Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784-1885

268 Pages·2008·9.383 MB·English

by  Carl A. Trocki

PRINCE OF PIRATES
The Temenggongs and the Development of
Johor and Singapore
1784-1885
Carl A. Trocki
NUS PRESS
SINGAPORE
© NUS Press
National University of Singapore
AS3-01-02, 3 Arts Link
Singapore 117569
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nns.edu.sg/nuspress
First Edition 1979
Second Edition 2007
Reprint 2012
Reprint 2013
ISBN 978-9971-69-376-3 (Paper)
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be
invented, without written permission from the Publisher.
National Library Board Singapore Cataloguing in Publication Data
Trocki, Carl A.
Prince of pirates : the temenggongs and the development of Johor and
Singapore, 1784—1885 / Carl A. Trocki. — 2nd ed. — Singapore : NUS Press, 2007.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13 : 978-9971-69-376-3 (pbk.)
1. Johor-History. 2. Singapore - History. 3. Malaya - History. I. Title.
DS598.J7
959.5103 —dc22
SLS2007037568
Typeset by: Scientifik Graphics (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Printed by: Mainland Press Pte Ltd
To
Orrawin, Rebecca, and Carl

Contents
Illustrations ix
Acknowledgements xi
Abbreviations xiii
Currencies and Weights xiv
Introduction to the Second Edition 1
Introduction to the First Edition 13
1. Prelude to Singapore, 1784-1819 21
2. The Prince of Pirates, 1819-1825 56
3. The Temenggong of Singapore, 1825-1848 75
4. The Temenggong and the Chinese, 1844—1860 98
5. Abu Bakar takes Command, 1860—1873 128
viii Contents
6. Johor and the Maharaja, 1873-1884 161
7. Johor in 1885: Prospects 190
8. The Transformation of the Maritime Polity 207
Appendix A: Reports on Piracy 215
Appendix B: Comparative List ofKanchu and Surat Sungai 216
Glossary 223
Bibliography 227
Index 239
Illustrations
Figures
1. Genealogy of Temenggong Abdul Jamal 22
2. Johor Lineages and Offices 27
3. Genealogies of Johor, 1700-1830
1. Sultanate 28
2. Bendaharas of Pahang 28
3. Temenggongs of Johor 28
4a. The Yamtuan Mudas of Riau 29
4b. The Yamtuan Mudas of Riau 29
4. Organizational Period: Credit and Administrative Relations 172
5. Productive Period: Credit and Administrative Relations 173
6. Productive Period: Position of Kongsi in the Kangchu System 174
7. Kangchu Finance Structure 184
8. Governmental Controls on the Kangchu Systems 185
Maps
1. The Temenggongs Domain, c. 1818—1823 60
2. Kangchu Settlements in Johor, 1849 112
x Illustrations
3. Kangchu Settlements in Johor, 1859 118
4. Tan Hiok Nee’s Holdings in 1874 137
5. Administrative Divisions of Johor, 1874 165
Tables
1. The Temenggong’s Maritime Following, c. 1823 59
2. Gambier Imports and Exports (Singapore), 1836 106
3. Gambier Prices at Singapore, 1831-1861 107
4. Gambier Plantations in Johor, June 1845 111
5. Rivers for which Surat Sungai Had Been Issued by 1862 117
6. Settlements in Johor, 1844—1862 119
7. Surat Sungai Issued 1863-1866 134
8. List of Malay Shareholders 175
Plates
1. Temenggong Daing Ibrahim 92
2. The Temenggong’s Kampong at the foot of Mount Faber,
Singapore 1837 93
3. Singapore looking south from Government Hill in August 1846 94
4. Sultan Abu Bakar 129
5. Tan Hiok Nee 130