The Burney Papers [1]

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Printed^Jor private circulation.

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THE

BURNEY PAPERS -

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( October 1825 to April 1826 )

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J’rinted by order ol the Committee of the Vajirahaiia National Library.

c BANGKOK

1910.

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Extracts from

Factory Records, Straits Settlements Vols. 104,

108 and 109.

Prince of Wales Island Public Consultations.

NOTE.

• The: MSS. of the Burney papers relating td Jiis Mission to Siam in 1825/6 are kept in the India Office,‘and through the courtesy of •the Library of that Office the Vajiranarui National Library was allowed to take copies of them. The Committee of the VajirafKaija National Library considered these palmers of historical interest, and they therefore oi'doi'eil the printing of them for private circulation to subscribers only.

The present instalment contains the first part of the papers, the (second past is-in the press, and as there are still more paisers exjseeted a last'instalment may be issued with the second part or separately.

Factory Records. Straits Settle* ■nentSi Vol. 104, •' pp. 91-10*. '

FORT. CORNWALLISq-The 24: October 1825. —-- ------- ----------------- f----- ---------------------------RESIDENT AT' SINGAPORE.

To, Resident at Singapore Jst October, f lilts.

t). R. Cuppage Esquire

Acting Secretary to Government Prince of Wales Island. ' Sir,

I have the honor • herewith to enclose copy of aletter from Mr. Gillies, and translation of one from the Prah Klang or Foreign Minister, containing the most recent information from Siam. The British Ship. Caroline left Bangkok on the 27 of August at w'hich jteriod the Country was tranquil, and as far as I am enabled to judge the utmost anxiety seems to be evinced on the part of the Siamese Government to avoid all collision with us. I have &c, Ac. (Signed) J. Crawfurd Resident. Singapore, 1st October 1825. Enclosure I.

Ship Caroline, at Sea 2d September 1825.

My Dear Sir, By the return of the Caroline to Siam 20th May, I had tliQ, honor to receive your letter 2d of that month, and for the favorable manner in which you are pleased to speak of my exertions, I beg you tf> accept my best thanks. I beg to assure you that if I liave not done much, it was not for want of inclination: wdth such people it is no easy matter to keep on terms of friendship, much less to effect any beneficial arrangement of any description with them, even had I the power to do so. I have, however, I am happy to say succeeded in gaining their good oj)inion, not only of myself personally, but of my Countrymen generally.

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Since 1 had the honor to address you last, scarcely any thing of a political nature has come to my knowledge worth remarking. The whole of the Siamese Army was withdrawn from the Burman War early in. April, to attend the Ceremony of burning the body of their late . King, at the preparation and consummation of which the Government and people were so constantly engaged that they had no time to think of any thing of less importance—the chief reason given for recalling the Army was the necessity, of all the great men being present at the Ceremony, where each. had his part to perform, and for the Soldiers to keep order, besides which I believe there was some disturbance apprehended, the present King being by many considered'an Usurper, and consequently not

very popular, the festival commenced the 23d April, and continued for nine days; it was conducted with great good order and regularity, and'I must add with considerable taste, and concluded without any breach of the peace. Previous to the return of the Army one of the Generals phya Phipad, was, it is said, directed on his reaching the English Army, to put himself under the orders'of the British General, which he refused to do, and yhich incensed the King so much that on his return he was to have lost his head which was to have been sent to ths English General in a present to convince ' him with how much zeal the King had entered into the cause. A few days, however, after this man’s return he died, and was burned next day in his own house, with all its contents. Another person, Phia Champon,’ Governor of a Province of that name has some time since been brought to Bangkok and put in Irons, for some insult offered to a party of the English, at which, the King was much displeased, and fearing that these things might produce disagreeable consequences, he dispatched immediately Phia Cry, Phra Klang to the Second King to Head Quarters at Rangoon, to apologize for these acts of aggression, and no doubt to

