei Ujong at least 10,000 Chinese have congregated, and during the last few years serious riots have broken out amongst them, accompanied by murder and other crimes.

7. In spite of the late troubles in Perak and Sungei Ujong, the Malay affairs of the Peninsula can be easily settled; when once the Native Chiefs plainly see that we have determined on a policy they will acquiesce, and the Rayat, hailing with joy any prospect of quiet and a just rule, will prove, as they always have done, the most inoffensive and obedient subjects.

8. With regard to the Chinese, on the contrary, with the success of the policy inaugurated by Sir Andrew Clarke, will commence the likelihood of trouble amongst the different turbulent and discordant tribes of agriculturists and miners.

9. With a large population of Chinese in the Malay States, the peace and safety of our Colonies demand that the British Government take an active and chief part in their rule and protection. If Malays only were in question, we might (with great damage to our trade) ignore the Peninsula, and, merely keeping the seas clear of

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pirates, leave the Rajabs to quarrel, and work the ruin of themselves and country on land. Chinese will, however, in spite of tyranny and oppression push their way in pursuit of gain, and they must be included in any policy regarding the Native States.

10. The great danger to be feared amongst a large Chinese population is from those curses, the numerous secret societies which are allowed to exist, and to cause so much

ouble in our settlements.

"

11. These societies have been in existence for more than 200 years, and originated in China with the patriotic object of expelling the present Manchew dynasty "Ching, and effecting the restoration of the Chinese "Ming" dynasty; they are called in China Triad Societies, in the Straits we know them by the names "Tien-ay Hoeys," or

Kongsis," i.e. "Heaven and Earth Societies."

"

12. Originally one (Ghee Hin), the Triad Society, after the firm establishment of the present dynasty in China, soon degenerated into an association of bad characters bound by solemn oaths to assist each other in any crime. The great Taiping rebellion mainly owed its origin, and certainly much of its strength and ferocity, to the Triad Society.

13. Driven from China whenever discovered, some of the leaders came to the Straits, where, under our easy rule, the society so flourished that the British Colonies were made its head quarters; in Dutch or Spanish possessions, of course, they dare not show themselves openly.

As in the Straits Settlements there exists no dynasty which they could hope or desire to expel, the leaders turned their attention to the formation of an "imperium in imperio," for their own private ends, which is incompatible with peace or good order.

The majority of ignorant and lawless Chinese, who cannot understand a Govern- ment they do not continually feel, being left entimely alone by us, accept as a matter of course the rule of secret societies.

The danger to the comfort and tranquility of our colonies has been aggravated by the division of the original society into 10 or 12 rival branches, all having the same bad ends, but each anxious to increase the number of its members, and ready to fight to the death on the slightest.pretext any other branch society.

14. Almost all the Chinese miners, artizans, bostrmen, agriculturists, and small shopkeepers, together with all the bad characters, belong to one or other of these societies, the head quarters of which are in Penang, Singapore, or Malacca; the result is, that any disturbance in the Peninsula en angers the peace and good order of our Colonies.

15. One indispensable requisite for good government is a knowledge of the people to be governed; it is not too much to say that, for the last 50 years, we have been content to go on in almost total ignorance of the language, habits, and feelings of a great, and at any rate the most important, part of the population of our Colonies in the Far East. The result is, that in Singapore, Penang, and Malacca scenes of disorder, paralleled only in the most lawless and worst governed districts of Chin, are constantly taking place.

16. A Chipaman, whilst regarding his own as the only" par excellence" human race, and regarding all other nations as inferior developments of the species, is almost exclusively attached to his clan, or to the district in which he was born.

The immigrants to the Straits consist, for the most part, of the lowest classes of the population from the two most turbulent provinces of China, Canton and Hokien, the miners and artizans are from the former province, and belong to two distinct tribes, speaking different dialects, viz., the Pun-tis or Macaos, and the Hakkas or Khehs; these two tribes have been at enmity in China for years.

The agriculturists, boatmen, and small shopkeepers come from the districts around Chao-chow-foo or Tay-chew in Canton, or from the Province of Hok-kien, Tay-Chews, and Hokkiens, whilst despising each other, are often engaged in their own country in petty feuds.

Every emigrant on leaving China carries with him, if nothing else, the prejudice of race, or the remembrance of his clan or district feud; these are elements of discord in any mixed Chinese community but small compared with the baneful influences of the Heaven and Earth Societies, for the interests of which a Chinese is obliged and willing to forget his family, clan, and district.

17. I am not overstating facts when I say, that 60 per cent, of the Chinese in our Colonies and the Native States are sworn members of secret societies, of the remaining 40 per cent, most are subject to their influences.

• See Appendix.

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