Our Tropical Possessions in Malayan India: being a descriptive account of Singapore, Penang, Province Wellesley and Malacca, etc

Front matter

OUR TROPICAL POSSESSIONS IN MALAYAN INDIA. n • \. OUR TROPICAL POSSESSIONS IN MALAYAN INDIA: BEING A DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF SINGAPORE, PENANG, PROVINCE WELLESLEY, AND MALACCA; THEIR PEOPLES, PRODUCTS, COMMERCE, AND GOVERNMENT. BY JOHN CAMERON, Esq., F.R.G.S. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL. 1865. | The tight of Translation is reserved.} Pacb m 1 CONTENTS Preface CHAPTER, I. The Straits Settlement : History, Ancient and Modern. Introduction — The three Stations, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca — Geographical Positions — Singapore — Its very early Histor}- — Colonized by the Malays in 1160 — Lost through Treachery to the Javanese — Story of its Loss — Re-occupation by the Malays in 1512 — Settlement by the British — Sir Stamford Raffles — Bencoolen — Bickerings with the Dutch — Colonel Farqnhar first Resident — Town laid out — Mr. Crawford — Incorporation with Penang and Malacca — Mr. Fullerton — His unpopularity — Quarrel with Sir John Claridge — Arrival ofLord William Bentinck — Mr. Ibbetson Governor — Mr. Murchison — Mr. Bonham — First China Expedition — Colonel Butterworth — First Chinese Riot — Mr. Blundell — Lord Elgin's famous Decision — Second Chinese Riot — Colonel Cavanagh now Governor

Chapter II

Scenery : Singapore from Seaward. Surpasses in Loveliness that of Ceylon and Java — Green Islets — The Old Strait — Lake Scenery — Ancient Piracy — Native Craft — Wood Rafts — Singapore Harbour — Eastern Approach — Approach from "Westward — Mount Faber — P. and O. Cornpan}- — Projected new Dock — H. M.'s Dockyards — Present Dock — Shipping in the Roadstead — Men-of-War — Chinese Junks — Coolie Horrors — Malay Prahus — Small Boats — Coral — The Town Frontage — Fort Fullerton — Pubhc Buildings — Old Residences — St. Andrew's Church — Background — Fort Canning 'il a n VI CONTENTS.

Chapter III

Singapore : the Town. Ancient Tradition— Crowded Streets — Commercial Square — Verandahs—Vigour of Nature— The River— Crowd of Boats— Busy Wharves— Proposed Pier — Native Part of the Towti — Native Shops— Chinese Trades— Opium Shops— Manner of Smoking — Chinese Barbers— Itinerant Vendors — Street Scribes — Dangerous Driving — River Bridges — Eastern Division of the Town — St. Andrew's Cathedral — Court House — Town Hall— Night View 49

Chapter IV

Inland Scenery: Jungle Tigers. Residences — Indian Bungalows — Roads — Dhobies — Fireflies — Nutmeg Plantations — Gambier Plantations — The Jungle — Parasites — Rattans — Pitcher Plants — Jungle Roads — Selita Bungalows — Monkeys — Deer — Hogs — Tigers — Yearly Victims — Concealment by the Chinese Planters — Small Numher of Tigers — Few killed — First Tigers seen in Singapore — Swim across from Mainland — How they attack Man — Instant Death — An Escape — Tigers cowardly — Malay Adventure — Singular Attack in Province Wellesley — How they mangle their Victims — Means adopted for their Extermination — Their Habits — Tiger Pits — Late Incident at a Pit — The Reduction of Tigers a Consideration for future Government 73

Chapter V

Population : Aborigines — Malays— Chinese. Population Tables — Aboriginal Tribes — Their Country — Their own Traditions — Driven to the Interior by the Invasion of the Malays — Customs — Feasts and Marriages — The Chase — Their Dwellings — Features — Disposition — Superstitions — Contact with the Malays. — The Malays: their Origin — Number in British Settlements — Mahomedans — Hamlets— Domestic Relationship — Appearance — Comeliness of the Women — Dress — Want of Industry— Pursuits — The Tumongong and Sultan. — The Chinese : their Industry — Secret Societies— Obstruction to Justice — Opium Smoking — Gambling — Natives of India: Klings— Bengalese— Other Asiatics— Half Castes— Progress of the Population, past and future CONTENTS. VII 203

