Fullerton’s letter to the Sultan of Siak of 7 February 1828 is the despatch by which Governor Robert Fullerton of Penang, writing from Singapore, first opened the formal correspondence with the Sultan of Siak that was to expand into the “broad Siak-correspondence” of 1828. The letter is printed in Appendix 11 of Van der Kemp’s study, together with the circular of 21 May 1828 that grew out of it.
Background
By early 1828 news of the projected Bellona mission of Commissioner-General Du Bus had reached Penang through the channel of John Prince, the former resident of Singapore, who had learned of it at Batavia in November 1827. The Dutch project contemplated sending the frigate Bellona to the East Coast to divert the salt trade from Singapore to Riouw and to draw the native chiefs into political relations with the Netherlands. Fullerton resolved to anticipate the Dutch move by addressing the chief of Siak, the most considerable of the East Coast states, in a letter intended to confirm him in his friendly relations with the British settlements.
Contents
The letter, dated Singapore, 7 February 1828, opens with the information that Malacca had been “permanently transferred to the British Government” and that Fullerton had arrived at Singapore to inquire into the general state of trade at the two settlements. Fullerton expressed satisfaction at finding that the trade between Siak and Prince of Wales Island, Malacca and Singapore was much increasing to the mutual advantage of all these countries. The letter was written, he declared, from the continued desire to keep up amicable relations with Siak and all the states on the East Coast of Sumatra, and to extend the trade and commercial communication between them and the several British settlements in the Straits of Malacca. Fullerton offered to pay attention to any suggestions the Sultan might have for the improvement of commercial intercourse, and enclosed a few small presents — a piece of scarlet silk, a piece of European chintz, a silk umbrella and a piece of Bengal silk handkerchiefs — as a token of friendship.
The Reply
A similar letter was written at the same time by the translator John Anderson, by order of the Penang government, to the pangeran of Siak. The Sultan replied, acknowledging receipt, with a letter dated 21 Dulkaida — 4 June 1828. He expressed gratification at hearing that the three countries of Pulo Penang, Singapore and Malacca had been finally secured under the government of the English Company, and protested that he was “ten times as anxious” as his correspondent to preserve the friendly relations between Siak and the British settlements, adding that he had lately succeeded his younger brother, who had been afflicted with sickness and had lost his understanding. The presents he had duly received, with much satisfaction; he had nothing to offer in return but many compliments.
Significance
The letter of 7 February 1828 is the opening move in the diplomatic campaign of which the circular of 21 May 1828 was the second. Together they constituted, in Van der Kemp’s reading, the British counter-stroke to the Dutch Bellona mission and the first formal British intervention in the affairs of the Sumatran states since the Treaty of 1824. The “broad Siak-correspondence” of 1828 marked, in Van der Kemp’s view, the moment at which the Penang government began systematically to contest the Dutch claim to exclusive political relations with the chiefs of Sumatra.
See Also
- Robert Fullerton
- Sultan of Siak
- John Anderson
- Bellona mission to Sumatra’s East Coast (1827-1828)
- Fullerton’s circular to nine Siak chiefs
- Fullerton’s minute on Acheh
- John Prince
- Du Bus
- Anglo-Dutch Treaty of London (1824)
- Siak
- Singapore
- Malacca
- Penang
- Sumatra’s East Coast
- Paper war
Source
Raffles’ Atjeh-overeenkomst van 1819, by P. H. van der Kemp, in Bijdragen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië, 6e Volgr., Deel VII (1900), pp. 159-239. Universiteitsbibliotheek Vrije Universiteit, LS.08781.