The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-16 00:00:00

EASTERN AllcinvELAGo COMPANY
Instituted for the Extension of Commerce in the China Seas
NA for Promoting the Civilization of Borneo. &e.

Incorporated by Royal Charter.
Capital, 200,0001., to 2,000 Shares of 1001, each.
DlalieTo/111.
JOHN MACGREGOR, Esq., Chairman.
Captain C. R. Driakwater Bethune, R.N.. C.B.
idemaader Nairae, Esq., Director of the rauliasular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
Tlngh Hamilton Lindsay, ER.
Sir Jolla Pirie, Bart. Deputy-Chairman of the Paula.
sugar and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
n Henry Wise, Esq.
alekzas—Messrs, Glyn, Hallifax, Mills, and Co., London.
The
objects of this Company are to carry on mining, agricultural,
Itad trading
operations in the Eastern Archipelago, and the acquiring
and disposing of lands in the Island of Labuan and the parts adjacent
:s.i2ale troregiopnicaaibounding in mineral wealth, most fertile in all the vain-
productions, and very happily situate for the purposes
of
commerce.
The Island of Labuan has been formally taken possession of by the
Crown of Great Britain ; and, by a treaty with the Sultan of Romeo,
n7highly Important advantages are permanently secured to this
Country. Piracy lit the eastern aces will now be effectually suppressed;
under the protection of the Britieh flag at Labuan, a new era
7: lards those regions, 11103 comineuced, winch affords the most fa-
Compopportunity for successfully accoinplishing the objects of this
ny.
is To those who are at all acquainted with the Indian Archipelago, it
wholly unnecessary to expatiate on the advantages to be derived
from
„,: this undertaking. The impertan t discovery of an abundant stip-
eXcellent coal ea the mainland of Borneo, in the immediate vi-
.LIY Of Labuan, is a circuinstaace which of itself would render this
7,7"rP.L._rise pregnant with the most beneficial results. A formal grant
shit coal, windbag through a district of about 150 miles, has been
,b 44144 from the Sultan of Borneo, and is, with the approval of her
Government, now held by Mr. Wise, with whom arraage-
*".ata for its working will be made.
,'r h. working of the coal mines will form an important feature in
▪ Operations of the Company,
le geographical position of the Borneo coal districts In relation to
Our Eastern poesessions, and to the steam communications which are
1"" earned on, and others which are about to be carried on in con-
:exion therewith, is a matter of peculiar interest, and even of ria-
Zral importance. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
ton,IAP,a,l7. for instance, disburse more than 130,0001. annually fur
tor their steam-vessels, of which sum about 90,0001. are ex-
pended in coal used to the eastward of the Cape of Good lioae. This
ral• as well as the requisite supplies for the steatn.vessels of her
s,Natre navy, and for those of the Honourable East India Com-
rtaaY en the India and China stations, is at present chiefly furnished
Rem England, at an average cost exceeding 335. per ton ; so that the
rkriditure by her Majesty's Government, the Honourable East In-
Company, and the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the fert-
ile item of coal, will be considerably reduced as soon as the opera-
ftens of the Eastern Archipelago Company are sufficiently matured
t° admit of their supplying the several depots which have been esta-
blished at Hong-Kong, Singapore, and other places, with coal for the
ale of the many;British and Foreign stn: m-vessels rcorthig to those
Potts.
The certain increase in the consumption of coal in the eastern
"24, from the causes already mentioned, and the opening of other
rahaels of demand, cannot fail eventually to augtnent the use of
‘"eraeo coal. The projected steam communication between Singapore
Mid our Australian colonies—the probable communication by the
spalskelllOULS at no distant period, between the various British settle-
Inlnte to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope and the west coast
of Aane:ica—as well as the system of railways now about to be tate-
alished in India—are events eminently calculated to occasion an
Itarnense consumption of Borneo coal, the more so as it can be sop-
Plied at comparatively moderate rates. Samples of the Labuan and
ISorneo coal have been brought over to this country by Mr. Wise,
and submitted by her Majesty's Government to a caretill examination
and analysis by competent parties, with a most satisfactory result.
The Borneo coal has else been pronounced by the Calcutta a oaf
Committee, appointed by the Bengal Government, to be equal to the
best English coal ; and Captain Wallage, in his report on the supplies of
teal obtained front the seam at Labuan, for the use of the Honourable
Zest India Company's steam-ship Nemesis, dated Sarawak, 10th
.74,2 e, 1847, observes—" I have no heeitation in stating that the coal
foceived at Labuan is equal to any English coal I have seen on board
Steamers in India, and decidedly better than any coal worked in
ladle for steam purposes.'
The portion of territory' contemplated for the first operations of the
Xastern Archipelago Company possesses a climate and soil admir-
ably adapted for the culture of cotton, tobacco, sugar, coffee, rice,
nutmegs, pepper, and other valuable peoductions, and is most
favourably situate, having the advantage of Labuan, now subject to
Ylritish dominion, as a point d'appul ; 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,
&am, Cochin-China, Hainan, Manilla, Celebes, &c., is not only of
treat importance in this respect, but also as affording the means of
Introducing with facility from those places Chinese and other cold
Ill Ate, sad labourers to any extent required for the service of the
Compaay. Labuan itself will form an essential link In the chain of
our eastern settlements, from Penang, Malacca, and Singapore to
/long Long ; and in the district of Sarawak every protection and
litteouragement will be granted by Mr. Brooke in furtherance of the
Company's objects. In short, every circumstance justifies the anti-
tiPation 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
last', peaceful, and beneficial commerce; bringing the advantages of
Vogreesiee civilisation to a large and fertile tract of the globe, and
conferring extensive benefits on the commerce and manufactures of
Great Britalu. The philanthrorist and the statesman, as well as the
'Merchant, will thus feel interested iu this design, which, through the
rae4lum of British enterprise, sanctioned and protected by the wis-
dom 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 of the
Illeonrcea of those countries.
The view here taken of the promising character of the underktk-
Int is not hypothetical, but is the result of the arduous personal re-
Starches of various individuals, who, in times past, have been de-
glrous of widening the circle of commerce and civilization, end,
among others more recently, of Mr. Wise, who has for 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
seaman as the site of a British settlement, may be ascribed the fact,
.41 that the protection of our flag is now ex tended to countries so important
both in a political and commercial point of view.
The Queen has appointed Mr. Brooke Governor arid Ca mmander-
ti an-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 of Borneo. These measures, and the course
of Policy which they indicate, will materially* faciatate and advance
the objects and interests of the Company throughout the Eastern Ar-
Ohleelago.
The Company being incorporated by Royal Charter, the responsi-
allity of each shareholder is limited to the amount of his subscrip-
. tten. The charter provides for the execution by the shareholders of
▪ 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.
Si. per share to be paid on the allotment of the shares, and the re-
Snainder to be paid by instalments as called for by the Directors.
The affairs of the Company a. e to be managed by a Court of
Directors of not more than twelve, two Managing Directors, and a
Secretary, and such agents, In Labuan or elsewhere, as the Directors
shall nominate ; the Directors and Auditors to be elected by the
Shareholders, as provided by the Deed of Settlement.
Applicatioa fur ehares front parties well affected to the objects for
which the Company is established, addressed, in the form annexed,
to Messrs. Gledstanes and Co., 3, White Lion-court, Cornhill.