The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-08 00:00:00

EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO COMPANY.
Instituted fur the Extension of Commerce la the China Seas
and tur Promoting the Civilization of Borneo, &c.
Incorporated by Royal Charter.
Capital, 200,0001., ht 2,000 Shares of 1001. each.
DIRECTORS.
JOHN MACGREGOR, Esq., Chairman.
Captain C. R. Drinkwater Bethune, 8.N., C.B.
Alexander Nairne, Esq., Director of the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
Hugh Hamilton Lindsay, Esq.
Sir John Pirie, Bart., Deputy-Chairman of the Penin-
sular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
Henry Wise, Esq.
BANKERS--Messrs, Glyn, Hallifax, Mills, and Co., London.

The objects of this Company are to carry ea mining, agricultural,
and trading operations in the Eastern Archipelago, sad the acquiring
and disposing of lands in the Island of Labuan and the parts adjacent
—a region Abounding in mineral wealth, most fertile in all the vain-
aine tropical productions, and ♦ery happily situate ler the purposes
K commerce. _

I lie Island of Labuan has been formally taken possession of by the
Crown of Great Britain; and, by a treaty with the Sultan of Borneo,
many highly important advantages are permanently secured to this
country. Piracy in tke eastern seas will now be effectually suppressed,
and, under the protection of the British flag at Labuau, a new era
as regards those regions, has commenced, which affords the most fa-
vourable opportunity for successfully accomplishing the objects of this
Company.
To those who are at all acquainted with the Indian Archipelago, it
is wholly unnecessary te expatiate on the advantages te be derived
from this undertaking. The important discovery of au abundant sup-
ply of excellent coal on the mainland of Borneo, in the immediate vi-
cinity of Labuan, is a circumstance which of itself would render this
enterprise pregnant with the most beneficial results. at formal grant
of this coal, extending through a district ef about 150 miles, has been
obtained from the Sultan ef Borneo, and is, with the approval of her
liajcsty's Geverument, now held by Mr. Wise, witk whom arrange-
❑rents for its working will be made.
The working of the coal mines will form an Important feature in
the operations of the Company,
The geographical position of the Borneo coal districts In relation to
our Eastern possessions, awl to the steam communications which are
now carried on, and others which are about te be carried on in con-
nexion therewith, is a matter ef peculiar interest, and even of na-
tional importance. Tke Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company, for instance, disburse more than 130,0001. annually for
coal for their steam-vessels, of which sum aboat 90,0001. are ex-
pended in coal used to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. This
coal. as well as the requisite supplies for the steam-vessels of her
Majesty's navy, and for these of the Honourable East India Com-
pany on the India and China stations, is at present chiefly furnished
from England, at an average cost exceeding 335. per ton ; so that the
es perailture by her Majesty's Government, the Honourable East In-
dia Company. and the Peuinsular and Oriental Company for the sin-
gle item of coal, will be considerably reduced as soon as the opera-
tions of the Eastern Archipelago Company are sufficiently matured
to admit of their supplying the several depots which have been esta-
blished at Hong-Kong, Singapore, and other places, with coal for the
use of the many British and Foreign 111.0... m-vessels re-orting to those
ports.
The certain increase In the consumption ef coal in the eastern
seas, from the causes already mentioned, and the opening of other
channels of demand, cannot fail eventually to augment the use of
Borneo coal. The projected steam communication between Singapore
and our Australiaa colonies—the probable communication by the
same means at no distant period, between the various British settle-
ments te the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope and the west coast
of America—as well as the system of railways now about to be esta-
blished in India—are events eminently calculated to occasion an
immense consumption of Borneo coal, the more se as it can be sup-
plied at comparatively moderate rates. Samples of the Labuan and
B rneo coal have been brought over to this country by Mr. Wise,
and submitted by her Majesty's Government to a careful examination
and analysis by competent parties, with a most satisfactory result.
The Borneo coal has also been pronounced by the Calcutta • eel
Committee, appointed by the Bengal Government, to be equal to the
best English coal ; and Captain Wallage, in his report on the supplies of
coal obtained from the seam at La.butm, for the use of the Honourable
East India Company's steam-ship Nemesis, dated Sarawak, 10th
June, 1847, observes—" 1 have no hesitation in stating that the coal
received at l.abuan is equal te any English coal I have seen on board
steamers in India, and decidedly better than any coal worked in
India for steam purposes."
The portion of territory contemplated for the first operations of the
Eastern Archipelago Company possesses a climate aid soil admir-
ably adapted for the culture of cotton, tobacco, sugar, coffee, rice,
nutmegs, pepper, and other ♦aluable productions, and is most
favourably situate, having the advantage ef Labuan, now su'Ject te
British dominion, as a point d'appui ; nor can there be a doubt of
the excellent position of the proposed field of enterprise for an ex-
tensive and lucrative commerce. The proximity of Java, Sumatra,
Siam, Cochin-China, Hainan, Manilla, Celebes, Ste., is net only of
great importance in this respect, but also as itEording the means of
introducing with facility from those places Chinese and other code
mists, and labourers to any extent required fur the service of the
Company. Labuan itself will form an essential link in the chain of
our eastern settlements, trots Penang, Malacca, and Siniapore to
/long Kong ; and in the district of Sarawak every protection and
encouragement will be granted ►y Mr. Brooke in furtherance of the
Company's objects. In short, every circumstance justifies the anti-
cl ation that the late proceedings of the British Government relating
to Borneo, if followed up with vigour by the operations of the pre-
seut Company, will change that which has been heretofore a region
of piracy, lawless violence, danger and desolation, into a scene of
busy, peaceful, and beneficial commerce; bringing the advantages of
progressive civilisation to a large and fertile tract of the globe, and
conferring extensive benefits on the commerce and manufactures of
Great Britala. The philanthropist and the statesman, as well as the
merchant, will thus feel interested in this design, which, through the
medium of British enterprise, sanctioned and protected by the win--
dote and decision of the Government, promises the amelioration of
the condition of the natives of the Indian Archipelago, among whom
there exists a disposition most favourable to the development cf the
resources of those countries. . _ _

