the golden chersonese and the way thither-第44章

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favorably　with　the　transactions　of　our　colonial　courts；　English　law　is
being　gradually　introduced　and　gives　general　satisfaction；　and　the
native　Rajahs　are　being　trained　to　administer　even…handed　justice
according　to　its　provisions；　and　at　the　same　time　without　trenching
upon　Malay　religion　and　custom。　　Slavery　and　debt　bondage；　which；　as
hitherto　practiced　in　Perak；　have　involved　evils　and　cruelties　which
are　unknown　to　any　but　those　who　have　actually　lived　in　the　State；
will；　it　is　hoped；　be　abolished　by　equitable　arrangement　in　1883。
Various　difficulties　remain　to　be　settled；　the　large　Chinese　element；
with　its　criminal　tendencies；　requires　great　firmness　of　dealing；　and
the　introduction　of　foreign　capital　and　an　additional　form　of　alien
labor　may　lead　to　new　perplexities；　but　on　the　whole　the　outlook　for
Perak　and　its　people　is　a　favorable　one；　especially　if　the　present
Resident；　Mr。　Hugh　Low；　is　able　to　remain　to　continue　his　task　of
developing　the　resources；　settling　the　difficulties；　and　consolidating
the　well…being　of　the　State。

Nothing　is　known　of　the　early　settlement　of　Perak。　It　was　formerly
tributary　to　the　Malay　sovereigns　of　Malacca；　and　afterward　to　those　of
Acheen；　to　whom　the　Perak　Sultans　sent　gold　and　silver　flowers　as
tribute。　Siam　has　also　at　different　times　asserted　sovereign　rights　and
demanded　tribute；　but　the　Siamese　were　expelled　in　1822　with　the　help
of　Rajah　Ibrahim；　the　warlike　chief　of　the　neighboring　State　of
Selangor。　The　Government　was　a　despotism；　administered　during　the　last
three　centuries　by　Sultans　who　were　connected　with　the　ruling　dynasties
of　Johore　and　Acheen。

Our　connection　with　Perak　began　in　1818　by　a　commercial　treaty　between
the　East　India　Company　and　the　Sultan；　the　chief　object　of　which　was　to
circumvent　the　Dutch　on　the　subject　of　tin。　By　another　treaty；　in　1826；
it　was　agreed　that　the　Sultan　should　govern　his　country　according　to
his　own　will；　that　no　force　should　be　sent　either　by　Siam　to　〃molest；
attack；　or　disturb〃　Perak；　and　while　it　was　stipulated　that　the　Siamese
should　not　attack　or　disturb　Selangor；　the　English　engaged　not　to　allow
Selangor　to　attack　or　disturb　Perak。

So　things　jogged　along　till　1871；　when　the　Sultan　died；　and　the　Rajahs；
passing　over　two　men　who　by　blood　were　nearest　to　the　throne；　elected
Ismail；　an　old　and　somewhat　inoffensive　man。　Three　years　of　intrigue
followed；　and　many　singular　complications；　which　would　be　quite
uninteresting　to　the　general　reader；　and　they　furnished　no　excuse　for
English　interference。

It　is　singular　that　the　fall　of　Perak　as　an　independent　State　was
brought　about　by　what　may　be　called　a　civil　war　among　the　Chinese；　who
in　1871　were　estimated　at　thirty　thousand；　and　were　principally　engaged
in　tin…mining　in　Larut。　These　Chinamen　were　divided　into　two
sectionsthe　Go　Kwans　and　the　Si　Kwans；　and　a　few　months　after　Sultan
Ismail　was　elected；　a　dispute　arose　between　the　factions。　　Both　parties
flew　to　arms；　and　were　aided　with　guns；　ammunition；　military　stores；
and　food　from　Pinang；　Pinang　Chinese　having　previously　supplied　the
capital　needed　for　working　the　mines。　The　settlement　was　kept　in
perpetual　hot　water；　its　trade　languished；　and　in　return　for　military
equipments　the　Chinese　of　Larut　sent　over　two　thousand　wounded　and
starving　men。　The　Mentri；　the　Malay　〃Governor〃　of　Larut；　although　aided
by　Captain　Speedy　and　a　force　of　well…drilled　troops　recruited　by　him
in　India；　and　possessing　four　Krupp　guns；　was　powerless　to　restore
order；　and　Larut　was　destroyed；　being　absolutely　turned　into　a
wilderness；　in　which　all　but　three　houses　had　been　burned；　and；　while
the　Malays　had　fled；　the　surviving　Si　Kwans　were　living　behind
stockades；　while　those　of　the　faction　opposed　to　that　with　which　the
Mentri　and　his　Commander…in…Chief；　Captain　Speedy；　had　allied
themselves；　were　living　on　the　products　of　orchards　from　which　their
owners　had　been　driven；　and　on　booty；　won　by　a　wholesale　system　of
piracy　and　murder；　practiced　not　only　on　the　Perak　waters　but　on　the
high　seas。