Chapter VI

Cultivation j Climate — Fruit— Products. Temperature — Rain — Freedom from Disease — Fruits : the Mangosteen; the Durian — No fixed Seasons — Products — Gutta Percha : Manner of Collection — Gambier : Method of Preparation — Pepper : Preparation of White and Black — The Nutmeg : early Plantations at Bencoolen and Penang — Begun at Singapore — Planting Mania — Appearance of Disease or Blight — Its rapid Progress — Death of all the Plantations — Cultivation Extinct — Cocoanuts 150

Chapter VII

Commerce : Singapore — Penang — Malacca. Nature of the Trade of Singapore — Its rapid Progress — Comparative Progress of the three Stations — Imports at Singapore from different Countries — Their Character — Singapore Exports — Of what they consist — Number and Nationalities of Vessels arrived during the Year at the Port of Singapore — Future Commercial Policy — Imports at Penang — Sumatra Produce — Exports from Penang — They exceed the Imports — Number and Nationality of Ships arrived at Penang during the Year — Imports and Exports of Malacca — Tin, the chief Export — Royalty reserved by Government — Concluding Remarks on the Commerce of the Straits of Malacca 174

Chapter VIII

Government : Revenue — Expenditure — Military Defence. Past Government — Present Administration — Supreme Court — Sources of Revenue — Farming System — Its Advantages — Government Farms — Opium Farm— Its Morality — Toddy and Baang, Spirit, and Pawnbrokers' Farms — Expedience of a Gambling Farm— Its Value — Evils of the present Attempt to restrict the Vice — Land Revenue— Stamp Tax— Municipal Revenue — General Expenditure — Public Works — Government Salaries — Military Expenditure and Strength — Fortifications of Singapore — Their Faults — Advantages of a Sea Defence — Singapore a Naval and Military Depot— Evils of a Local Corps or Local Marine CONTENTS. VIII

Chapter IX

Excitements : Amoks — Gang Robberies — Riots — The " Alabama." Security of English Residents — Amok running — First instance in Singapore— Remarkable Case— Cause or Motive— Severe Measures to repress them — Gang Robberies — Two serious Cases — How they were suppressed— First Chinese Riot in 1854 — Its Origin — Its Incidents— The Military and Special Constables — Second Chinese Riot in 1857 — Its Cause — Its Incidents — The Volunteers — Its Pacification — The Alabama — Her Arrival — Native Excitement — Her Appearance — Her Officers and Crew — Captain Semmes — Her Departure — She burns the Martaban, Sonora, and Highlander, in the Straits — The Effect of her Appearance in the East on American Shipping 256

Chapter X

Society : its Divisions — Style of Life. No Field for European Labours — Case in Illustration — None for Adventurers— Social Distinctions — Society in its restrictive Signification — Its Conservativeness — Its expensive Hospitality — Its Composition — Prejudice against Colour — Style of Living — General Luxury — A Day's Life — Morning Walks — Cool Air and Beauty of Scenery — Breakfast — Drive to Town — Business — Tiffin — Fives Court — The Band — Drive Home — Dinner — Its Substantial Nature — After Dinner Amusements 280

Chapter XI

Penang : Settlement — Progress — Scenery. Introduction — Object of the Settlement — Founded by Mr. Light in 1786 — Its formal Inauguration — Early Contentions between the Officials and Merchants — Death of Mr. Light — Proposed Abandonment — Major McDonald — Continued Contentions Contumacy of the Merchants — Death of Major McDonald Sir George Leith succeeds — Extension of Establishment Annexation of Province Wellesley — Penang becomes a Presidency in 1805 — First Recorder arrives — Rapid Succession of Governors — Eccentricities of the Recorder — Deficiency of the Revenue — Lord Bentinck's Arrival — Scenery — Approach Town and Shipping— The "Valley"— The High Lands— The Waterfall— View from Government Hill— Climate— Societv CONTENTS. IX

