A despatch has been published this week in which Lord
Car- narvon settles for the time the policy to be pursued in Malaya. The States are to be administered still through native Sultans, ad- vised, but not controlled, by British Residents, who will be pro- tected in their Residencies by an adequate guard. We do not believe that policy to be a good one, as a competent Malay ruler does not need the Resident, and an incompetent one will not obey him, and our only method of coercion, dethronement, is liable to produce war. But we take it, the decision, though defended by local arguments, has been given on Imperial grounds. We do mat want the burden of garrisoning Malaya, with its Mussulman population, till the East is a little quieter, and we have men to spare. So the Singapore merchants must put off getting rich all at once for another year or two.
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