recognition of Tunku Ali as Sultan. Sultan. These objections seem founded solely on expediency, but I think myself if the principle of Justice towards all parties be recognized and followed, the evils that may result from the change of policy will soon be overcome. But if the Governor-General of India in Council should be pleased to think that, in justice towards this young Prince, we are bound to see him so installed, the expression of such an opinion, on the part of the Supreme Government of India, will remove most of the difficulties. 69. * * * The present Temenggong who administers the affairs of the country (Johore) and enjoys the whole revenue, lives at Singapore as a British subject (Chap 5, pp. 8890.) [From this point on the negotiations leading up to the conclusion of the Treaty of 1855 between the Sultan and the Tumonggong, under the auspices of the British Governor and Resident Councillor, are thus summarized by Mr. Swettenham:] "In a question of such importance, which has had such farreaching effects, not only on the principals and their descendants, but throughout the Malay Peninsula, the less the historian indulges in speculation the better. The documents available are, however, sufficient evidence on which to form a dispassionate judgment. Governor Blundell made a certain recommendation to the Government of India, and he stated that both Sultan and Temenggong accepted his proposal. It is probable that Mr. Blundell, when in Singapore, had personally conducted the negotiations. The Government of India approved, adding that it was no concern of theirs if the Temenggong chose to sacrifice revenue in order to gain complete sovereignty. Then Governor Butterworth returned, and being told that Tunku Ali was ‘entangled with an European merchant at Singapore,' declined to arbitrate, in a matter which was already settled, and went to Pinang. It is certain that the further negotiations were carried on by the Resident Councillor of Singapore. Mr. T. Church, and he succeeded in putting an entirely different complexion on the terms of agreement; so that we have Governor Butterworth addressing the Government of India, purporting to quote from that Government's dispatch of 4 March, 1853, terms which were never written, or ever imagined, and suggesting that, as a favour, Tunku Ali, when installed as Sultan of Johore, should be allowed to retain a small district called Kesang-Muar, and receive $500 a month in perpetuity. That is to say, the Government of India having approved Governor Blundell's recommendation of $300 a month, for three years, and then a new calculation of the value of the Johore revenues, Governor Butterworth, acting on the advice of Mr. Church, settles the matter by giving $5,000 down, $500 a month in perpetuity, and allowing the Sultan to retain the district of Muar, on the confines of Malacca, not because it would yield an income, but because it contained the graves of the Sultan's ancestors!" (Chap 5, pp. 95, 96.) "To avoid a further reference to an unpleasant subject, it may be mentioned here that the annual revenues of Johore have amounted to over a million dollars for some years, and they are now, probably, about $1,200,000, or, say, £140,000. Sultan Ali is dead, and his son would still be in receipt of $500 a month from Johore (originally about £1,200 a year), but the district of Muar has also passed away from him and his family to the Temenggong's successors. When that further transfer took place, about twenty years ago, the allowance was, by the efforts of Governor Sir William Robinson, raised to $1,250 a month, divided amongst the late Sultan's family. Lastly, it must be noted that, though the second condition in the terms submitted by the Temenggong on 3 April, 1854, was 'Tunku Ali, his heirs and successors to be recognized as Sultan of Johore,' the son and heir of Sultan Ali was never more than Tunku Alam, while the son and heir of the Temenggong became the 'Sultan of the State and Territory of Johore,' and that is the title held by his grandson, the present Sultan. The grandson of Sultan Ali is to-day Tunku Mahmud. If Sultan Ali sold his birthright, in 1855, to secure the recognition of his title by the Government of India, he made a poor bargain. The Government of India loftily disclaimed any concern with the relations between the Sultan and the Temenggong; however indifferent that plea, it is one to which neither the local nor the British Government can lay any claim in their subsequent proceedings." (Chap. 5, pp. 100, 101.) No. 3. Extracts from the Debate in the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements, With Regard to the Muar Succession, December 7, 1877. Mr. Read: "The first point on which I would remark is the frequent assertion made that Sultan Alli was a man of very weak character and intellect, and moreover that he was very deeply indebted. There is no doubt that he was