.[ s 3 make other awangements; he was not returned when I left Bangkok.- Othere had been to Head Quarters before, and on their return spoke .in very favorable tenns of. the treatment tney diiad received and the regular, manner'in whi^h every thing was .conducted the British Camp.,; On the^18r,April ^ur letters were .yeceived in Bahgl^,,;.Signed Hy.'Buniey,. and. addressed'.'to,; Officer^* ConuiUndirig Stations that (^litleihan it. appeam..was' on a 'tour o^ inspection through the various Provinces taken from the Burmans, and on his retura arriving at some cQiivenient places he.. wrote these letters, and entrusted them'to some,person of cdnsequence, .on his .promising to forward thein* to the respective places as addressed; instead^ of which’ however, Jie -sent them to Bangkok where' they,'were opened, read,'and copies taken of them; their contents; however, were merely observations on the places heha^ seen, with direction to the respective Officers to keep •on the best .terms with the Siamese whenever^ they came in contact with them with which the'King of Siam was,much pleased; what became of the letters' 1 have not heard.

For some weeks before J left Bangkok ’there were . several reports said to have reached that place from the Seat of War, which spoke of the English and Burmans having fought several Battles^ in whicli the former were invariably Victorious, that at one of these the General in Chief of the Burmans was killed,- and tliat • the English were within 3 days march of -Amarapura; .these reports may in all probability allude to the, same you, have stated in your letter to the Phra Klang. I have lieard long ago of the intended attack. on Pera, and also of the refusal of the English to. permit the Rajah of Ligore to pass. The latter has given 'great offence to the King of Siam, and which is encreased by letters received from some Dutch place, stating that the English were preparing a great Armament to take possession of the whole

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■ Kingdom, of Que iah, ■after which that they were to proce3d|to Siam, which has put the Government in » state of, Alarm at first, but was subsiding when I left. I took every opportunity to contradict these reports, tnd assure! them'that the English'have no sucli intention?, and particularly^, at the ' last interview 5 had'with the jPlira Klahg,,'they day befor^ I left, I ' expressed my hopes that he did not believe the, various report? which were frequently brought to Siam unfavorable tb the English, that there was no truth .■whatever in them, and wt^re brougljt only by people'/ who-wphei llarm to'both "Countriesl tj^n the'con­

trary that the English were n^ost anxious jto on the bes| terms of friendship f'V^ith th« pwiiie of Siam. Tlie Phra Klang replied that there were -many bad reports ot the English brought from time to time, but that neither the King nor himsjelf believed any of them—that he did Uot think the English

had any intention to molest, them, and that they would take good care not to given any cause of com­ plaint—that the Forts building at Packnam were merely intended against the Malays. I also assured him that I would carry to Singapore the best account of, . the general ghod disposition of the Siamese towards . the English, which I had myself experienced personally since my return to Siam, and expressed my hopes, that my own behaviour and that of the other Gentle-. men with me, had given him satisfaction, to which he readi/y assented. In requesting some concession, in favdr* of our Trade, and particularly a remission of the Port Charges on a Ship visiting more than once in twelve months, he answered that it was th^ Custom to charge the Duty on a Ship every time' hhe came in, that the same was paid by the Junks, and that the King would not alter that custom. I observed to him 'that at the conclusion of the,Burman War, the English would probably .be disposed to give the King of Siam some of the conquered -Districts, which might induce the King to make Isomo alterat^ns

L 5 ] favorable to their trade.. After a pause, he answered that the arrangement of these matters did not belong to Merchants. I did pot pursue the conversation further.

I finally requested him to have the goodness to inform me if they had any late accounts from the seat of War, that I was anxious to carry with me the latest news. He answered there was no late accounts, if there had been, he would have informed me of it before now, but requested me to inform Mr. Crawfurd, that in the mean time the King had given orders to all the Generals and Governors of Provinces, especially those bordering on the Burman Country to have everything in readiness to join the English with ths whole Army of Siam, at the breaking up of the rainy season, and to prepare every possible means of transport in Boats Cattle &c. for the use of the English Army. The Phra Klang also informed me that he received accounts that morning, the 20th Ultimo, that a Ship may be daily expected from Calcutta on a Mission to the King of Siam. It will'give ms much pleasure, if this information, or any thing further I can communicate to you on my arrival in Singapore should prove of any service to yourself personally, or to the cause in which you are so heartily and so strenuously engaged.

