The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-01 00:00:00

THE BORNEO PIRATES.

The pirates, who have for so long found shelter on the
coast of Borneo, have for a long time done great damage
to the trade, not only of this country, but of Europe
generally. Although repeatedly attacked, they have
never been thoroughly exterminated, and it is now the
wish of the Government of this country to have posses-
sion of an island which will be a point from whence these
marauders can be kept at bay, and form at the same time
a haven for our ships frequenting that coast. In order
to secure the possession of the island ceded by the Sultan,
an attack was rendered necessary, and accomplished in
the following gallant manner :
" During his stay on the coast of Borneo the Admi-
ral has been very active. After visiting Sarawak, on his
arrival at Borneo, his Excellency and fleet proceeded to
Borneo Proper, where he anchored, and went up the
town with the steamers Pluto, Vixen, and Nemesis,
and a body of marines. The surrender of the Pan-
goran Usof was demanded from the Sultan on account
of his having detained a British subject in slavery.
The Sultan said he had no power to compel his sur-
render, though he was ready to give every assistance.
ITsof refused to give himself up, and commenced
making defensive preparations. The steamers took up
positions, and the Vixen fired a shot over his dwelling-
house, to which he replied by firing at her. The
steamers then opened their fire, and in ten minutes his
house was completely riddled, on which be and his
followers made a precipitate retreat into the jungle,
and the house was taken possession of. About twenty
brass guns were seized, two of which were retained
by the Admiral, to be sold for the benefit of two
men who had been kept in slavery by Usof, and the
rest were presented to the Sultan. The populace then
plundered the house in a very effectual manner. After
the Admiral's departure, Usof, assisted by the Ka-
dayans, or country people, made an attempt to re-es-
blish himself in the capital, and seized upon a com-
manding position near the town ; he was, however,
met by the Pangeran Badreddeen, who defeated him
in an action, and a second time compelled him to
flight. The victors followed up their advantage by
pursuing him up the river, where they captured
his whole establishment, wives, children, slaves, and
treasure, Usof himself only escaping down the river
with five or six followers. Orders were, however, sent
by the Sultan along the coast, warning the rajas and
people from giving him shelter, and when the fleet
visited Borneo on its return, an expedition was being
fitted out by the Sultan to pursue him, so that his evil
influence may be looked upon as at an end, and his days
numbered.

" The fleet fromßorneo proceeded toLabuan, where the
steamers wooded, and the Admiral with all his force then
went to Melluda Bay, where the large men-of-war an-
chored, and the brigs, steamers, and gun-boats, with the
marines, ran up the bay. On the 18th the force anchored
off Sheriff Osman's river; on the same afternoon twenty-
four boats, containing in all 550 men, seamen, and ma-
rines inclusive, under the command of Captain Talbot,
proceeded to the mouth of the river, where they an-
chored for the night. The next morning they pro-
ceeded up the river, and came on the pirate's position
about nine o'clock. It was found to consist of three
forts, of which two mounted eleven heavy ship's
guns, and was, moreover, protected by a most for-
midable boom, bound round with ships' cables, so
that, altogether, the preparations and means of
defence were of a most complete and deadly nature.
After a short parley, which produced no result, the at-
tack was commenced; but so perfect were the defences,
and determined the opposition of the enemy, that it was
fully fifty-three minutes before a passage could be
forced through the boom. As soon as the pirates saw
the British boats coming through the opening, they
fled in all directions, but with heavy punishment.
The forts and town were destroyed and the guns
brought away, and an immense quantity of property of
all sorts was burned. The loss on the side of the.
British force was six killed and fifteen wounded, two
mortally. Mr. Gibbard, mate of the Wolverine, a
young officer of great promise, was the only officer killed.
The loss of the enemy was very severe, many leading
men being killed. It was reported, from a source
worthy of credit, that Sheriff Osman had received a
severe wound, which may, perhaps, rid the coast of a
daring and too successful chief. Several Sheriffs and
Pangerans from Saluk and Lianoon were found among
the slain. These latter pirates are said to hare fought
with great courage.
" Amongst the spoil which was taken possession of
was the bell of the Bremen vessel, Wilhelm Ludwig,
wrecked some years ago on the coast of Borneo, with
the cables, beats, and furniture of more than one Euro-
pean vessel.

'• Too much credit cannot be awarded to the Admiral
for the vigour of his proceedings on the coast of Borneo,
which have struck terror into the hearts of the boldest
pirates ; and if the course be only persevered in of un
expedition paying a visit to Borneo every now
and then, inflicting chastisement where merited, we
may hope to see piracy effectually crushed on
that coast, and that fine island—brought into fre-
quent communion with the rest of the world by means
of the British settlements upon it, and the steamers
which will ere long pay periodical visits to her shores—
become as well known for peaceful qualities and her
thousand now almost neglected sources of commerce, as
she has heretofore been for her piratical and lawless deni-
zens, the terror and scourge of the peaceful navigator."—
Singapore Free Press.