an excessively weak man, but I can say this in his favour, that he was not a vicious one. He was not a gambler, a cock-fighter, or an opium-smoker, but he had antiquated ideas of right, and to them he appears to have sacrificed everything. "The debts of the Sultan are well known, but the origin of them was, at any rate, honourable to him. Sultan Hussain, his father, borrowed some $15,000 or $16,000 from Chinese at Malacca and at his death his son took these debts over upon himself. He certainly also borrowed $12,000 on his own account. These loans were run up on compound interest, and, as the interest was seldom paid, the amount soon doubled itself. It will probably be admitted that it is a sign of good feeling, though possibly foolish of a man to take over his father's debts." (Pp. 2, 3.) "I consider it is most unfair to deprive an untried man of his heritage, and to turn him out of his country, simply because you desire to put that province into the hands of another. Restore to him his heritage-assist him as the Tumongong and Maharajah were assisted when first Johore was opened up, and I have no reason to doubt the result will be equally good, if not better: but to condemn a man untried, is condemning a prisoner unheard, which is contrary to all principles of justice." (P. 16.) The Colonial Secretary.—"* * * The condition of the country speaking from personal knowledge, is very deplorable. On either side -the Malacca side, and the Johore side-the land is flourishing and populous; while the state of Moar is mostly a desert. The Hon'ble Member stated that the population amounts to a thousand men, but the Tumongong informed me that there were only 650 souls in the whole place,-men, women, and children." (P. 27.) Mr. Read.-"***For instance, when Sultan Mahmood of Johore died at Lingin in 1809,-his eldest son was away at Pahang, and the N. E. Monsoon prevailing, he could not return,—during his absence a court intrigue placed the younger brother on the throne, and the funeral took place; but so irregular was this considered, that the mother of Hussain kept possession of the regalia, shewing her son's right to the throne, and only gave it up to the Dutch authorities in, I think it was, 1823." (P. 32.) [N. B. This debate constituted one of the enclosures in Governor Sir C. F. Robinson's letter to the Secretary of State, of December 13, 1877 (Memorial, p. 366), although not printed in the Return to the Order of the House of Lords, of May 27, 1879. The Debate is printed in the Straits Settlements Legislative Council Debates, session of 1877. The page references herewith are to a copy made therefrom, certified by the United States Embassy at London.] No. 4. Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements, for 1880, pages 355-368. STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. Papers Laid Before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor. Thursday, 30th December, 1880. MR. W. H. READ'S RESIGNATION. The Earl of Kimberley to Sir F. A. Weld. Straits Settlements, DOWNING STREET, 11th October, 1880. [No. 122.] SIR,-With reference to your despatch, No. 104, of the 11th of August, I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a correspondence with Mr. W. H. Read, which, together with the de spatches noted in the margin,* I request you will have printed and laid before the Legislative Council. SIR,--In my despatch, No. 75, of the 16th March, I reported the initiation of proceedings against Awang Ibrahim, Tunku Alam's Mentri or Secretary, for a breach of the Penal Code in connection with some recent disturbances in Muar. 2. Among the papers found in Muar, and in Singapore when Awang Ibrahim was arrested, were some letters from Mr. W. H. Read, Member of the Legislative Council, and others in which his name appeared. 3. I enclose copies of those letters,' together with a copy of the letter I caused to be forwarded to Mr. Read, offering when transmitting the papers to you, to accompany them with any observations he might wish to make. 4. From Mr. Read's reply3 (copy enclosed) you will see that without offering any comments on the letters, he has resigned his seat as a Member of the Legislative Council and as a Justice of the Peace. 5. After giving Mr. Read full opportunity for reconsidering the course he had decided to adopt, as will be gathered from the Memorandum by the Colonial Secretary attached, I have accepted his resignation.* I have, &c., A. E. H. ANSON. *Mr. Read to C. O., 14th August. C. O. to Mr. Read, 27th August. Mr. Read to C. O., 6th Sept. C. O. to Mr. Read, 16th Sept. Mr. Read to C. O., 24th Sept. C. O. to Mr. Read, 11th October. General Anson to Secretary of State, No. 87, 27th March, 1880. Governor to Secretary of State, No. 104, 11th August, 1880. Secretary of State to Governor, No. 122, 11th October, 1880. 1Enclosures marked A. 2Colonial Secretary to Mr. W. H. Read, 15th March, 1880. |