Major Forbes Ross MacDonald (died 1799), a gentleman in the service of the

Nabob of Arcot A nabob is a conspicuously wealthy man deriving his fortune in the east, especially in India during the 18th century with the privately held East India Company. Etymology ''Nabob'' is an Anglo-Indian term that came to English from Urdu, poss ...

, was appointed by Governor-general Sir John Shore as superintendent of

Prince of Wales Isle Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. These ...

to succeed

Philip Manington Philip Mannington (died 1806) was a British colonial administrator. He arrived as the first magistrate of the Prince of Wales' Island (Penang Island) and governed the land as Superintendent and acting governor of Prince of Wales' Island, after S ...

who had resigned due to ill health. MacDonald served from 14 May 1795 to 1799. MacDonald's tour of duty was not a happy one as he was in conflict with the merchants and his own civil servants. This led to his resignation and return to Madras. He died in Madras in May 1799. The Asiatic Annual Register For The Year 1807, Or, A View of the History of Hindustan, and of the Politics, Commerce and Literature of Asia: Or, A View of the History of Hindustan, and of the Politics, Commerce and Literature of Asia edited by Lawrence Dundas Campbell, E. Samuel Published by Printed for J. Debrett, 1809; Item notes: v.9 1807; pp 22, 23, 160
/ref>Gentlemen Capitalists: British Imperialism in South East Asia, 1770-1890 By Anthony Webster Published by I.B. Tauris, 1998; , Although Macdonald did not get along with many people, he nevertheless made his mark with the many transformational improvements he made during his term in office including the construction of the Customs House, Hospital, and Prison. He widened streets and built a new road from town, at the coast, right into the interior of the isle. He ensured that streets and roads in town were clearly marked and had them extended to sixty-five feet wide. He organised the road system so that street intersections were at right angles.Urban Growth and Municipal Development in Colonial Port-town Penang 1786-1830 by Dr. Nordin Hussin, Pusat Sejarah, Politik dan Strategik FSSK UKM [email protected] presented at The Fourth International Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC4), 3–5 August 2004, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Macdonald was trusted and held in high regard by his superiors and had been given supervision of the military force that seized Malacca in 1795. Upon his departure,

George Caunter George Caunter (c. June 1758 – 25 December 1811) was a British administrator who governed Prince of Wales Island (Penang Island) as Acting Superintendent from 1797 to 1798 and again from 1798 to 1800. As First Assistant under Lieutenant-Gove ...

once again took charge as Acting Superintendent as he had done before in 1779 when MacDonald went on leave, and continued until the arrival of Sir

George Alexander William Leith Major-General Sir George Alexander William Leith, 2nd Baronet (1766 – 25 January 1842) was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales' Island (Penang Island), replacing George Caunter, a magistrate who was acting superintendent followin ...

in 1800.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Forbes Ross History of Penang 1799 deaths Year of birth unknown Administrators in British Penang