Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-19
THE sUMATRA AFFAIR.

q
There is unfortunately too m,ch truth in The sub
Joined communication, taken from the Boston
Courier, TO the frauds and bad faith the partof
the trading vessels on the cost of Sumatra towards
the Malays. 1t is no cause of wonder that there
should occasionally be an outbreak on the part of
the injured and outraged victims, in which fearful
retribWion is exacted and the only surprise
should'be that such things do not occur more fire.
quently.
Of course there are many honorable exceptions,
but the rule Is very general to practice the most
barefaced impositions and frauds upon the natives
in buying and receiving their pepper, which is
their principal or only article Of traffic.
False weights and balances is only one of the
modes used to defraud, and it would be satisfac-
ton to believe that some of the owners of these
vessels are not Of these practices on the part
of their captains and agents.
Another mode is, 10 take upon the deck OF the
vessel at late hour of the day the cargoes of the
small proas or boats which bring the pepper off
from the shore in bags, and. under some pretence.
not to weigh it until the following morning, and
during the night removing clandestinely consi-
derable portion of the contents of chbag Others
will refuse to settle for the full quantity which they
even acknowledge to have received, and. under va
risus frivolous pretences,. insist on heavy reduc-
ton and Others again, with still greater hardihood,
hate refused to make any compensation whatever
rithe last few boatloads that completed their
cargo, but get their vessel under weigh and make
sail on their homeward voyage in spite Of all de-
mands, entreasies, and remonstrances. have
heard one of the captains, who was an old trader
on the coast, boast that he never paid for more
than two-thirds ofthe actual weight Of his cargo.
am sorry to say that il is the American and
British vessels which have the most unenviable
regards these practices on that coast,
though they are by no means confined to the ships
of these nations. OF course we know nothing of
the cause which led to the late catastrophe but if
the truth was known, there is little doubt it would
appear that there was greater or less proyocation
for ii on the part Of the Italian captain or his crew
On all these occasions we hear but one side Of
the story but, if the poor Malays had newspapers
of their own to speak for them, we should be in
formed Of very different details, and such as would
arouse the sympathies Of the whole nation in their
favor. .
should be well pleased if the Government would
adopt suggestion Of sending small vessel OF war
to that coast under udcious officer, who, whilst he
was Of course instructed to protect American citi
zens and vessels in all their lawful dealings and
should at the same time be authorized
and instructed to protect the Malays from the gross
frauds and impositi0ns which our countrymen, in
common with others, SO habitually practice upon
them. The latter duty, it is believed, would oc-
cupy much more of the time and attention of the,
commander than the former. As the case now
stands, the Malays have no protection and no re-
dress for the many grievous wrongs which are so
constantly inflicted upon them by foreigners, ex-
cept by seizing upon some occasion to right them
selves by " the strong arm," which we ourselves
would, under similar circumstances, be very apt to
do, and little more frequently, too, than those
poor ignorant natives are in the habit Of doing.
JUSTICE.
To the Editors Of the Boston Courier:
GENTLEMEN observe in your paper this morning an
account Of another outrsge" it is termed son the
Of Sumai" by the Masys At the close Of the same
is the following:
"a vessel Of war would be far from the right place.
could be spared visit this coast at the present
time"
New il our ships Of expected to 60 out there to
destroy the villages and inhabitants they have done BEFORE
humby beg leave TO protest against any such proceeding
Not that would countenance their very natural mode Of
taiaon for INJURIES but that would have the provocation
duly considered in the administration Of retrbuve justice
notorious fact that the poor creatures have govern
ment Of sufficient force protect them from the wrongs in
fcted them by the civilized races who resort to
their shores for their great staple pepper During the year
l84l was for Eve months their coast in vessels employed
in this trade and well convinced that welldscipned
ship with twenty men, and well armed sinvncbe to any
force they muster and, moreover that if all captains
who 60 there would but deal fairly with them, should not
hear Of these Of murder and robbery three
months with Capt Balch who has distinguished himself
in the recapure Of the Cemans, and well convinced,
from my experience that they by the worst
specimens Of humanity have to deal with and would all
who attempt trade with them but with due precauton
and fairness they would be led to take the they
do in revenge Of their injuries. For two weeks was
shore, fifty miles from the ship wholly in their power dur
ing which time received every kindness at their hands.
entertained at the palace at Archeen, their principal city,
and constantly aten ed to by his majesty the king and
wants. who administered to all my wants. only because was
stranger in strange land.
They provoked these acts Of cruelty related in
last number by the most calling frauds pracsed upon them
in manner to them, unprotected they jusying any
acts Of revenge.
to be wished that the merchants who in this
trade oil times ignorant Of the false balances and viii
anous proceedings Of their agents in their despcabe trans
actions with these unfouaste wretches no differ
between them in moral point Of view and the poor
wretch who steals sheep hrusts bis hand into my
pocket 70 meet the wants Of starving family except that
they are worse. r. H. GODDARD
BAD TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS
FROM THE CLEvHLAHD herald OF JUNE 80.
&. "a