Chapter XII

Province Wellesley* — Topography — Agriculture. Fertility of the Soil — Climate — Sea Frontage — Rivers — Early Piratical Nests — Roads — Culture — Rice — Malay and Siamese Farmers — Intei-mixture of the Races — Malayan Tradition of the Origin of Paddy — Siamese Account — Harvest Ceremonies and Amusements — Sugar Culture — Advantages of the Province — Early Chinese Cultivation — Their Method of Milling — European Planters — Varieties of Sugar-canes — Manner of Planting — Principal European Estates — Future Prospect of Sugar Culture — Other Products — Wild Animals — Tigers — Elephants — Rhinoceros — Bison, &c 327 CHAPTER XIH. Malacca : Its Antiquity — Traces of its Earlier Days. How and when it came into European Possession — Its former Greatness — Traces of its earlier Days — The Stadt-house — St. Paul's Cathedral — Old Tombs and their Epitaphs — The Ancient Fort — Its Destruction by the Enghsh — Underground Passages and their Traditions — Curious Discoveries — Evidences of extensive Gold Mining — Painful Incident — The Modern Church — Practical Spirit of the East India Company 348

Chapter XIV

Malacca : Inhabitants — Agriculture — Mining. Native Division of the Town — The Inhabitants — A Convict's Story — Internal Resources of the Territory — Fruit Gardens — Paddy Cultivation — Tapioca — Its Growth and Manufacture — "Ayer Panas" Bungalow — The Hot Springs — The Tin Mines at Kassang — The Roman Catholic Mission to the Aborigines — Father Borie — The Jacoons — Tiger Story — Superstition of the Jacoons — Deserted Nutmeg Plantation 372 Appendices LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 1. Singapore at Sunrise, from the Hills Westward to face Title 2. View at the Entrance to New Harbour, Singapore ,, page 33 •). The River and Town of Singapore, from Fort Canning „ ,, 55 4. Malay Fishing Hamlet, near Singapore „ „ 129 5. The Alabama at Anchor in New Harbour-, Singapore „ „ 278 fj. View of a Country Road in Penang ,, „ 321 7. View in Province Wellesley — The Paddy Fields under Water ,, ,,

Preface

. The following pages have been written under the belief that the possessions of which they treat are about to come under the direct control of the Imperial Govern ment, and with a view to afford the people of England some glimpse of the great beauty, some conception of the valuable commerce, and some grounds upon which to estimate the importance, in a political point of view, of the tropical country to which they are about to be drawn in the ties of a nearer relationship. And I do not think I have claimed for my subject more attention than it deserves. In point of physical beauty it can have few compeers ; its chief port ranks third in the commerce of India ; and its geographical position gives it a political importance which must be measured by the value to Great Britain of ascend ancy throughout the rapidly developing countries of the Far East.

PREFACE.

. XII While the greater part of my book is descriptive, I have in some chapters ventured to offer an opinion on one or two of the chief questions of Government which are likely to be raised hereafter ; and even if my conclusions should be faulty, the material from which they are drawn wiU be found valuable, and afford, perhaps, the basis of as secure a policy — for whether in describing the possessions themselves, their commerce or their government, I have made no statement on hazard merely — much may have been left untold, but what does appear has been the subject of careful inquiry. In conclusion, it may be well to claim the reader's indulgence, in so far that as I now part with the manuscript at a very great distance from the place of publication, I shall not be allowed the advantage of revising or recon sidering what I have written.

I trust, however, that the constancy with which I have adhered to facts throughout will confine my short-comings rather to errors of taste and judgment, than permit them to include those in any way likely to mislead or mis inform. John Cameron. Singapore, 21st July, 1864. OUR TROPICAL POSSESSIONS TN MALAYAN INDIA.

Chapter I. The Straits Settlement

: HISTORY, ANCIENT AND MODERN. Introduction — The three Stations, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca — Geographical Positions — Singapore — Its very early History — Colonized by the Malays in 1160 — Lost through Treachery to the Javanese — Story of its Loss — Re-occupation by the Malays in 1512 — Settlement by the British — Sir Stamford Raffles — Bencoolen — Bickerings with the Dutch — Colonel Farquhar first Resident — Town laid out — Mr. Crawfurd — Incorporation with Penang and Malacca — Mr. Fullerton — His unpopularity — Quarrel with Sir John Claridge — Arrival of Lord William Bentinck — Mr. Ibbetson Governor — Mr. Murchison — Mr. Bonham — First China Expedition— Colonel Butterworth — First Chinese Riot — Mr. Blundell — Lord Elgin's famous Decision — Second Chinese Riot— Colonel Cavanagh now Governor.

