From the historiographical point of view, the collection relating to the Sultan Abdul Hamid Correspondence has opened a new chapter in the written history of Kedah, particularly between 1882 and 1920. Filled with a variety of information be it politics, economy and social, this collection allows the researcher to revisit Kedah history from another angle. More importantly, the collection indicates how the palace and the elites combined their efforts and ideas to ensure the smooth operation of the state administration and at the same time to secure the sustained loyalty of the people, even when it was later placed under a British Financial Adviser appointed by Bangkok in 1905 or under Britain from 1909 onwards. The correspondence, reports, minutes and agreements compiled in this collection show the earnestness of the palace and Kedah elites in developing the economic, political, and social aspects of the state, besides keeping the good relations with the Siamese and the British in Penang. This collection reveals the wisdom of the local ruler in managing a state despite having to face many challenges. To the ruler and the elites it was paramount that Kedah's Malay identity should be upheld despite the challenge posed by western (and Thai) imperialism and colonialism.