Stories from Deli

Through the kindness of one of our readers, we have been able to provide an excerpt from a letter received by the last boat from Deli (North Sumatra). Deli, May 1, 1875.

Earlier, I wrote to you, and you could read in the newspapers how all energy and zeal here were deliberately stifled by the sudden introduction of laws that are in effect in Java and may be very appropriate there, but here seem to serve no other purpose than to incite the Chinese coolies—a motley collection of people from China and the Straits—on the various plantations to drunkenness. The overly lenient or dry application of these newly introduced laws contributes significantly to this. You are also aware that petitions to His Excellency the Governor-General were either held back or not forwarded, in which the planters, who made Deli as productive as it is now through their diligence and capital, sought a little justice to ensure that they, along with their wives and children, would not be at the mercy of the Chinese coolies on the plantations, while they are miles away from the main town where the administration is based with only a handful of overseers, who already have enough to do in the town itself.

Finally, you may remember the prediction I made at the time, that if Deli continued on this path, it could very well become another Delhi in British India. Now tell me, did I foresee it correctly? Yesterday morning, around eleven o’clock, after the morning’s work was finished, Mr. H., owner of a tobacco plantation on the Pertjoet River (four hours away from the main town), was sitting in the veranda of his house with his two European employees, when seventy to a hundred of his coolies, all armed with knives, sticks, and sharpened nibongs, came running up with terrifying shouts, rushed towards the house, and so severely beat the three Europeans as well as some Klingalese and Malays that some of the latter were left for dead. Some coolies tried to steal the cash box from the office, and one of them stole two rifles. Fortunately, one of the employees managed to grab a rifle and shot the coolie who was attacking him so murderously on the spot. Honor to that presence of mind, for otherwise, the three Europeans, who are now only moderately injured, both internally and externally, would undoubtedly have been murdered, while the rebels would have had no difficulty in inciting the Chinese coolies on the other plantations to instigate a general uprising.

The rebels, seeing one of their comrades fall, now took the stance of offended innocence, lifted the body, and marched to the main town, for there is, after all, the assistant resident who will sympathetically listen to the poor coolies and protect them from their barbaric masters. Oh, poor things! Carrying all their possessions with them, the mutineers arrived at the main town, and some of them declared there that they would not return to the plantation until the European who had shot one of their comrades in self-defense had been hanged. From this, you can infer how much the Chinese coolies here have been pampered.

Meanwhile, military assistance was requested as soon as possible. It is remarkable, however, that despite the request for help being made around half-past twelve at the headquarters in Medan, only about twenty men under the command of Lieutenant Muller set off at half-past three, so that the troops did not arrive at the threatened plantation until six o’clock in the evening. In the meantime, everything there could already have been burned down and everyone murdered. The major, commander of the troops in the kingdom of Deli, must have had thorough reasons for the late dispatch of that detachment; His Excellency usually does nothing without solid grounds.

For the planters, however, it looks grim if they are not supported more quickly in situations like the one mentioned above. After the preliminary investigation at the main town, eleven of the coolies had to be imprisoned. However, when the overseers attempted to make the arrest, the remaining coolies tried to revolt and severely beat a couple of overseers who tried to maintain order with drawn sabers. The military garrison, under the command of Lieutenant Berlo, was immediately called to arms, and thanks to the highly effective and efficient measures of that officer, peace was soon restored. The assistant resident has been absent for several days, so the civil administration is represented by the controller, Jhr. A. H. van der Does de Bije, who, fortunately, is not too lenient but nevertheless demonstrated an understanding of how to act when energy, calmness, and legal knowledge must accomplish everything. It is thanks to his calmness and excellent judgment that peace was maintained, thus rendering a great service to the Government and, not least, to the planters.

That the entrepreneurs here in Deli are not without danger to their lives, you have already been able to deduce from the above, but there is more. They are also exposed to financial dangers that their colleagues in Java do not face. The about 200 Chinese coolies from the plantation mentioned above, where the revolt took place, had each received an advance of 100 to 200 guilders, and they left the plantation just as the young tobacco seedlings needed to be planted. When those coolies will return is still uncertain, but in any case, they will not be back to work before the young tobacco plants become unsuitable or spoiled for transplanting.

What happened yesterday should serve as a warning to the Government. His Excellency the Governor-General Loudons gave us—in opposition to the advice and against the petitions of the planters—useless laws, which here and there even seem somewhat despotic. These laws now have to be enforced here by an assistant resident, a controller, and an assistant controller with a dozen native overseers against 6000 to 7000 Chinese laborers working on the various plantations. What will our current Governor, His Excellency Van Lansberge, do now? Continue to enforce such laws and sacrifice the planters and their families to the coolies; or finally—before it is too late—heed the long-standing and justified complaints of the planters? I probably don’t need to describe the mood that currently prevails among the Europeans and Chinese coolies.

Java Bode 22-05-1875