The tropical colony of the Straits Settlement, which is probably about to pass from under the government of India to be added to the list of direct dependencies of the Crown, is one which in many ways will merit the solicitude of the Imperial Government. Its administration is a high and important trust, which if boldly, and yet wisely conducted, will go further to preserve the predominance and permanence of British interests — commercial and political — in the Eastern Archipelago, and the adjacent native continental States — if not, indeed, in China itself — than any other means which the Imperial Government can employ. Founded under the rule of the old East India Company, and fostered from its infancy by a policy which, if faulty in many other respects, was at least well suited to protect and encourage a settlement ere it attained inherent strength enough to stand by itself, the Straits Settlement has grown to an importance incompatible with such tutelage.

It remains to be seen how the progress of its maturer years will be advanced or retarded by the wise or unwise government of English statesmen. Hitherto but little has been given to the world concerning it, and to the great bulk of untravelled Englishmen it is known only as a distant Indian station, where manufactures are sold and produce bought under the sweltering heat of an equatorial sun. Indeed, an existence there is viewed as an exile of the worst description, to be compensated only by the wealth which it is reputed to bring. But those who have endured that exile can tell a far different tale of the condition of life in the tropical garden ; and those at all acquainted with the high roads of Eastern trade, have but to view the position of the island of Singapore on the chart, to become sensible of its importance to such a nation as Great Britain ; an importance which PAST GOVERNMENT. 3 must keep pace with the growth of European inter course with the populous nations of the East.

Much of the ignorance which prevails in the mother country as to the character and resources of these outlying settlements is to be attributed to the nature of their past government, which separated them as completely from Enghsh control, and, of course, from English public interest, as if they had been the possessions of a foreign power. The East India Company, that guided their destinies until six years ago, was never communicative. Nor was the change which took place in 1858, when the Company yielded up its authority to the Crown, likely to bring the affairs of the Straits into any greater notice in England. The settlement continued to be ruled through the council at Calcutta, who, from the affairs of a great empire, could but seldom spare much attention to the necessities of a distant province possessing nothing in common with, and nothing that could much contribute to, the welfare of the mother continent.

But, as will be presently seen, from a combination of fortuitous circumstances, the neglect has not been fatal. Singapore, founded on the liberal and enlightened principles understood at the time by so few, but which formed the loadstone of Sir Stamford Raffles' policy, has withstood the evil consequences of neglect, and, aided by the enterprise of its merchants, and by the rare advantages which its geographical position gives it, has gradually, but always progressively, grown into com mercial importance, which will be best understood when it is stated that its yearly imports exceed six 1—2 millions and a half sterling, and its exports over five millions and a half. Penang and Malacca, sharing soon after their incorporation the liberal policy inaugurated at Singapore, have prospered with it, though not to the same degree.

The gross imports of the three settlements may be represented in round numbers by eight millions and a half, and the exports by eight millions and a quarter. These facts have at last forced their way, if not into the notice of the world at large, at least into that of the British Government, the great arbiter of the fate of aspiring dependencies, and it has, I believe, been concluded that a possession of such a gigantic com merce should no longer remain " the dependency of a dependency;" nor has it been thought wise, that a place so valuable, in a strategic point of view, to a nation aspiring to paramount influence in the East, should remain to be administered under the circuitous routine of the Bengal Government. The tropical colony, then, comprises the island of Penang, (or Prince of Wales' Island, including Province Wellesley,) the town and territory of Malacca, and the island of Singapore.

The East India Company in 1786 came into possession of Penang by treaty with the Rajah of Quedah, a native state on the west coast of the peninsula ; and fourteen years later the slip of land opposite Penang, now known as Province Wellesley, was ceded to the Company by the same prince. Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese under Albuquerque more than 350 years ago, and about GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION. years afterwards fell by conquest into the hands of the Dutch, who retained it until 1795, when we took it from them. It remained in our possession until four years after the conclusion of the treaty of Vienna, and in 1818, was re-dehvered by us to the Dutch in con formity with the terms of that treaty ; but seven years afterwards it came finally into our possession in terms of the celebrated treaty with HoUand of 1824.

As for Singapore, it has never changed European owners. In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, then Governor of Fort Marlborough, or Bencoolen, in Sumatra, who had been long impressed with the importance of the position, came over and took formal possession of the then nearly uninhabited island, on temis which will be treated of hereafter. The three settlements lie along the northern boundary of the Straits of Malacca. Penang is an island situated at its north-western entrance, or in about latitude 5° 24' north, and longitude 100° 21' east, and is about 131 miles long, having an extreme breadth of 10 miles, containing an area of very nearly 70,000 acres. Province Wellesley is on the mainland of the peninsula, immediately opposite Penang, the water dividing them being about 3 miles broad at the narrowest point ; it runs north and south 25 miles, varying in breadth from 4 to 11 miles, and containing an area of 15,000 acres.

