Map to illustrate the Siamese question.

" on a restrictive commerce in general, managed by a Malabar,
" who acquires influence in consequence of the command of cash,
" and generally expends a large part of the profits in support of this
" influence; free from these depredations, the revenues of Kedah
" amount to 100,000 rupees annually. This small sum, with the
" feudal obligations of his people, generally ill-complied with and
" ineffective when collected, cannot cope with either Siam or Ava
" in force or resources, but to allow this country to become a pro"vince to either, would render our supply at this place dependent
" on the nod of a despot. By securing the iidependence of this
" country, the Honourable Company would acquire a dependent and
" useful Ally, secure the supplies at this Settlement, until the island
" can supply itself, and virtually in the end, as our influence increases,
" an accession of about 40,000 subjects.
"4th. Is Perak, which borders on Kidah, and extends about
" fifty leagues inland; near Perak river is well cultivated, and it
" contains about 30,000 people, exports annually 5,000 piculs of
" tin, wich is delivered to the Dutch at 32 Spanish dollars per
" Bhara of 428 lbs. The Dutch have a small stockade fort, with
" about fifty people there to prevent the natives from carrying the
" tin to other markets; but with all their precautions, the quantity
" they used to receive, is greatly lessened since the Settlement of this
" Island. The people of Perak are, in general, very ignorant, their
" revenues so small, and their residence so far inland, that little is
" to be feared from their animosity, and less to be hoped from their
" friendship while connected with the Dutch.
"5th. Selangor. This country runs to Cape Rachado, but is so
" much reduced by the late war with the Dutch, that the population
" of forty leagues of a very fine country, does not, I am credibly
" informied, exceed 1,000 or 1,500 people. The King, I understand,
" wishes to give the English Company the sovereignty of his country.
" 6th. Rambau, an inland country, and while the Dutch possess
" Rhio, they claim the dominion of Johor, which takes in the
" whole of that side of the peninsula.
"On the eastern side are Pahang and Trengganu, the population
" of which is not great. Petani has lately been reduced to a province
" of Siam.
"From this view of the East side of the Bay of Bengal and
" Malay Peninsula, it appears, there are only three powers, whose
" effective force requires attention; all the others will soon consider
"our nod as law. The three are Ava, Siam, and the Dutch. As
" the plans of the two first are the result of ignorance and caprice,
" in the whimsical despot, it is hard to conclude anything by
" indication, &c."
A month after taking possession of Penang, viz., 12th Septem.
ber, 1786, Captain LIGHT, the Superintendent, gives the following