The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-01 00:00:00

OUR WAR IN MALAY.

The interesting despatches received from the Admiralty
enable us for the first time thoroughly to understand' the
earlier incident, in our lilt le war in the ttoisc penis ~uls.
We need not discuss the police adopted by Sir Willis..
Jervoia in virtually annexing Perak, hut it showed creat
ignorance of Malay character to suppose that Mr. Birch
could, without serious ridc, distribute the pmclamations
which put an end to the independence of the country.
Sudden awl quick in quarrel to a proverb, there WASS no
reason to believe that o. ouch an occasion they would
prove exceptionally mild and aulimiedve. It was, there-
fore, to say the least of it, improdent not to back up
political action of so strong a nature by a military force.
From the dispatch of Sob-Lieutenant Abbott, however,
it would appear that Mr. Birch and he started on the
evening of the Ist November from the Rosidencv to put
the proclamations in question with little more than a
guard of honour, consisting of ten Sepovs of the Resident's
escort, provided with a three-pounder brans gun. Pulling
up the river the party found the inhabitants of a village,
near which the little flotilla was anchored whilst dinner
Was served, very well di. mead, and with perfect confi-
dence puabed on in the evening to Paean- Sala, close to
the Maharajah Lela's residence. Maharajah Lela, it may
be mentioned, is the highest in rank an. mg the chiefs of
the second rank, played a prominent part in the struggle
for the succession to the s avereignty of Perak, and haa
from the ounaet of the present War heen ono of our moat
determined foes. Early next wonting Mr. Abbott landed
to *hoot, and on returning to the river bank found that
Mr. Birch had been murdered and his escort had fled. On
this Mr. Abbott, accompanied by two natives, got into a
boat, and, tinder a heavy fire of naisketry, succeeded in
reaching the Residency. There ho leanit that nine of the
Sepoys —three of them woundod—hl precede.l him, and
aacertainel the particulars of the attack on Ur. Birch.
The position was critical. There were only about half...-
.loin European officiala, four sailor., and some 50 effective
Sepoya of the escort, and an attack WS, momentarily
expects-4. The Sepoys, moreover, who were nearly all
Punjaubees, had been but recently enlisted, and were
deficient in drill, diacieline, awl knowledge of the uss of
their arms. It would also appear that the Europeans
present were not well versed in Ilindostani, and, there-
fore, unable to communicate with then,. Such was the
untrustworthy force which on the evening of the let
November awaited attack. Mr. Abbott Waa not, however,
diatnayel, and never entertained the slightest intention of
retreat.. On the contrary, he at once act ti work to maintain
hia hold on the island on which the Residency was aituated.
Fortunately for bins a colonial steamer wa-s moored close
lie, and this he diapatchel to Penang with information,
lie also wrote to Rajah Mudah. the Sultan whose claims
we had enforced, and telegraphed to Sir William Jervois.
Having thus taken every practicable step to obtain
assistance he proceeded to make the best of existing local
resources. Some &axiaus hours were passed by the little
garrison, and their anxiety Was not without reason, for,
on the morning of the 3rdi, some friendly Chinese brought
intelligence that the mutiny had assembled on both banks
of the river with the intention of :attackiog the Residency
during the night, but had changed their minds at the last
moment. Believing th.st the attempt was only deferred
, Mr. Abbot constructed a S.S.:l(ala and surrounded the
, island with strong chemise de frise. Fortunately the
garrison Was uniuolestel, and on the morning of the sth
Mr. Sweetenham arrived to assume civil charge of the
Residency. With him Mr. Abbot, who throughout
combined in an admirable inauner prudence with a spirit
of enterprise, concerted a plan for assuming the offensive.
Hearing, however, that some troops were coming he
determined to wait for their arrival. Meanwhile he pre-
pared boats for the reception of two guns which he had at
his disposal. About noon Captain Inns', acting assistant
commissioner, with 60 loon of the 10th Regiment, under
Lieutenants Booth land Elliot, disembarked, awl it was
resolved to attack the following morning, the 7th.
The account of the unfortunate affair which
took place on that day is simply yet clearly
described by Mr. Abbott. The detachment
told off for the expedition consisted of 20 Malays,
under Sir. Swettenham, as scouts four men of her