On the return of the Caroline to Bangkok, your several Presents to the Phra Klang were duly delivered all in good order, and the two Field Pieces particularly gave great satisfaction. Herewith I beg leave to hand you the Bill of Lading and Account of Charges on the Returns amounting to Ticals 110. for which I have taken the ’liberty to value upon you at sight in favor of Messrs. Morgans, Hunter & Co. in Sp : Dollars sixty seven and

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sixty cents which please honor. There are also on board five pieces of round Knotty wood which came too late to be put in the Bill of Lading, but which shall Ire delivered with the other things—they were brought to me by the Phra Klang himself the very last moment I saw him. He speaks highly of its peculiar Vas extremely anxious to do, .as 1 had heard that two dispatches to my address had arrived at Bangkok from Mil Maingy the Commissioner of Jlergui an!d Tavoy. Accompanied therefore by Captain 3Iacfaraper to his notice ordered the Prah -Klang to lay it before him. The Prah Klang then stated, that in my address to the King, I had referred to the subject of the Burmese prisoners but that this was unnecessary, as His Majesty had ordered them all to be released. I now began to hope that my representations on this subject could no longer be evaded, and after some further discussions I brought the 3Iinister to agree, that I should immediately send a dispatch to Mr. Maingy by one of my own Servants requesting him to send as particular a list and description as he possibly could, of the prisoners taken at Tavoy and Mergui, that the whole of. them should be accounted for to me, and that, such as desired to return, should be conveyed to the frontiers of Tavoy and ifergui where a party from Mr. Maingy should meet to take charge of them. I fear it will be extremely difficult for Mr. Maingy to prepare such a list, and yet without it I know not how I can check the Ac(iount given me by tlie Siamese Officers, Besides, the Prah Klang declares he cannot tell me exactly

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what number of Captives was made. I am assn red by several secret informants that the Court of Siam is sincere in its intention to (.•sic) releasing these men, and I own I am inclined to believe it 80.

24. During the foregoing evening the Prah Klang acquainted me, that the King had done me unusually great honor at the Audience in having twice desired me to approach him’ nearer, and in having spoken to me much more than what is ever done by a King of Siam, even to a Cochin Chinese Embassador, and further, that His Alajesty is exceedingly pleased at the ahswer in which I admitted that the Burmese War is difficult, wherever the Enemy can take advantage of their woods and swamps, considering the same as a proof of my truth and integrity. I learnt also; that His Majesty has expressed his desire of soon granting me a second Audience.

25. Respecting the present Monarch all accounts confirm the high character which Air. Crawfurd gave him as Krom Chiat, for talent and intelligence. He is now'38 years of age, and lie.is said to attend very much more than the late King to the Conduct’ of public business. The • active personal interest which he takes in all affairs of the Kingdom has rendered him generally popular. His accession to the throne was effected without the slightest blood shed; and with the full consent of the Alinisters and all the other Princes who considered him much more qualified to succeed than the legitimate Son, Chow fc,a of the late King, to whom he is infinitely superior in judgement and ability. Even Chow Fa and his mother (juietly submitted to the arrangement, and the former has entered into the order of Priesthood without possessing, I am assured, the shadow of a party in op­ position to the present King. The first day the King ascended the throne he made a public declaration that his father had spent many millions within the palace.

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but that he would hot spend a quarter of the sunx and that he was determined not to be a King-ilerch^t. and not to maintain any monopolies but permit^* general free trade. -The truth is, that the present Monarch of (sic) the Prah Klang were joined with the late King in all commercial transactions, and that then, besides other practices, tlie losses were always carried , to the share ot the King, Aware of these practices,* it is said the present King is now resolved not to suffer .by them himself, But I shall take a future opportunity of submitting to you the information which I have collected respecting the present state of Com­ merce at this Capital. I early possessed very great advantages in the experience which Mr. Hunter and ■ Mr. Malloch had acquired during their residence here for the last 15 Months, and the fruits of which experience they most liberally and readily communi­ cated to me. The Portuguese Consul also, Mr. Silveria was permitted, and even reijuested by the Prah Klang to visit me before my presentation to the King and I have found this Gentleman as kind and as useful as Mr. Crawfurd reported him to be. He is now residing here under scarcely any public charac­ ter, his own Government' of Goa having (piite neglected him, whilst not a single Vessel uinler Portuguese colours has visited this port during the last 7 years,. He supjjorts himself by a little trade, and he is forced to submit to many unpleasant services that the Court retjuired of him. All letters in the English language are sent to him to be translated into the Portuguese tongue, from which Jose Pediada translates them into the Siamese. My dis­ patches from Tavoy were thus translated, and I availed myself of the same means of procuring correct Siamese Versions of the Memorial and address which are above mentioned. 2G.

