VOLUNTEER POLICE FOR PROVINCE WELLESLEY. 185 
the advantages likely to accrue from its revival on a wider basis. 
It was a subject of frequent conversation between us, and he in- 
tended, I believe, to avail himself of my assistance in introducing 
it in North Province Wellesley, if the Settlement had not passed 
from under the administration of the Indian Government. 
7. No community is exempt from occasional disturbances of 
the peace ona scale too large to be immediately dealt with by the 
regular Police or the Military, even if it were desirable to employ 
the latter, except as a last resource. ‘This Settlement is exposed 
to these from three sources—the quarrels, originating here or 
propagated from abroad, of the Chinese societies; those of the 
Mahomedan jumahas ; and the existence of professional banditti 
in the adjacent Malay states—one of these countries, Pérak, being 
at all times and in all places wretchedly misgoverned by a 
number of Rajas and district chiefs striving with each other who 
shall excel in habitual rapacity and occasional rapine, and the 
other, Kédah, having large and thinly populated wilds all along 
our eastern boundary. The character and habits of large numbers 
of our own population, especially of the immigrant and shifting 
classes, make it very susceptible to such diiheoe nese. and a 
strong and active element of mischief is supplied, in the case of 
the allied Mahomedan and Chinese societies, by the ambition, craft 
and rapacity of a colonial class in which the subtlety of the 
Chinese, the effrontery of the Kling, and the dissimulation and 
vanity of both are mingled with the boldness and suavity of the 
Malay.* From these and from other causes now probably only 
in their seeds, we cannot expect that the time will. soon come 
when occasions will cease to arise, on which Government must 
avail itself of the temporary assistance of the well-disposed por- 
ae of the local population in resisting violence, because the 
disciplined force in its regular employment is either not on the 
scene of disturbance or only present in insufficient numbers. 
The right of availing itself of the legal obligation of every 
male above 15 years old to aid in keeping the peace must always 
be kept in reserve, as this alone can enable Government to oppose, 
in every part’ of the Settlement, by a superior force always ready 
to act, onde of rioters or robbers who may suddenly appear. But 
our population is very impertectly acquainted with this legal ob- 
gation, and is at present incapable of acting in concert avainst 
such bands. On each recurring outbreak of the quarrels of socie- 
ties or systematic attacks on our villages by gang robbers, we have 
# See Note at end. 