The　war　waged　between　the　two　parties　threatened　to　become　a　war　of
extermination；　horrible　atrocities　were　perpetrated　on　both　sides；　and
it　is　said　and　believed　that　as　many　as　three　thousand　belligerents
were　slain　on　one　day　early　in　the　disturbances。　If　the　course　of
prohibiting　the　export　of　munitions　of　war　had　been　persevered　the
strife　would　have　died　a　natural　death；　but　the　Mentri　made
representations　which　induced　the　authorities　of　the　Straits　to　accord
a　certain　degree　of　support　to　himself　and　the　Si　Kwans；　by　limiting
the　prohibition　to　his　enemies　the　Go　Kwans。　Things　at　last　became　so
intolerable　in　Larut；　and　as　a　consequence　in　Pinang；　that　the　Governor
of　the　Straits　Settlements；　Sir　A。　Clarke；　thought　it　was　time　to
interfere。　During　these　disturbances　in　Larut；　Lower　Perak　and　the
Malays　generally　were　living　peaceably　under　Ismail；　their　elected
Sultan。　Abdullah；　who　was　regarded　as　his　rival；　was　a　fugitive；　with
neither　followers；　money；　nor　credit。　He　had；　however；　friends　in
Singapore；　to　one　of　whom；　Kim　Cheng；　a　well…known　Chinaman；　he　had
promised　a　lucrative　appointment　if　he　would　prevail　on　the　Straits
authorities　to　recognize　him　as　Sultan。　Lord　Kimberley　had　previously
instructed　the　Governor　to　consider　the　expediency　of　introducing　the
〃Residential　system〃　into　〃any　of　the　Malay　States；〃　and　the　occasion
soon　presented　itself。

An　English　merchant　in　Singapore　and　Kim　Cheng　drafted　a　letter　to　the
Governor；　which　Abdullah　signed；　in　which　this　chief　expressed　his
desire　to　place　Perak　under　British　protection；*　and　〃to　have　a　man　of
sufficient　abilities　to　show　him　a　good　system　of　government。〃　Sir　A。
Clarke；　thus　appealed　to；　went　to　Pulo　Pangkor；　off　the　Perak　coast；
summoned　the　Chinese　head　men　and　the　Malay　chiefs　to　meet　him　there；
and　so　effectively　reconciled　the　former；　who　were　bound　over　to　keep
the　peace；　that　they　were　not　again　heard　of。　The　Governor　stated　to
the　Malay　chief　and　Abdullah　that　it　was　the　duty　of　England　to　take
care　that　the　proper　person　in　the　line　of　succession　was　chosen　for
the　throne。　He　inquired　if　there　were　any　objection　to　Abdullah；　and　on
none　being　made；　the　chiefs　signed　a　paper　dictated　by　Sir　A。　Clarke；
since　known　as　the　〃Pangkor　Treaty。〃　Its　articles　deposed　Ismail；
created　Abdullah　Sultan；　ceded　two　tracts　of　territory　to　England；　and
provided　that　the　new　ruler　should　receive　an　English　Resident　and
Assistant　Resident；　whose　salaries　and　expenses　should　be　the　first
charge　on　the　revenue　of　the　country；　whose　counsel　must　be　asked　and
〃acted　upon〃　on　all　questions　other　than　those　of　religion　and　custom；
and　under　whose　advice　the　collection　and　control　of　all　revenues　and
the　general　administration　should　be　regulated。　After　the　signing　of
this　treaty　piracy　ceased　in　the　Perak　waters；　and　Larut　was　repeopled
and　became　settled　and　prosperous。　　
＇*Abdullah　informs　〃our　friend〃　Sir　W。　Jervois；　that　his　position　and
that　of　Perak　are　〃in　a　most　deplorable　state；〃　that　there　are　two
Sultans　between　whom　no　arrangement　can　be　made；　that　the　revenues　are
badly　raised；　and　the　laws　are　not　executed　with　justice。　〃For　these
reasons；〃　he　says；　〃we　see　that　Perak　is　in　very　great　distress；　and；　in
our　opinion；　the　affairs　of　Perak　cannot　be　settled　except　with　strong；
active　assurance　from　our　friend　the　representative　of　Queen　Victoria；
the　greatest　and　most　noble。。。。We　earnestly　beg　our　friend　to　give
complete　assistance　to　Perak；　and　govern　it；　in　order　that　this　country
may　obtain　safety　and　happiness；　and　that　proper　revenues　may　be　raised；
and　the　laws　administered　with　justice；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
country　may　live　in　comfort。〃＇

