Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824

The Colonial Era · Chronicle · 18 min read

How Did Britain Enter Malaya?

Thirty-eight years, three negotiations, three islands—the British didn't fight their way in; they talked their way in

From 1786 to 1824, the British took thirty-eight years to negotiate their way into three islands: Penang, Malacca, and Singapore. Every time, the entry ticket was the same—a Malay ruler needed foreign assistance, the British offered a promise on paper, and then didn't deliver, or delivered in a way that differed from what that ruler had understood. Thirty-eight years later, a treaty was signed in London, dividing this sea in two. Neither of the two signing parties was from here.