I o.

The Beginnings of British

Political Control in Malaya,
1874-6
THE wars in Malaya were not an election issue in I 87 4 like the
Ashanti War. The Straits of Malacca question, which briefly held
the political headlines during January 1874, concerned the Dutch
invasion of northern Sumatra, not Britain's intervention in the Penin-
sula. Although a telegram announcing the appointment of the first
Resident reached the Colonial Office on 24 January 187 4, and a
Reuter's cable indicating that Clarke had ended the war in Perak
actually appeared in The Observer on the following day, neither of the
political leaders found any political ammunition in them for their
election manifestoes which were being drafted over the same week-end. 1
Since the full details of Clarke's action did not arrive until 30
March 1 8 74, the Colonial Office did not consider the future of
Malaya until after deciding about the Gold Coast. The aftermath of
the Ashan ti War created a sense of urgency for a settlement in West
Africa, which was not accorded to Malaya. Malay affairs received
somewhat leisurely treatment in 187 4· This was largely due to the
methods of the man on the spot.
Sir Andrew Clarke was sent out to inquire and report. His philo-
sophy was: 'To take responsibility, to act first and always to act, to
write about it afterwards'. 2 Fully conscious that the Pangkor settle-
ment was a fait accompli far in excess of his instructions, he was con-
fident of his policy. As his Gold Coast proposals had been rejected in
favour of those of a brilliant commander, fourteen years his junior,
Clarke probably wanted to shine in Malaya. A sense of destiny
comes through his private letters to political friends in England. He
I Clarke to Kimberley (telegram) 23 Jan. 1874. C.O. 273/75; The
Observer, 25 Jan. 1874· For the election debate see my 'Disraeli's Election
Blunder', R.M.S., pp. 93-roo.
z Sir G. S. Clarke in Vetch, Life of Clarke, pp. vii and xii.
291

W. D. McIntyre, The Imperial Frontier in the Tropics, 1865–75

© W. David McIntyre 1967
292 The New Experiments

represented his acts as the great watershed in Malayan history. 'I feel
I have done a good stroke', he wrote to Hugh Childers, ' ... all the
people here say that nothing has been done so complete and equal since
Raffles's time.'1 To Disraeli's secretary he pointed out 'it is hard in a
few months to neutralise the neglect of close on a century'. 2

SIR ANDREW CLARKE AND THE FIRST RESIDENTS IN

PERAK AND SELANGOR

Clarke reached Singapore on 3 November I 873, and very soon realized

the urgency of his problem in Perak. Although the mantri's forces
and the Royal Navy's boats had had some success in restoring order in
Larut, piracy was growing alarmingly off the coast. Things were so
bad that Colonel Anson anxiously telegraphed Singapore on I 3 Decem-
ber I 873. 1 That evening W. H. M. Read, one of the most prominent
of the Straits merchants, dined at Government House. The conversa-
tion turned to Perak. Clarke had had a month to plan his intervention.
Read asked if he intended to act quickly. The governor is reputed to
have replied, 'I am ready at a moment's notice if I can get the key to
the door'. 'Give me a fortnight', interjected Read, 'and I will get it
for you.'4
Read's 'key' came from Raja Muda 'Abdu'llah, pretender to the
Perak sultanate. 'Abdu'llah had visited Singapore in October I873
when his fortunes were at their lowest. He brought an introduction
from his Ghee Hin allies to Tan Kim Ching, the rich Chinese mer-
chant, who was Read's business partner. 'Abdu'llah needed help.
Read thought he should wait for the new governor. Kim Ching, who
found he was a very expensive and scandalous guest, wanted him to go
home. But, before leaving, 'Abdu'llah promised Kim Ching that in
return for help he would grant the farm of the revenues of Larut for
ten years.s Thus Read probably had a vested interest in 'Abdu'llah's
1Vetch, Life of Clarke, p. I 54·
2Clarke to Corry, Singapore, I9 Nov. I 874. Disraeli Papers, BjxxijC/236.
3 A. Skinner, 'Precis on Perak Affairs', IO Jan. I 874. C.O. 8o9ji, p. I47.
4 Read, Play and Politics, p. 25.
s C. B. Plunket, 'Enquiry into the Complicity of Chiefs in the Perak
Outrages', 1 Dec. I876, p. 3· Copy encl. in Jervois to Carnarvon I4 Dec.
I876. C.O. 273/86.