The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-16
TREASURES OF PAHANG.
o,0TO BE had BY MERELY DIG
emo IN THE SURFACE SOIL.

IN D
~boueh Worked IN the Most Prim-
live Way-England Obliged to De-
s.,d Ber Valuable Possessions in
,,a Malay Peninsula Against DAN
rarous Native Rebellion.
From, the San Francisco Chronicle.
.yslays in revolt" Few persons out of
.,.,scial swim are aware of what lies hid
~, bebind the brief summary Of Oriental
1ov. under that heading in yesterdays
G5r,nicEe. How many people know that the
soava states of the Malay PENN
mia supply one-third of the
mbo,s tin supply of the world, and
that practically only two of them are now
hsing worked by the most primitive sys-
tsp Of Chinese mining to produce even that
third Of the supplya
How many outside Of the charmed circle
know that Pahang is land full Of gold,
vbich can be shoveled into boxes in certain
valleys by merely digging the surface soil?
Who besides one or two scientists and
,Drea or four officials, are aware that in
PebaDg are the best authenticated sources
liking Solomon's wealth-King Solomon's
minesGthe land of Ophir9 The marvels of
Pabang are yet to burst upon the world.
Thew are held back at present by jealous
british guardianship and interests.
Truth is and ever will be stranger than
f,ion In this romantic region lies mate
rIsI ready to hand which would put to con-
f1sion the fictions OF Rider Haggard. Some
few years ago the savage piracies and bloody
manglngs and murders prevailing in the
straits of Malacca caused the British gov
81, - i
its own-tO take active measures in the mat
Ter Of the Perak and SeIangor Malays. The
rs iahs were communicated with and warned
10 suppress all piracies forthwith. The
spirit was willing, but the rajah was weak,
and tue piracles continued as before Brit
ain then took charge herself and appointed
Mr.. Birch of the straits civil service as res
ident aud counselor to the Sultan of Perak,
with Swettenham as assistant. Birch was
murdered, and the escape of young Swetten-
ham down the Perak river, running the
gauntlet of savage Malays. makes mate
rial for blOod-curdling tale.
Then ensued the Perak war of 1875.
After a short and extraordinary campaign
the sultan was captured 10 the jungles and
exied to the Seychelles, England's island
jail for deposed mOnarchs. The Perak war
was won solely by war rockets The mill
tary forces were farce, and the Perak war
N1ald have continued Co this day had it not
been for the timely arrival of the blue
acketS up the Perak liver, who, unable to
70, the Malays to come out and fight,n
discharged war rockets into the Jungle for
SAINT Of better amusement. The effect was
mlque. The terrific war rockets, glanclng
rom tree to tree, around corners and in
81 unexpected directions, emitting scorch.
ng streams of fire, were more than suffi-
cent to subdue the superstitlous native
SPIRIT The Malays feared no man while
ne jungles stood unfelled, but surrendered
the fire devils"
Then came a period when the practical
trone Of Perak went a-begging. No Off
cal would accept the post, which meant
cr.ain death away in the jungles far from
civilization and white humanity. At this
Gss Rajah Brooke of Sarawak fame rec
0nmended the employment of a European
@chid hunter in his domains of Borneo.
Some years ago the market garden firm Of
Hugh Low & Co. in the suburbs of London,
sent out the son of the senior member to
collect orchids in Borneo. The young
orchid hunter became an intrepid 'juugle
wallah," rapidly acquired a thorough
knowledge of the Malay language and peo-
pie, and made a name and reputation for
PERSONAL courage and daring which spread
wide among q savage, warlike race. This
white hairs to-day are honored in the circles
Of Englands administrators.
Sir hugh Low, h. C. MIG. deserves his
pension and titles. Ten years ago Perak
was wild and painless jungle. To-day
fTst-cless carriage roads traverse the state
aud join together this and that handsome
town with its fine streets and houses, court
houses, jails, barracks, official residences
d other buildings. the revenue of the
state has risen from some 5000 per annum
INTO the millions. Railways run from point
topont and trans-peninsula lines are now
under survey and construction. So far the
revenue Is derived from 10 to IL per cent.
tax on the tin exported, with some addition
from the farms" for sale Of opium and
cAduct OF regulated gambling houses. The
un is all surface mined by Chinese coolies
tle entire peninsula being one huge bed of
tn OVERLAND with some fifteen to forty feet
d gravel wash from the main chain of
Mountains
So Perak and Selangor fell under British
F0tectlon. The sultans are subsidized with
some various rajahs and native officials and,
craving comfortable incomes, live at their
ease. trusting everything to the British
o1lclals. In justice to these latter let it be
SAD that law and order, prosperity and
plenty have followed their rule.
men came rumor and wild tales of
F4hang-tales supported by the one or two
VINO had penetrated the wilds and seen
WIN their own eyes the marvels of the
Ahd' They were tales of gold. In 1885
"o government officials were despatched
70 inspect and make reports of the mar
SeIous gold mines which were attributed to
tne servants of King Solomon, since for
centuries the art of shaft and level drift and
uI!Ve were unknown to the simple service
MESS OF the peninsula. The explora-
tIonS OF Cameron and bis alleged fairy tales
now received official seal and confirmation.
tauang was TO be acquired and gathered
nIo the protected states. France and Ger
many had to be hoodwinked, the former
country especially keeping jealous guard
.n any further British encroachment on
ue rlch peninsula. The Sultan of Pahan9
FnaS nerce and unconciliatory. The
SaonammedanlN adjis. ever foe TO infldel
Igs anu Christians, controlled the native
lgion.
W. IN vain did the dlgnitied Sir Frederick
Gu m9iu' the bluff Sir Hugh Low and the
qulet, crafty Swettenham seek to vile the
ISatlVe chleG with high official visit and the
loneyed Establishment. The Nadiisi infIu.
me prevailed, and England's emissaries
we were Snubbed and forced to beat an undig-
Slsu retreat, leaving behind them young
TSnnQrd, a nephew of Sir Frederick, to
%Id1Icl the course Of events and exercise his
i Luio knowledge of the people and their
,als uage to seize any chance or opening for
ig aps and diplomatic seizure of the
ia',l. IL was all in vain. The sultan
P,;sstueeu at all proposals to admit the
s SatsSn rule, and months rolled by without
Isn OF opportunity or excuse. Pahano