On the 19tli Instant we were presented

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to the Wang na with the same state and ceremony as at our presentation to the King, excepting that instead of thrice we performed only once at each time the European and Siamese obeisances and ])erhaps the number of attendant:^ and sjiectators ('xceeded that which wo saw on the iGth. The Wang na was also seated upon a throne and his Court qiid Hall of Audience wore the Counter parts Tif the King’s. His Palace is a little higher than the King’s on the same side of the river, and his power in the state appears ryry nearly as great as the King’s having his own Ministeis, Chakri,Kalahom, and Prah Kl^ng. / Hence he is called by the Native Christians the socoiid' King. Uy address to the King must have' pleased, aS the Officera of the Wang na came to me and requested that I would speak an address jbefore fheir Master-also and I gratified them by reading a short complimentary speech' when introduced. The King’s Prah Klang was in o^^tendance- at the Wang ua’s Ckmrt and lying in the same abject posture as before his own Master. The Wang na put to me precisely the same ({Uestioiik, and almost, precisely in the same order, as those that the King had put, adding only an enquiry, whether the pri'sciit Governor of Penang has not newlv taken charge. The Wang ua’s Prah Klang, Pya Kray, is, as I have before mentioned, litf Chimpahun, and to Pya Wo soot, who is the Pya P'he phut but is now acting for Pya Kray, I was referred by the Wang na for all matters of business. The Wang na formerly styled Kroom sak is a brother of the late ilonarchs^ and his mother is the Governor of Li gores Sister. He exercises an especial superintendance over the southern and parti­ cularly the inalayan states, and he is described as a very benevolent, good humoured man, partial to Europeans and to Native Christians. He was drest very much like the King, and appeared to us an unusually large portly figure. During the Audience

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the Wang-na was. smoking a roko ay Cigar, which appeared a less dignified occupation than the King's, who was eating betel. I ” I

27. Ill a visit which I paid to the Prah Klang on the afternoon ot the 20th he offered to shew me the letter which the Ministers proposed to send to Martaban in the course of a day or two by the Burmese • Messenger Cha-Ka-tou, and he engaged to allow two Sepoys from' my Escort to accompany the Burmese to Martaban with a dispatch from myself to Brigadier General Sir Aivliibald Campbell. He declined giving me the names of the 32 places of which he had on the 11th told me the Siamese considered the Province ot Martaban to consist, and he seemed to believe that the Commander of the British Forces would accede to the pro])ositions of this Court without enfpiiry as to the nature or result of any Negotiations which I may carry on at Bangkok. I had before sounded several well informed persons here as to the possibility of pre­ vailing on the Court to depute to the frontiers one of the Ministers or some properly accredited Agent, to discuss and arrange all points relating to boundaries and the direction of any Siamese Co-operating force, but I was assured that no Siamese Minister would ever dream of proceeding on such a Mission, and that such are the jealousy and distrust entertained by the Court towards their own Officers that if one were deputed he would receive no powers to act on the spot, or to ensure to us that any part of his proceedings would be ultimately confirmed at the Capital. I now jiointed out to the Prah Klang that the English desire to cultivate a truly friendly understanding with the Siamese on. the frontiers of Tavoy and JMergui, and that to prevent all chance of dispute or collision it is absolutely necessary for Air. Maingy to be early informed what are the Siamese boundaries in that direction. The Minister said that Tavoy anti Mergui themselves are in fact the Siamese

