Founding of Penang in 1786

Without the founding of the Prince of Wales' Island by Captain Francis Light on 10 August 1786, there will be no Penang Free School today. In this story below, the events leading to Light formally taking possession of the island from the Sultan of Kedah are described. These extracts are supposedly from Light's Journal itself, and had appeared in James Richardson Logan's own scholarly Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia which he edited and contributed. In Penang, Logan is remembered through the naming of Logan Road in his memory and the Logan Memorial opposite the stately Supreme Court Building.

Extracts from Journal of Captain F. Light

Queda. 11th 12th and 13th July 1786. Embarking the people and provisions:- 14th at 5 p.m. sailed in company with the Prince Henry and Speedwell snow.

15th. Anchored off a small island on the north side of Pinang in 5 fathoms, sent a boat to sound, found no less than 2 fathoms close to the shore.

16th. At noon having a light breeze and flood tide got under sail, and run into the harbour, anchored in 13 fathoms within a musket shot of the shore. The Prince Henry anchored close to the Speedwell, I ordered to run further to the southward, until she got into shoaler water, they anchored about 1/2 mile from us in 8 fathoms soft ground; sent the boats to sound the bay, found good anchoring ground close to the eastern shore, and 11 fathoms within 2 miles of the beach.

17th. Disembarked Lieutenant Gray with the marines upon point Penagger, a low sandy point, covered with wood. Employed clearing the ground.

18th. Landed the Europeans; - the marines and lascars employed clearing the wood and pitching their tents. The Data of Qualla Moodoo came. He brought a fishing net and desired permission to erect a house, which I readily granted; - a prahu from Queda likewise arrived with Captain China and some Christians of India, - they also brought a net which was very acceptable.

19th. People employed clearing the woods: - some of the inhabitants of the island, who dwelt at the foot of the hills, paid me a visit and offered their service to assist me, I dismissed them with a present.

20th. Employed clearing and burning the woods. Snow arrived from Keddah, on board of which I had shipped paddy and Attaps; she is commanded by one Loundes. Dug several wells, found the water indifferent, but stained with the roots of the Penagger which dies red; permitted the marines and lascars to build huts as the tents were not sufficient to contain the half of them.

21st. This morning had frequent squalls with rain. In the afternoon cutting down the trees.

22nd. Rain for the most part of the day.

23rd. Pleasant day, the people from Queda erected a small Bazar near the cantonments, appointed Noqueda Catchee to superintend the bazar and prevent impositions on either side, ordered him a guard of marines.

24th. A fine day, all hands at work.

25th. The same, brought ashore the 2 field pieces with their carriages. Employed building cantonments as I intend despatching the Eliza to Queda: - removed the Company's Treasurer into the Prince Henry.

26th. Fine weather - landed the 13 pounders and tumbrils. Lieut. Halcombe not being acquainted with the Malay language requested of Captain Glass to go with him. In the afternoon the Eliza sailed; - the people all at work.

27th. Landed the 18 pounders and carriages, employed mounting the guns and clearing the woods.

28th. The Munster Lass, Captain Bett, arrived from Malacca. This vessel was run away with from Masulipatam by some Europeans, and seized by the Dutch at Malacca at the request of Lieutenant Stephenson; the people all at work.

29th. Fine weather and fresh southerly winds, every body employed, the Munster Lass returned to Malacca. In cutting the trees, our axes, hatchets, and hand bolts suffer much, the wood is so exceeding hard that the tools double like a piece of lead; requested of Captain Bett on his return from Malacca to bring some Chia axes and parangs from Malacca likewise a smith and washerman.

30th. A fine day - employed clearing the ground, employed as usual.

31st. The same.

1st August. This morning several squalls, with thunder and rain, people employed clearing the ground; several prahus arrived from Queda with several articles for sale, the bazar increases and we receive a constant supply of fine fish.

2nd. Fine weathe5r, marines and lascars constantly employed; - observing the Europeans to be very idle ordered them to make the Gabions. - An officer of the Siamese arrived, who informed me that they had conquered Poogul and taken above one hundred pieces of cannon, that their army was now against Sagar, and as soon as the monsoon served they would attack the Burmese.

3rd. A severe squall, with rain in the afternoon; - began to line off the ground for a fort.

4th. Squalls with thunder and rain, the people at work whenever the weather permits.

5th. Fair weather. - The inhabitants every day paying me a visit, I requested their assistance in cutting down the large trees called Bore. They cut down four but I could not prevail upon them to attempt any more, having broke two of their Bluongs (axes.) Contracted with some Malays to bring Neebons for a stockade at dollars 6 per hundred 12 feet long each.

6th. The people employed in clearing the ground; - ordered the Chinese to dig up the sand and saw the roots of the large trees. This proves a slow and laborious work, offered to the Malays a dollar for every four trees they should cut down.

7th. A fine day; - erected a flag staff. The Eliza returned from Queda - bought some chunam, planks, fowls and ducks, and paddy, with several Christian families.

