National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-05-30


navy, manufactures, and commerce,
would thus inaugufate anew era Of coloni-
zation in tho extreme east worthy of
itself and of the great principle it repre-
sents Of Did to all enterprises and II is
with this intimate conviction l come to
America, my adopted country to offer
this suggestion to your excellency.
The practical knowledge havo ac-
quired during fifteen years residence in
Asia enabled me TO offer you tho little
island Of Pulo Way for an American naval
station in tho East Indies. 1t is situated
few milos from the north point OF tho
island Of Sumatra, fronting Acheen. II
has fow inhabitants, and is owned by
nobody. In the month Of February. 1862,
landed there in n Malay dinghy from
Acheon, aud took possession of the is
land In my own name. was welcomed
by the natives, and was made Pootee Tuan
Mustapha Of tho island under promise to
put it in possession of the United States,
and guarantee it from molestation by the
Malays. Tho Dutch and English have
possessions in the vicinity, but never had
anything to do with Pulo Way; and
now that own IL by right Of discovery
and habitation, and have boen acknowl-
edged as chief by the people, l am sure
we will not be disturbed.
Tho little island of pulo Way is near
/ the west entrance Of the Malncca straits.
1t has q good anchorage not far from the
mouth of the Ac heon river. in Sumatra,
and during tho six months northeast
monsoon is not subject to storms. 1t has
all the produ ctions common to Sumatra,
/ 1t 10 well kn own that the straits of Ma
| lacca give the shortest and best passage
for mail steamers from Europe to China
and Japan, and is the trade way from
India to those two kingdoms.
The island of Pulo Way will be of as
great military and commercial Importance o
to tho United States as the island of Pulo
Penang is to England. This last island
is also in the straits of Malacca, east en-
trance.
From its proximity to Sumatra Pulo
Way may have considerable influence on
tho northwestern portion Of that large
sland, aud as am a good friend Of the chief
raiah, who lives in Achoen, and who has
mover seen European or spoken to any
American hut mel had many long CON
vcrsation with him about the propriety Of
asking protection Of che powerful
American governmcnt-he agreed to
grant territory wherever good point for
II naval station could be found on the
island by treaty with the United States
for it would protect him from the Dutch,
and perhaps prevent them from conquer
ing the whole island aud making him n
vassal, as they had done raiahs Of Padang,
Bancolcon, and Palumban, on tho south
western coast Of Sumatra, and in Java.
The rajah considered my advice as
good and practicable, and often expressed
his desire to have my plan carried out.
Now If your excollency in your great
wisdom and foresight chooses to take ad-
vantage of this excellent occasion and
will honor me, the mission with l am sure
have the rajah's confidence and tho
friendship of those around him sufii.
GENTLY to induce him to conclude treaty
with all the advantages, privileges, and
concessions desirable to be dictated by your
eScellency. Tho rajnh's name is siry
R9jah Aladdin Sardar Manshoor Schander
Schaa. His mobiles are Tounkoo Maraas,
Toumtroo Mahomot Ally Malabar, Tuan
Abdulah Araby, and Tuan Sehsrrandar
Sultan Schaa. BY this treaty the Ameri-
cans would gain possession of the princi.
pal cultivated districts. and have tn,
monopoly of all the produce of Sumatra
which is coffee, sugar, pepper, cinnamon
cloves, nutmegs, tobacco, tapioca, rice
gutta percha, opium, indigo, cocoanuts
&c. The metals are gold and tin. There are
quantities of cattle, buffaloes, horses
hogs, sheep, goats, and very large deer
Fruits are abundant. The principa
kinds arc pineapples, melons, mangoyos
mangosteen, plantains, ard bananas oi
all kinds. The climate is hot and dry
but healthy. The inhabitants are Malay
possessing Islamism. They are lazy, bu
! very skillful IN the management of thei
small boats. The rajah is more Of are
ligious chief of the Kadi faith. He ha
neither soldiers nor law; has no inter
; course with other nations and only exer
cises religious authority over his peo
/ PIE. The men are small and feeble, in
= clined to polygamy. For cultivation o
0 plantations it would be necessary to intro
u duco Chinese coolies as is done in Singa
pore, Batavia, and Saigon. The Chinese ar
II the most skillful and industrious peopl
: OF Asia They are the support of tn
,, Oriental colonies and oven in trade the
= must serve as middlomen between us an
IS the natives. The Chinaman has IL
o caste ho eats anything works at an
: trade, and that cannot be said of any othe
= raco in Asia, for all others keep to thei
caste, that prohibits them from doinI
l. many things and compels thom to follow
i the customs aud trades of their ancestor
B. and TO cat us they did. Providence ha
II created the Chinese to be mediator be
J. tween Z lropeans and tho Orientals. A
!, there arc but two seasons of trade winds
81 northeast and southwestern those 7,
gons, .as,iug six months each, tho an
5, ohorage must be shifted according to til
u wind. Anuamlaboo and Barrett, on tn
D. west coast of the large island, oiler goo
hhA gOA@ NhSh NAp "Aht pAVN9 A'Nhh AiOi
" soon northeast, and Salnalanka, Delhi, an
B. Sihk, in haacGa straits, give security /
T. vessels At other times. During south
Al west m1nsOOns the waters on tho easter
n sido Of the straits is shallow, compellin
T. vessels to coast along the island of 81
70 matrs in their passage through, othel
% wise the passage is dangerous. Now
Al. -, II.
IA points on Sumatra it would DO Gibralti
II to the east for them.
had interviews also with sever,
10 rajahs on tho Malscca peninsula;
Iy Salangorc, Poral., Qludah, Pulo, Lar