The view here taken of the promising character of the undertak-
ing is not hypothetical, but is the result of the arduous personal re-
searches of various individuals, wko, in times past, have been de-
sirous of widening the circle of commerce and civilization, and,
among others more recently, of Mr. Wise, who has tor several years
devoted his time to the closest investigation of the subject. To his
patient and indefatigable perseverance for a long period in calling
the attention of her Majesty's Government to the Importance of
Labuan as the site of a British settlement, may be ascribed the fact,
that the protection of our flag is now extended to countries so important
both in a political and commercial point of view.
The Queen has appointed Mr. Brooke Governor and C. mmander-
in-Chief in and over the Island of Labuan and its dependencies, as
well as her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General to the Sultan
and independent chiefs if Borneo. These measures, and the course
of polity which they indicate, will materially facilitate and advance
the objects and interests of the Company throughout the Eastern Ar-
chipelago.
The Company being incorporated by Royal Charter, the responsi-
bility of each shareholder is limited to the amount of his subscrip-
tion. The charter provides for the execution by the shareholders of
a Deed of Settlement, to be approved by the President of the Board of
Trade.
Power is given In the Charter to augment the amount of capital of
the Corporation, if that course should become expedient.
51. per share to be paid on the allotment of the shares, and the re-
mainder to be paid by instalments as called for by the Directors.
1 he affairs of the Company Are to be managed by a Court of
Directors of net more than twelve, two Managing Directors, and a
Secretary, and such agents, in Labuan or elsewhere, as the Directors
shall n,minate ; the Directors and Auditors to be elected by the
shareholders, as provided by the Deed of Settlement.
Application ter shares from parties well affected to the objects for
which the Company is established, addressed, in the form annexed,
to Messrs. Gledstanes and Co., 2, White Lion-court, Cornkill.