SOCIETY OP THE UNIVERSITY OP ABERDEEN. 151 



in the neighbouring British possessions, and the admitted inability on 

 the part of the Sultans to deal with these, the then Governor of the 

 Straits Settlements resolved to interfere, more especially as the Sultan 

 of Perak had appealed for assistance. The result was the appoint- 

 ment of a British Resident, first in Perak, and soon afterwards in 

 Selangor, each to advise the Sultan in the government of his State 

 and to organise an efficient system of revenue collection. Mr. Birch, 

 father of the present British Resident at Perak, was appointed the 

 first British Resident of Perak. 



The appointment of a British officer to administer the State was 

 resented by a large number of the Malays, and in November, 1875, 

 Mr. Birch was murdered while bathing in the Perak river at Pasir 

 Salak. To avenge this outrage a military detachment was sent up, 

 and after a few months' jungle fighting the murderers of Mr. Birch 

 were captured and punished. 



British Residents were subsequently appointed in Negri Sembilon 

 and Pahang. Since that time the States have enjoyed uninterrupted 

 prosperity, culminating in 1896 in the federation of the four and the 

 appointment of a Resident General, to whom the Residents of the 

 different States are directly responsible. Previous to federation the 

 Residents were each responsible to the Governor of the Straits Settle- 

 ments. 



In the thirty-two years since the British interfered in the govern- 

 ment of the States the revenue has increased manyfold. In 1876 the 

 total revenue was $560,997. In 1904 it had risen to $22,255,268. 

 Ten years after the appointment of the first British Resident slavery 

 was abolished. Splendid roads have now been made in the opened-up 

 parts of the country and a railway runs through the States from north 

 to south. Numerous fine public buildings have been erected, and all 

 this has been done out of the revenue. The public debt is nil. In 

 addition, an efficient law administration has been established, so that 

 in what was a comparatively wild country forty years ago life and 

 property are now as safe as they are in Great Britain. 



As before mentioned the bulk of the population consists of Chinese 



