en originally fixed by Sir James Lancaster in
1603. The circumstances of this event were as follows. The old sultan had
thought proper to share the regal power with his son in the year 1677,
and this measure was attended with the obvious effect of a jealousy
between the parent and child, which soon broke forth into open
hostilities. The policy of the Dutch led them to take an active part in
favour of the young sultan, who had inclined most to their interests and
now solicited their aid. The English on the other hand discouraged what
appeared to them an unnatural rebellion, but without interfering, as they
said, in any other character than that of mediators, or affording
military assistance to either party; and which their extreme weakness
rather than their assertions renders probable. On the twenty-eighth of
March 1682 the Dutch landed a considerable force from Batavia, and soon
terminated the war. They placed the young sultan on the throne,
delivering the father into his custody, and obtained from him in return
for these favours an exclusive privilege of trade in his territories;
which was evidently the sole object they had in view. On the first day of
April possession was taken of the English factory by a party of Dutch and
country soldiers, and on the twelfth the agent and council were obliged
to embark with their property on vessels provided for the purpose, which
carried them to Batavia. From thence they proceeded to Surat on the
twenty-second of August in the following year.

In order to retain a share in the pepper-trade the English turned their
thoughts towards Achin, and a deputation, consisting of two gentlemen, of
the names of Old and Cawley, was sent thither in 1684; the success of
which is above related. It happened that at this time certain Rajas or
chiefs of the country of Priaman and other places on the west coast of
Sumatra were at Achin also to solicit aid of that court against the
Dutch, who had made war upon and otherwise molested them. These
immediately applied to Mr. Ord, expressing a strong desire that the
English should settle in their respective districts, offering ground for
a fort and the exclusive purchase of their pepper. They consented to
embark for Madras, where an agreement was formed with them by the
governor in the beginning of the year 1685 on the terms they had
proposed. In consequence of this an expedition was fitted out with the
design of establishing a settlement at Priaman; but a d