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 ot a 
piece of land in Georgetown fora godown and a tract of uncleaned 
land. Having at a great expense and trouble 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 ot 
pepper. 
“ It appears that Mr. Light, not long before his death, received 
the orders of the Supreme Government under date 1 August 1794- - to 
grant no land after the 1st January 1795, for a longer term than five 
vears. 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in the full reliance that it would be rescinded on his representation I 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 verv 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 belittle short of total loss. 
The protest was not without effect. In a letter to the Supeiin- 
tendent of Police of Wellesley Island dated Aug. 22, 1796, the Govern- 
ment recinded the resolution of Aug. 1, 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 182 2, we find the first indication of the circumstance 
that the splendid possibilities of the 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 ate 
years have existed for Indian produce has turned the general atten- 
