CO882-(3-4) — Page 48

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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47. Such interpreters, proficient in the dialects of Chinese spoken in the Straits, cannot be obtained in China, so the Colonial Government would have to educate a staff. As I have already suggested a scheme for that purpose to the Under Secretary of State I need make no further remark on the subject.

48. Nothing but the feeling that I have an experimental knowledge of the subject on which I bave treated could have induced me to make so long a dissertation.

As I have resided for many years in China, and associated intimately with all classes of the natives, I have had exceptional opportunities for obtaining a knowledge of their habits and opinions when in their own country,

During the time I was in Singapore I received from both Sir Harry Ord and Sir Andrew Clarke every encouragement to mix with and ascertain the feelings of the Chinese community of the Straits Settlements.

A desire to be of use to my country and the Government of which I am a servant, together with a wish to promote the best interests of a people whose welfare is dear to my heart, must be my apology for presuming to trespass so long on your Lordship's valuable time.

I bave, &c. (Signed) W. A. PICKERING,

Chinese Interpreter, Straits Settlements.

APPENDIX. (Para. 12.)

In a copy of Secret Society Rules, seized by the police in a meeting house at Singapore, there was a list of the 36 articles of the oath taken by every member on his initiation.

Among the obligations and penalties are the following :—

Article X.-The initiate swears to abstain from assisting even his own brother if he sees him fighting against members of the Society.

Penalty in case of transgression: death by one thousand knives, arrows, or swords. Article XI-That be will in no case assist the police or public officers against the office-bearers of the Society.

Penalty: death by a tiger, serpent, thunder, or fire.

Article XIII. That he will assist any member who, by offending against the laws, has got into trouble and flees to him.

Penalty: death; the dismembered corpse perishing in the sea, the bones sinking to the bottom and the flesh floating on the surface.

Article XIX. That he will assist any member fleeing from the laws of the country to escape over the boundaries. That, for the purpose of supplying the fugitives expenses, he will, if necessary, pawn clothes and furniture.

Penalty: death in the streets or lanes, the body being dismembered, by 10,000

knives.

No. 64.

GOVERNOR SIR W. F. D. JERVOIS, K.C.M.G., C.B., to the EARL OF CARNARVON. (Received April 24, 1876.) (No. 137.)

Government House, Singapore,

March 23, 1876."

MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to forward for your Lordship's information copy of the pro- edings of the trial of three prisoners, Seputum Se Gondab, and Ngah Ahmat, charged with murdering, at Passir Sala, the late Mr. Birch, the interpreter Arshad, Din, a boatman, and Eesur Singh, one of the Sikh guard. I also forward a report from Mr. Davidson and Mr. Swettenham, whom I appointed as assessors to attend the trial. It will be observed that these gentlemen concur in the verdict of death passed upon the three prisoners by the judge, Rajah Dris, who was appointed by Sultan Abdullah to try the case.

2. After discussing the evidence with my Executive Council, I formed the opinion that the guilt of the prisoner Sepütum had been clearly proved, and that there was no ground for any interference on the part of this Government with the sentence of death which had been passed upon him by Rajah Dris.

3. After carefully weighing the evidence however against the other two prisoners, Se Gondah and Ngah Abmat, it has appeared to myself and my Council that, "although

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there is no doubt that these men were present on the occasion, and that they aided and abetted those concerned in the outrage, still there is no evidence to prove that they were engaged in the actual perpetration of the murder with which they were charged.

4. Under these circumstances I have thought that it would constitute no undue interference with the proceedings of the Malay Court, to instruct the Deputy Com- missioner of Perak to advise Sultan Abdullah to commute the sentences passed upon Se Gondah and Ngah Ahmat to penal servitude for life, and have caused à communi- cation to be addressed to the Deputy Commissioner accordingly.

Trusting that the course which I have pursued will meet with your Lordship's approbation.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

WM. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon,

&c.

&c.

&c.

P.S.-I would particularly draw your Lordship's attention to the deposition made by the prisoner Che Gondah (Exhibit A, Enclosure No. 1), as affording still further evidence than that given in my Despatch, No. 62, of the 10th February, that the action which I took in Perak in October last was not the cause of the disturbances in that State.

Your Lordship will observe, that before I visited Perak in September last, a meeting

had taken place at Blanja, where the Ex-sultan and many of the chiefs agreed that they would not submit to the wishes of the British Government.

At that time I had taken no step to modify, in any way, the system of intervention which I found in force in Perak on my arrival in this Colony.

Enclosure 1. in No. 64.

RAJAH DRIS to Sultan AbdulLAH,

I REACHED Bandar Bahru on the 6th Saffar.

W. F. D. J.

For two days I examined the prisoners with the British officers, Mr. Swettenham and Mr. Davidson.

On the third day, the 8th Saffar, on Sunday, at 9 a.m., I sentenced the three men, Seputum, Gondah, and Ngah Hamid, the sentence being death by hanging.

I gave out the sentence to the prisoners in open Court before many people in the office at Bandar Bahru, and the English officers acknowledged that the sentence was just, and that I was right in condemning those men to death, and they both put their signatures to this paper, i.e., Mr. Davidson, British Resident, Klang, and Mr. Swetten- ham, Deputy Commissioner, Perak.

From his Excellency the Governor to Sultan ABDULLAH,

We inform our friend that we are very glad to hear that one or two men concerned in Mr. Birch's murder have been seized, and we beg that our friend will appoint judges to try these men.

We have appointed our trusty officers, Mr. Davidson and Mr. Swettenham, who will be present with our friend's judges during the trial, and will assist them.

If any of the accused are found guilty we trust that our friend's judges will punish them according to their deserts.

In open Court at Bandar Bahru, Perak, 3rd March 1876.

Before RAJAH DRIS, Judge of the Court, and Mr. J. G. DAVIDSON and Mr. F. A. Swet-

tenham, `Assessors, appointed by His Excellency the Governor of the Straits Settlements.

1. Siputum,

2. Së Gondah, and 3. Ngah Ahmat,

are charged with murdering James Wheler Woodford Birnh, late British Resident of Perak, Interpreter Arshad, Din, a boatman, and Eesur Singh, one of the Resident's Sikh guard, at Passir Sals, on the 2nd day of November 1875.

The prisoners severally plead Not Guilty.

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