Majesty's ship Thistle, with coolies carrying rocket; under
Mr. Abbott; 47 Sepoys and 27 police under Superintendent
Plunket; and 51 non-com miasioned officers and men of the
10th, under Lieutenant llooth, with Lieutenant Elliot am
subaltern. As Captain Innes was in civil employ, it would
seem that Lieutenant Booth, as the senior military officer,
WAS in cotutaaud, for at is stated that on the tatters'. being
wounded early in the action Lieutenant Elliot asainuml the
command, and Captain blues is spoken of as having
merely accompanied Mr. Alibotfa party. It is passible,
however, that Captain limes eousidered the police and
Sspoys as being under his orders. %Fe cannot, therefore,
yet decide on whom the responsibility for the conduct of
operations mated. It would almost seem as if there waa a
sort of commutes of command. At all events the affair
does not seem to have been very skilfully managed. The
extemporised gun boats which afterwards proved so useful
were not employed, and when the force came in contact
with the enemy it was ordered after • while to rush the
stockade, in which Lie was perfectly invisible, though he
could see our men. The signal for the rush was to be the
discharge of two rockets. It may be observed that • fire
of rockets had been kept up from the beginning, but they
were of an obsolete pattern, and were totally insufecieilt.
When the second rocket had started on his fiery but harm-
too way, the Europeans advauced rapidly, and reaching
the stockade poured in a heavy flre from whatever avail-
able cover there WSW. They could not however see the
enemy, awl were theinselves dropping fast, so a retreat
was ordered. It was effected in good order, and the Resi-
dency Was reached about 3.30 p.m. 'rho load Was serious,
and amounted to one officer—Captain tones —one private.
one Sepoy, and one friendly Malay killed, and two officers,
nine Luropean non-commissioned olflawre and men, and
one Sepoy wounded. The friendly Malays displayed the
greatest courage, but the pollee and the Resident's escort
behaved badly, crowding together behind a tree as soon as
the lighting began, and obstinately refusing to advance.
In excuse for the escort, however, it must be said that
they acre Law recruits, and ware led by noone whom they
knew, and who could speak their language. The following
errors would sown to hare been committed. In
the first place, the gun boats prepared by Sub-
Lieutenant Abbott *ore left liehind. In the
second, no reconnaiasanoo of the stookade was made
before the blind rush on R. while in the third, the rookete
had not been previously tested before starting, and no
tools or bags of powder for forcing an entr.othie had been
provided. In short, the expedition started without data
to determine whether the attack was feasible, and with-
out adequate nosons to overcome proliable difficulties.
As it turned out, the attempt was utterly rash and fool-
hardy : yet it was afterwards learat that the stockade was
abandoned soon after our retreat. A second attempt was
made with a larger and hotter equippeal force, on the 15th,
the precaution having been taken of previously sending
outs reconnsiasance. This time a flotilla of native boats,
with a 7-pounder gun, two 12-pounder howitzer*, two
24-pounder rockete, and a Cohorn mortar, all manned
by sailors and led by Commander Stirling. in • steam
launch, kept a little in advance of the troops, in
order to search with their fire any stockades they
might come across. The hind harm proceeded up
the right bank, under Captain Whitla of the 10th
Regiment. and Was coitatitutesl as follows :—One
officer and 26 men of the Royal Artillery, with a
braas 12-pounder howitzer; 1.3 officers and 120 men of the
10th, and 15 marinea besides, we believe, some Sepoys,
Police, and friendly Malays. The combined forces worked
with the utmost harmony, gni drove the enemy from
oven, position, with but little Ima to the assailants. On
this occasion three stockades were captured, 15 guns were
taken, and • severe blow inflicted on the enemy. Thus,
owing to careful preparations and skilful arrangements,
was the lust disaster redeemed said a wholesome drawl or
British troops inspired. The subaeouent cpeagtions hnve
been one unbroken series of victoriet. It is true that the
number of troops employed kat been large; but in such a
warfare lii.. false economy not to bring no as strong
force as possible. The neck of the Havel& hail /WV Lain
been broken; but wo fear that General Colborne and his
men have still much bard work before them in hunting
down the scattered enemy until in despair he sues for
peace.

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