Of course, traders do go from here down to the islands, but only to those not under Dutch power.

They used generally to trade, on their way down, with Burma and Siam; but the Burmese have shown such hostility to us that it is no longer safe to enter their rivers, and they have wrested the maritime provinces of Siam, on this side of the Peninsula, from that power; so that trade there is, for the present, at an end.

I shall therefore send you down in one of our small sloops.

A larger vessel might irritate the Dutch, and a small one would be sufficient to furnish you with an escort to this Rajah of Johore--not only for protection, but because the native potentates have no respect for persons who do not arrive with some sort of appearance of state.
"You will, of course, go as high commissioner, with full powers to represent me.

I do not anticipate that you will be able to conclude any formal treaty with the Rajah of Johore.