The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-13 00:00:00

ersolen were confirmed sod prodsimed by the hoisting of the
British flag ea the walls of the Fort.

In explanation it would appear, that on the 24th of inn.,
only ten .la's previous to the arrival of Captain Sa!mond,
and while it was publicly known that a British Agent wal
On his way to Palembang, raft,. and provisions havhsg been
provided by the Sultan fur the convenience of the patty On
their way flown thu river, the unfortunate Sultan was COM-
petted to resign his *folios ity, and to deliver over his Palace.
Ois that day the hutch Commissioner states that hr ob-
tained seals and signatures to a Treaty, which nominally
transferred all authority tir the Dutch; but it is not provsd
iis what manner the asine was obtained. That they were
obtained iii an unlawful manner—that is to say, ri el nrmis,
and by intimidation, cannot he denied; and, indeed, the
Inter from the Sultan above (violet', and the act of Isis im7
enciliately hoisting, the British flair, would he sufficient evi-
dence, nese not the details which could be produced con-
clusive un this.head. The Sultan is miderstood to be at this
asonsent a cloie prisoner; and not to introduce into this
paper any particulars which might be construed into a de-
sire to lower the character of these proceedings below a fair
standard, it tarty he stiflieirist In ihsest the following ex-
tracts from the Corniiiiss. s'a statement, in order that it
may be contrasted with the evidence above adduced:—
" I have the hummer to acknowledge the receipt of Itkiiri
official letter, dated Fort blarlhosougb, the 24th of Ju
last.

" If Ilse informations which hag rt./4(1144 yon wills rel
to 111.• 1111P1',11r, .1 I 1,,11, et l'3lanisaise, under

authority of the Couirsii-sioness•Genes al, has been able to
raise your soirproie and astonishment, it was on the other
hand with nu less decire in repel and cousternat' that I
WAS affiTird oil the pesiu.al of plot- letter, and un being
apprised of the further measures you had determined upon,
if you, use to say, on such a slight foundation.
" Tile utilises, on whose reports only every informat'
&pendia that could hare reached Fort Marlborough al the
slate of your dispatches, left Palemban; at a ;solos' when I
myself had nut yet arrived at that place, when no overtures
of soy nature had as yet been mask to the Court of Palem-
bang, whs•n the military force stationed at Palembang was
still far 'whin' the usual rate of that garrison, and when of
crow/invitee every iutelligenee sent off with regent to the
drinamls I had to make, and to the military force I should
%Intim, Iheue, could only be conjectural Rod premiere, and
naturally would he exaggerated and erroneous.
'• S.. tiny have in fact proved to be. The military force
even now collected at Palembang, falls ►hort of what a
nr0.,1 garrison ought to be, and dors certainly not exceed
the limits iir a mere protectiou to a Settlement where oat a
single entrenchment, our place of safety is In be found.
e• If, therefore, the usual means of seltpreservation have
been able to raise the apprehensions and anxiety of a pu-
sillanimous Court, it is a mere accident, not to be imputed
eitlwr to tne or to the higher Powers louder whose authority
I was active.

" Nor did nay inalnictions say to use threats or military
&ire against any of the Sultans.
" It was not these warlike means that were depended upon
for the seeress of my mission. A hope fur this success was
raised un • better foundation—on the natural force of truth
in convincing the Sultan Naya Moedin of his wrongs, sod of
the acts of hostility which he bad committed, or allowed to
ise committed, by his subjects, as well on our own territo.
ries, as on those of our Allies, and on the irresistible, in.
Burner which the principles of a liberal and humane Admi-
nistration wool,: bare on the hearts of all the people of
Palembang, as !Willi as they were tendered to them, in lieu
of that state of bondage and oppression to which they had
been degiadril by the unwarrantable conduct of their Sultan,
Nay' Murillo, and his adhereuts.

" And, instead of threats nod warlike force, I have the
grt alert batisfaetiurt to ariluaint you, that it was by mere
peaceful and persuasive means, not only without drawing a
sword, or Aring a shot, but without a single affray, with-
out any individual being hurt, or even restrained or cur-
tailed in his per.unal rights or liberty, that I was fortunate
eition.eh to establish a new stale of affairs in this country,
and In obtain the tree ;mortal of both the reizning and the
lix.Saltnu to arrangements which, according to my own
view of the subject, sod under the orders under which I
acted, must certainly I had a right to make; Bud from the
operation of whorls, it may be expected, that the whole
popillation of Palembang, from the very low slate of want
and oppression to uleCil they have horn reduced, will make
a ritpul stretch towards Hot enjoyment of ease and plenty,
and of till those rights bud comforts which are dependant en
a state of personal security and civilization.

"It MRS I.y the warlike run of your military detach..
memo devreuthog Men the mountaius that my mesvencers
were btupprd on their way, guiug up to the pour inhabitaniv
of iLe cuutifty, to autwouce them the abohilun of their
Tana and Toukor, of every kith' of forced labour ■nd de.
liver y of produce, and, abuse all,el the abominable custom
of euvlosiug nut wily iudivitlaals, but wbole families and
getterations of them, fur the treeing stwoont of a civil debt.

" But bow could it be the fate of these humane prinei-
ples to be stopped in 'brie comae by a friend to humanity,
by excellence Now could the patron of these principles
rise up in opposition to the accomplishment of his own
system, mid the Lieutenant Governor of Foit Marlborough
oppose, chat it loss, and ever will be, the glory of the late
Liesterant.Goverma ~f Java to have first proclaimed ?
" I an, seueible, ilmimirable Sir, you would want here to
pot a slop to trey as gmment ; you would remind that it is on
a right h contract that yon found your claims, and point-
ing to the filial clause of the Treaty you allude to, propose
your sa,tem, that the Sultan of Palembang was an indepen-
dent Pi ime, under the protection of the British Govern-
ment, where Ammer rights were to be left untouched, even
should bwmanity soffer hg it.
" As it seems that on these points • difference of opinion
has existed between the Connmssionurs-General and the late

British A tithot Hies on the island of Java, it perhaps might
he my duty In nithold front entering on the subject, and
confinicig myself to the orders under which I ant bound to
act, act, r you tor explanation to the higher-authurities at
Java ; but considering tile decisive measures you already
have cut( rcd 11114111, and the circisitous way by which any
explanation coo hl reach gnu from .lava, 1 sill take it upon
myself to cutlet into scut.• splanation, though always a ith
durdr:.tem e, 41.11 parr the claercut view my aupuiurs
1111:111 !•wkrof the subject • • •
tr the toile its which the Nethrilands flovermuent
are determined to maintain ilic it system, some idea may
tic twined Icy Ole following additional eats act from the letter
of the "nimissiciner at Palembang :--

...... .
" I If the facts. breech of faith (uu the
rot i.l fill y, the Nellwrlantle Government, hie
av oo mitypeloti of Power. the rule judge la thele
erinrtere of the earth, end it would be highly improper to
Loud- iuto owy ju.tincation of thew but before their bijher