So　far；　as　regards　the　Sultanate；　I　have　followed　the　account　given　by
Sir　Benson　Maxwell。　Mr。　Swettenham；　however；　writes　that　Abdullah
failed　to　obtain　complete　recognition　of　himself　as　Sultan；　and　instead
of　fulfilling　the　duties　of　his　position；　devoted　himself　to　opium…
smoking；　cock…fighting；　and　other　vices；　estranging；　by　his　overbearing
manner　and　pride　of　position；　those　who　only　needed　forbearance　to　make
them　his　supporters。　It　may　be　remarked　that　Abdullah　was　not　as
yielding　as　had　been　expected　to　his　English　advisers。

The　Pangkor　Treaty　was　signed　in　January；　1874。　On　November　2d；　1875；
Mr。　Birch；　the　British　Resident；　who　had　arrived　the　evening　before　at
the　village　of　Passir　Salah　to　post　up　orders　and　proclamations
announcing　that　the　whole　kingdom　of　Perak　was　henceforth　to　be
governed　by　English　officers；　was　murdered　as　he　was　preparing　for　the
bath。

On　this　provocation　we　entered　upon　a　〃little　war；〃　Perak　became　known
in　England；　and　the　London　press　began　to　ask　how　it　was　that　colonial
officers　were　suffered　to　make　conquests　and　increase　Imperial
responsibilities　without　the　sanction　of　Parliament。　Lord　Carnarvon
telegraphed　to　Singapore　that　he　could　not　sanction　the　use　of　troops
〃for　annexation　or　any　other　large　political　aims；〃　supplementing　his
telegram　by　a　despatch　stating　that　the　residential　system　had　been
only　sanctioned　provisionally；　as　an　experiment；　and　declaring　that　the
Government　would　not　keep　troops　in　a　country　〃continuing　to　possess　an
independent　jurisdiction；　for　the　purpose　of　enforcing　measures　which
the　natives　did　not　cheerfully　accept。〃

As　the　sequel　to　the　war　and　Mr。　Birch's　murder；　Ismail；　who　had
retained　authority　over　a　part　of　Perak；　was　banished　to　Johore；
Abdullah；　the　Sultan；　and　the　Mentri　of　Larut；　who　was　designated　as　an
〃intriguing　character；〃　were　exiled　to　the　Seychelles；　and　the　Rajah
Muda　Yusuf；　a　prince　who；　by　all　accounts；　was　regarded　as　exceedingly
obnoxious；　was　elevated　to　the　regency；　Perak　at　the　same　time　passing
virtually　under　our　rule。

A　great　mist　of　passion　and　prejudice　envelops　our　dealings　with　the
chiefs　and　people　of　this　State；　both　before　and　after　the　war。　Sir
Benson　Maxwell　in　〃Our　Malay　Conquests；〃　presents　a　formidable
arraignment　against　the　Colonial　authorities；　and　Major　M'Nair；　in　his
book　on　Perak；　justifies　all　their　proceedings。　If　I　may　venture　to
give　an　opinion　upon　so　controverted　a　subject；　it　is；　that　all
Colonial　authorities　in　their　dealings　with　native　races；　all　Residents
and　their　subordinates；　and　all　transactions　between　ourselves　and　the
weak　peoples　of　the　Far　East；　would　be　better　for　having　something　of
〃the　fierce　light　which　beats　upon　a　throne〃　turned　upon　them。　The　good
have　nothing　to　fear；　the　bad　would　be　revealed　in　their　badness；　and
hasty　counsels　and　ambitious　designs　would　be　held　in　check。　Public
opinion　never　reaches　these　equatorial　jungles；　we　are　grossly　ignorant
of　their　inhabitants　and　their　rights；　of　the　manner　in　which　our
interference　originated；　and　how　it　has　been　exercised；　and　unless　some
fresh　disturbance　and　another　〃little　war〃　should　concentrate　our
attention　for　a　moment　on　these　distant　States；　we　are　likely　to　remain
so；　to　their　great　detriment；　and　not　a　little；　in　one　respect　of　the
case　at　least；　to　our　own。

When　the　changes　in　Perak　were　completed；　Mr。　Hugh　Low；　formerly
administrator　of　the　Government　of　Labuan；　was　app