8th. Fine weather, the lascars building a store house and the Chinese sawing down the trees, the Malays accepted the offer of 1 dollar for four trees and went to work with great spirit.

9th. Fair weather, every body employed. The marines have made frequent complaints of the hardship they suffer in being obliged to work, this at a time when they are indulged with full Batta and provisions is a proof of their ignorance and unworthiness.

10th. Fair weather, two boats arrived with officers from the Vansittart and Valentine, Honorable Company's ships; they brought letters from the Government of Madras. The ships were just in sight, I wrote to the Captains, and requested their company ashore for a few hours in the evening, the ships anchored in the outer roads.

11th. Captains Wall and Lewin came ashore with several passengers, saluted them with nine guns, thought this the most favorable opportunity for taking a formal possession of the island, at noon assembled all the gentlemen under the flag, who unitedly hoisted the flag, taking possession of the island in the name of his Britannic Majesty, and for the use of the Honorable East India Company, the Artillery and ships firing a Royal salute, the marines three volleys. The Sullivan, Captain Pounce, was barely in sight, he sent his letter by another boat and sailed for China, in the evening Captain Lewin went on board and sailed for China.

12th. Fine weather, Tonkoo Ia a relation to the king of Queda arrived, he staid a few days with me and particularly cautioned me not to let more than one or two Malays visit me at a time. I had from the first given directions to Noqueda Catchee to allow no Malays to come ashore armed and this has been faithfully complied with. - Captain Wall went on board and sailed for China.

13th. Fair weather, a boat from the General Goddard arrived with a letter from the Government of Madras. Captain Foxal requested if I had no particular service, he might be permitted to continue his voyage - accordingly on the return of his boat he departed. The Fort William, Captain Simson, came in and anchored under Ratt Island and saluted the fort with nine guns, which I returned.

14th. Captain Simson with his passengers came ashore - supplied him with a bullock as I had done the other ships, and with fowls, fruit, and i received the greatest attention from the Captains of the ships which came in, and got a supply of such necessaries as I wanted. The sight of three large ships, the report of their guns, and the number of Europeans coming ashore, serve to raise us considerably in the opinion of the Malays.

15th. The Fort William sailed. Employed cutting down trees, and erecting a fort. Having received a letter from the Christians at Queda requesting I would provide them a conveyance to the island, as Captain Loundes had no use for his vessel I engaged him to go to Queda and bring them. In the afternoon he sailed.

17th. Arrived the Prince George, Captain Robson, from Queda, he has lost his main top-mast, and wanted some other repairs. Employed the Malays of the island to cut them a top-mast, and lent our carpenters to refit his vessel. The people employed in erecting the fort, and clearing the ground; the Eliza taking ballast and water.

18th. Showers of rain, the Malays felling the trees. Having promises the marines and lascars a present on the ceremony of hoisting the flag gave them pieces of gurrahs.

19th. Most part rain, with fresh gales from N.W.; - arrived some prahus from Queda.

20th. Frequent showers, and hard squalls from the N.W. the sea running very high upon shoals of Qualla Mooda, rebounded back into the north bay, and occasioned a surf upon the beach, which at high water broke over in some few places, this was soaked up by the sand, before it reached six yards, - the ships lay perfectly quiet and secure.

Such is the history of the birth and first few days of the infancy of Prince of Wales' Island as recorded by its founder Captain Francis Light.

It has been long and confidently believed that this Captain Light, having married the daughter of the king (or Rajah) of Quedah, (Kedah) obtained possession of the island of Pinang as his wife's dowry, and that he subsequently sold it to the East Indian Company for a sum of ready money and the appointment of chief of the settlement. This story, though widely circulated and fondly cherished by the descendants of that gentleman, has unfortunately no foundation in truth. The Government of India had been for some years desirous of obtaining possession of a suitable spot for a settlement on the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal, and Captain Light, among others, was employed to look out for some eligible locality. This gentleman was connected with the Keddah trade, and resided a good deal at the capital of the Rajah, where he no doubt acquired considerable influence. Through hi, an offer was made to the Supreme Government, of the island of Pinang, to be ceded to the Honorable Company on certain conditions. The Supreme Government, then under the presidentship of Sir John Macpherson, moved by the representations made to them on the subject, decided on forming a settlement on that island. Captain Light, who had gone to Calcutta with the offer from the Rajah of Keddah, was sent back to that place with instructions to negotiate for the cession of the island, which having successfully accomplished, he sailed to take possession of Pinang as described in the above extracts.

The object of these "notes" is simply to amuse and interest those who have become acquainted with this beautiful island in these its later days, by a recurrence of the earlier scenes and events in its history. So far as may be practicable, the rise and decline of the trade of the island will be traced as also the rise and progress of the judicial system, which, as it now exists is somewhat unique of its kind; but for political matters, and especially for any discussion on the "vexata questio" of the relations subsisting between Siam and Keddah, the pages of the Journal of the Indian Archipelago are no proper receptacle.