Malacca is a much larger tract of territory, distant from Province Wellesley some 260 miles along the coast of the Malayan Peninsula, in a south-easterly direction, the intervening territory belonging to the native states of Perak and Salangore, both under the English protection ; it has a frontage to the straits of 43 miles, its extent inland varying from 10 to 28 miles. The town stands in latitude 2° 16' north. About 100 miles south-east from Malacca, at the eastern entrance of the straits, the island of Singapore juts out from the native state of Johore, and forms the heel of the peninsula. It is 25 miles long by 14 broad, and contains an area of 206 square miles. The position of the town is in latitude 1° 17' north, longitude 103° 51' east. Of the island of Singapore — the youngest but most important of the three incorporated settle ments — I mean first to treat separately, leaving my notice of Penang and Malacca to a later part of this volume.

The very early history of Singapore can possess but little interest to English readers as compared with its present condition, and I shall consequently be as brief on this head as possible. As will be seen, when I come to treat of the native races of the settle ment, the aborigines of the peninsula and adjacent islands were composed of wandering and very thinly scattered tribes, who never built permanent villages. As early as the year a.d. 1160, the pioneers of the Malays came over from Sumatra, and driving out the few scattered tribes of the aborigines, planted a considerable colony on the island, which they named Singhapura. The kings of Java, anxious to possess so prosperous a settlement, made repeated attacks upon it, but were invariably driven back, until the year 1252, when treachery at last led to the defeat and UNDER THE JAVANESE. 7 expulsion of the sturdy settlers.

It appears that their prince or chief, captivated by the exceeding comeliness of the daughter of his bandahara or viceroy, took her to wife, much to the disgust of his other mistresses, who, not long after her marriage, accused her of infidelity, and so worked upon the jealousies of the prince that he ordered her impalement. The bandahara, assured of his child's innocence, earnestly entreated that, if his daughter must suffer death, it might not be so shameful a one. His request, however, was disregarded, and so was formed the first traitor in the camp of the islanders. The bandahara secretly invited the Javanese to the conquest of the place ; they came, and the gates of the citadel admitted them by night ; an obstinate struggle succeeded, but the Javanese were victorious, driving the Singaporeans from the island to seek a new colony on the mainland of the peninsula.

This they did at Malacca, and in the end became the founders of the Johore Empire. Singapore appears not to have prospered in the hands of its Javanese conquerors. It never rose to any pre-eminence under them, nor was it ever sufficiently powerful to take part in the many struggles that afterwards ensued between the Portuguese and the surrounding native principalities. Indeed, the most probable conjecture seems to be, that a century or so after its acquisition it had been abandoned, at least as a stronghold, by the Javanese, and left to a few peaceable fishermen and tillers of the soil, who neither attracted the cupidity nor provoked the jealousy of other states, nor possessed any sentiments of ambition in themselves. In this condition the island appears to have remained until the middle of the sixteenth century, when the descendants of its original founders, who had grown in power and opulence, were expelled from Malacca by the Portuguese under Albuquerque.

From the time that the Malay pioneers had been driven by the Javanese from Singapore to plant their new settlement at Malacca, they had prospered in no ordinary degree ; and had not only brought under their dominion a considerable portion of the south western coasts of the peninsula, but had extended their sovereignty over many of the islands southward of the Straits of Singapore. When, therefore, after many fruitless attempts to overcome their Chris tian foes, they were expelled from the centre of their government at Malacca, they moved further south, gathered together the remnants of their possessions, and founded the kingdom of Johore, which embraced the southernmost extremity of the peninsula, from Point Romania on the east to the Cassang river on the west, and also included Singapore and many of the islands to the south of the Straits, such as the Carimons, Bintang — of which Rhio is the capital, &c. I do not propose here to follow the chequered fortunes of the kingdom of Johore, but, from what has been stated, the singular circumstance can be noted, that the island of Singapore, though for whole centuries afterwards it remained an impenetrable jungle with but a few fishing villages on its shores, was neverthe less the original settlement of the adventurous and, in THE DUTCH — SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES. 9 many respects, noble race, that, like English colonists in more modern instances, have laid the foundation of a great empire on but a very small beginning.

