394 



It is interesting to note that Penang Planting in its earliest as in 

 latest phase owed much to the energy of Scotsmen. When the 

 Government in Calcutta without reference to Light imposed new regu- 

 lations relative to land tenure practically rescinding the grants in 

 perpetuity which Light had made, there was consternation in the 

 ranks of the settlers. In the records dated June 22, 1796, appears an 

 indignant protest from Forbes Ross McDonald representing that he 

 had bought his land on the faith of Light's circular that the grant 

 would be in perpetuity and that the new conditions completely rever- 

 sed the arrangement. He stated that he had become a settler in 1793 

 at the particular request of Mr. Light and had received the grant of a 

 piece of land in Georgetown for a godown and a tract of uncleaned 

 land. Having at a great expense and troul)le far exceeding expecta- 

 tions cleared the latter, he found the soil and situation unadapted to 

 the agricultural purpose for which he wanted, viz., the growth of 

 pepper. 



" It appears that Mr. Light, not long before his death, received 

 the orders of the Supreme Government under date I August 1794. to 

 grant no land after the 1st January I/QS, for a longer term than five 

 years. This order Mr. Light wisely suppressed well knowing that its 

 publication would have instantly stopped all further advance and in 

 in the full reliance that it would be rescinded on his representation. I 

 had commenced clearing another tract of land purposely to establish 

 an extensive agricultural commerce in pepper the ground having been 

 selected for this purpose. This tract being cleared since the 1st Janu- 

 ary 1795, and no orders rescinding the resolutions of the Supreme 

 Government of the 1st August 1794, appearing, I now find myself in 

 a very unpleasant dilemma. To proceed in the expenditure of Spanish 

 Dollars 50,000 which may become the property of the Company 

 before it returns me one dollar is impossible. To throw up the plan- 

 tation altogether involves a total loss of the money already expended, 

 and to stop the business for the present, or wait the decision of 

 Government, throws me so far back as to be little short of total loss." 



The protest was not without effect. In a letter to the Superin- 

 tendent of Police of Wellesley Island dated Aug. 22, 1796, the Govern- 

 ment recinded the resolution of Aug, I, 1794. 



Not until Province Wellesley was settled was there any marked 

 new development of planting enterprise. As early as 1790 a certain 

 amount of sugar had been cultivated in Batu Kawan. But there was 

 no real enterprise until British possession encouraged the show of 

 capital. Even for some years after this the progress in agricultural 

 development was slow. In this despatch from Penang to Calcutta 

 dated Feb. I, 1822, we find the first indication of the circumstance 

 that the splendid possibilities of thi mainland had been grasped ;— 



" It affords great satisfaction to us to report to your Hon'ble 

 Court the progressive advancement of cultivation and of agricultural 

 improvement on the island. The extensive demands which of late 

 years have existed for Indian produce has turned the general atten- 



