TREATY BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND ACHEENESE GOVERNMENTS.
(See page 2, vol. ii.)
Treaty of friendship and alliance between the Honourable English East India Company and the kingdom of Acheen, concluded by the Honourable Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Knight, and Captain John Monckton Combs, agents to the governor-general, in the name and on the behalf of the Most Noble Francis Marquis of Hastings, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter, one of his Britannic Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council, Governor-general in Council of the British possessions in India, on the one part, and his highness Sri, Sultan Alla Iddeen Jowhara, Allum, Shah, king of Acheen, for himself, his heirs, and successors, on the other.
In consideration of the long and uninterrupted peace, amity, and good understanding, which has subsisted between the Honourable English East India Company and his highness’s ancestors, the kings of Acheen, and in order to perpetuate and improve their friendship, to the advantage and prosperity of their mutual states and subjects. It is hereby agreed and determined.
Article I.—There shall be a perpetual peace, friendship and defensive alliance, between the states, dominions, and subjects of the high contracting parties, neither of whom shall give any aid or assistance to the enemies of the other.
Article II.—At the request of his highness, the British government engages to require and to use its influence to effect the removal of Syfful Allum from his highness’s territories, and the British government further engage to prohibit him or any of his family, as far as they may be subject to their authority, from doing or committing in future any act or acts, tending to prevent or impede the full re-establishment of his highness’s authority. His highness the king engaging himself to place at the disposal of the supreme government of British India, such pension or annuity, as it may, in its wisdom, deem meet to recommend for the said Syfful Allum, on the condition of his retiring to Penang, and engaging to relinquish all claims to the sovereignty of Acheen, within three months from the date hereof.
Article III.—His highness the king grants to the British government the free trade of all his ports, and engages that the duties on merchandise, levied at those ports, shall be fixed and declared, and shall also be paid by the resident merchant. His highness likewise engages not to grant or authorize a monopoly of the produce of his states by any person whatever.
Article IV.—His highness engages, whenever the British Government may desire it, to receive and protect an accredited agent of the British government, with a suitable establishment, who shall be permitted to reside at his highness’s court, for the purpose of conducting the affairs of the Honourable Company.
Article V.—In consideration of the injury which might result to the British trade from its exclusion from the ports of his highness’s states, not at present subject to his authority,—his highness agrees and consents that the ships and vessels of Great Britain shall continue their commercial intercourse with the ports of Acheen and Tullasamoy, in the same manner as heretofore, unless a temporary blockade of these ports, or either of them, shall at any time be established by and with the consent of the British government, or resident authority.
It is clearly understood, however, by the contracting parties, that no warlike stores or arms of any kind shall be furnished, given, or sold, to any of his highness’s rebellious subjects, by the vessels so trading to the aforesaid ports, under penalty of confiscation of ship and cargo.
Article VI.—His highness Sri, Sultan, Alla, Iddeen, Jowhara, Allum, Shah, agrees, promises, and engages himself, his heirs, and successors, to exclude the subjects of every other European power, and likewise all Americans, from a fixed habitation or residence in his dominions; he also engages not to enter into any negotiations, or to conclude any treaty, with any power, prince, or potentate whatsoever, unless with the knowledge and consent of the British government.
Article VII.—His highness engages not to permit the residence, in his dominions, of any British subject to whom the resident agent shall offer any objections.
Article VIII.—The British government agrees to give and furnish to his highness, without delay, all the arms and military stores which are detailed in the paper appended to this treaty, and signed by his highness. (Arms and military stores; gunpowder, forty barrels; four hundred muskets; grape and round shot; four hundred musket balls, &c. &c.; cash, Spanish dollars, fifty thousand.) The British government agrees to advance to his highness the sum of money, therein mentioned, as a temporary loan to be repaid by his highness at his earliest convenience.
Article IX.—This treaty, consisting of nine Articles, has this day been concluded, subject to the ratification of the governor-general, within six months from the date hereof; but it is to be understood that the several provisions herein contained may be carried into immediate effect, without awaiting the said ratification.
Done at Sirduli, near Pedir, in the country of Acheen, on the 22nd day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1819; corresponding with the year of the Hegira, 1234, and the 26th day of Jemadil Akir.
(Company’s seal.)
Signed,
T. S. Raffles. (Seal.)
John Monckton Combs. (Seal.)