From the time of the foundation of the Johore empire in 1512, till more than three hundred years afterwards when Sir Stamford Raffles founded a British settlement on it, Singapore was esteemed but of very little importance. The great empire itself had been much shaken by continued encounters with native as well as European foes ; and, in some cases, internal dissension and disturbances had still further weakened its unity. The Dutch had just taken pos session of Rhio for 4,000 guilders a month, and were busy with their intrigues to obtain supremacy over the entire kingdom of Johore. Sir Stamford Raffles, however, was not to be outwitted by native vacillation or Dutch cunning, and he was far more wise in his selection of the future English station than were the Dutch, when they chose Rhio. He must have clearly seen that, on the high road of China commerce, Sin gapore could not fail under a liberal and enlightened policy, and in the possession of such a nation as Great Britain, to grow up to an importance that would wither the efforts of any rival power in its vicinity.

But he had no small difficulty to encounter. He was desirous to secure not a virtual possession only, but a legal one — legal in the eyes of the people themselves, as well as of European nations. This was not a very easy task at the time. In 1818 Major Farquhar, then resident of Malacca, had made a treaty with Sultan Abdul Rahman Shah, providing for mutual liberty of navigation and commerce in the ports and dominions of Johore, and securing a right to build a factory on the island of Singapore. A few months afterwards, however, the Dutch, when Malacca was delivered up to them in terms of the treaty of Vienna, sent an over powering force to Rhio, where Abdul Rahman Shah, with whom our treaty was made, resided ; they declared this chief to be their vassal, and treated with contempt all the negotiations he had made with us ; extorting a treaty from him for themselves, which altogether excluded British trade from his ports and possessions.

But Sir Stamford Raffles was not deterred from the pursuit of his original intention towards Singapore, and in 1819 he proceeded there with Major Farquhar, and hoisted the British flag, placing the latter gentle man in charge of the new settlement. It appears that soon after landing, Sir Stamford was visited by the Tumongong or viceroy of Johore ; this powerful chief was far from friendly to the progress of the Dutch in these parts, and readily lent himself to carry out the wishes of Sir Stamford Raffles to obtain for the British a legal and indefeasible title to the new settle ment. He stated that the legitimate sovereign of Johore was Hassan Shah, the elder son of the late sultan, and not Abdul Rahman Shah, with whom our first treaty had been made, and whom the Dutch had acknowledged as the legitimate successor simply because he was more conceding in his disposition.

Assured of this fact, Sir Stamford Raffles secretly despatched a packet to Rhio where Hassan Shah was living in obscurity, and had him brought over SINGAPORE, HOW ACQUIRED. 11 to Singapore in the night-time. As soon as he landed, Sir Stamford Raffles called together the Tumongong of Johore and Bandahara of Pahang, the two hereditary elective officers of the empire, and had him proclaimed Sultan. A treaty was now drawn up, to the effect that British jurisdiction should extend over a limited part of the island, from Tanjong (or Cape) Mallang on the west, to Tanjong Katong on the east, and as far inland as the range of cannon shot. It was not until five years afterwards that final arrangements for the entire cession of the island to the British were made ; when a treaty was con cluded on the 2nd of August, 1824, between Mr. Crawfurd, on the part of the Company, with their Highnesses the Sultan and Tumongong of Johore, whereby " the island of Singapore, together with the adjacent seas, straits, and islets, to the extent of ten geographical miles from the coast of Singapore, were given up in full sovereignty and property to the East India Company, their heirs and successors, for ever;" the Company agreeing to pay the Sultan the sum of 33,200 Spanish dollars, together with a yearly stipend during his life of 15,600 Spanish dollars ; and to the Tumongong the sum of 26,000 dollars, together with a yearly stipend of 8,400 dollars.

By this treaty, too, the Sultan and Tumongong bound themselves to enter into no alliance, and make no treaties with any foreign power or potentate, without first obtaining the consent of the British thereto. As will be gathered from the sequel, owing to a want of energy and a want of strength of character in the family of the Sultan, it has gradually lost both power and fortune; while, on the other hand, the Tumongong's family, being distinguished by great ability and determination, had steadily acquired wealth and influence, until seven years ago, when, by a treaty between the Sultan and Tumongong, recognized by the British authorities at the time, the entire sovereignty of Johore was conceded to the family of the latter. The transaction had certainly not the approval of a very large majority of the European community at the time ; and it was said that the local government authorities pushed matters on somewhat indiscreetly.