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boundaries, that Vliose j»laces formerly belonged to the Siamese, and that the Court had long resolved iiiwn recovering them from the Burmese. I replied that what he observed is now matter of history as the English have possessed themselves of those places whence I hoped an enlarged commercial intercourse would soon lie opened with the Siamese. The Minister observed and with more ap|)earance of frankness and sincerity than I had e.vpecrted, that he hoped a flourishing trade would be soon brought by the Englitjh to Bangkok through that channel. I now projmsed that the Court shouhf depute an Officer of high rank with Captain Macfanpihar to the fronti^ of Tavoy to arrange the boundaries. Ijetween the Siamese and English possessions as well as other important points, in conjunction with the British Commissioner on the spot. He replied that? the subject as well as all tpiestions respecting the boundai’ies belonged to the department of the Kalahom, but that he would that night take an opportunity of consulting that Officer and the other Ministera, and that when I called on him on the following day he would give an answer to my proposition. I then suggested that perhaps the Prah Klang himself might find it convenient to go to the frontiers of Martaban or Tavoy. The Miiiister rolled his large body round, stared at me, and seemed as much startled as if I had proposed to him to take a trip*to Eutojic.

28, During this visit the Prah Klang laid before me a sum of 120 Ticals which he said the Wang na had agreeably to established custom sent to me' See­ ing me unwilling to receive this money the Minister told me fairly enough, that 4;he Siamese desired' to supply the table of the Mission daily, but that as we lived so much upon Animal food, and as it would be re­ pugnant to their religion to take away the life of any animal, they conceived it l)est to ask us to receive the Money and provide ourselves with suitable food.

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I received the iiionf^ and jliavei can-led it to the public Account.

29. On the night of the 20th. I paid a visit to Prince Kroni-^feun Surin, an Uncle of his ju-esent Majesty and exercising the same superintcndance over the Commercial and foreign relations of the Kingdom as the King formerly did as Krom Mooung Chiat, Tlie Prah Klang and his Officers are immediately under this Pi-ince who however appears to me to be more of the nature of a state pageant, being allowed by his nephew, the Prah Klang to exercise, little real jmwer in the conduct of business. The Court of the Prince was not very numerously attended. He was seated on a kind of Cushion or platform covered with scarlet and embroidered Cloth and raised about a foot higher than the hall of Audience, and he appeared a mild good looking man of about 38 years of age. We were attended by Pya Phi phut, Pya Chula and his .Son Radsithi and the Prince repeated for the most part the same questions, as those which the King and Wang na had put to me. I had in ‘the first con­ ference with the Prah Klang, obtained permission to make use of my own interpreter, Mr. Abraham Poons, but because he would not address the Prah Klang in the same abject form as his own Interpreters, the .Minister often pretended not to understand him and to avoid delay, I availed myself of the .Services of either Jose Pediada who speaks a little English, or of Che Sa the Rajah of Ligores Malay Interpreter, or of Pya Chula, or his Son, both of whom speak the Hindostannee language. On this night Radsithi was interpreting between the Prince and myself, when learning from my own interpreter that Radsithi had not repeated to the Prince the full sense of some of my answers and particularly of one, in which I had stated that the chief of Ligor is well apprized of the sincerity of my good will towards the Siamese which he inteipreted “ that tlie chief of Ligor knew that I was

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coming to Bangkok ”—T told Radsithi that I should rise and walk out of the room if he persisted in such conduct and at the next (juestion which the Prince put to me, I declined for some time to give any answer. This created as strong a sensation among the prostrate Courtier'S as if a Pistol had been tired at the Prince. The Native Christian interpreters in at­ tendance were more frightened than the Siamese. 1 could not persuade Pediada to explain. Aly own Interpreter attemjrted hut was not allowed to go on. At length' I addressed the Prince myself as res])ectfully as I could in what little Siamese I have been able to learn, stating that the interpr^fter had omitted to repeat to His Highness wha^ I ^ad said. This led to an explanation and when the Prince was at length fully infoimed of the cause of my complaint, he did not appear in the least offended with what I had done and I am extremely happy that the name of the Chief of Ligor was connected with the subject, in which Radsithi gave^ me this opportunity of exposing him. That Chiefs Son and many of his followers were present at the Aikdieiice, and they are now outrageous ag^iinst Kadsithi. 30. I have found thesj^ two Chuliahs I’ya Chula and his Son who are as Mr. Crawfurd reported the principal instruments by which the trade of this port is