The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-24

once Mf. Brooke applled TO the Rhsish Admiral
for aseIstance, andthe steamer Nemesis was des-
patched 60 the scene OF action. The Raah Joined
her with eighteen war-boats, to. which Wero
afterwards ADDED eleven hundred DyakB in
their bangkOngs. On the 3lst of July, az night
they, encountered the great war-aeet Of the
barebus and Sakarran pirates, numbering one
hundred and City bangkongs, returning home
laden with plUDder The pirates found the en-
frances OF the river occupied by their enemies
the m Enelisn, Malay, and Dyak forces being placed
IN mthreedetacbments, while the Nemesis was fully
prepared TO assist whenever the attack shosld
begin. Then there was a dead silence, broken
only by three strokes of q gong, which called
the pirates TO council Of war A few minutea
afterwards fearful yell gave notice of their ad-
vance, and the Aeet approached in two divi-
sions., In the dead of the night there ensued
terrible scene, The pirates fought brayely, but
they could not Withstand the superior forces OF
their enemy. Their boats were upset by the
paddles OF the steamer. They were hemmed in
on on every side, and five hundred men wero
killed, sword in hand while twenty-five hUa-
dred escaped to the jungles,. many of them 20
perish. The morning light showed sad
spectacle OF ruin and defeat. Upwards Of
tured, aud many more destroyed The
English officers would have gladly saved
life; but the pirates would take no quar-.
ter, and the prisoners were lew. IL was strik-
ing fact, that one of the war-boats under MT.
Brooke was manned by some thirty MalAye-
every one of whom had lost during the wear =
near relative, killed by these same pirates. Tho
| conederacy has never risen from this defeat
aid for years the tribes composing 1t have re-
! turned to the labors of peaceful life. Writing
| twelve months afterwards to friend, Raiah
Brooke says: pray keep the 3lst OF July apart
for special bumper, for during the last year
| not a single innocent life has been taken by
these pirates, nor q single prahu fallen into
their hands" Many victory, famous In story.
| has accomplished less. -.... 4.
The next year fleet of sixty-four prahus,
manned by northern pirates, and carrying 1874
guns, was destroyed by British gunboats in the
! Cult of TOnQuln. This was followed by an lat
tack of the Spaniards upon the haunts of the
Soloo pirates. A lull ensued. For three or four
! years ain ost no:hing was heard of freebOoting;
but it was deceitful calm, not fnsl
! cessation OF the Storm The freeb0oting
| spirit was not taken out of the blood of
the Malay. Now piracy is said TO be on the
| increase again. Only three years since six
Balanlni pirates had the audacitY to sail into
sarawak Bay, and commence depredations
! along its coasts. But not one returned to tell
| the tale. The whole six were captured or de-
stroyed, and their crews killed or taken prison-
ers. The only permanent remedy tor the evil
| is just settled and efficient government, such
as has been established at sarawak, destroying
| not simply the fleets, but breaking up the
piratical haunts, and with firm hand forcing
their people back into the habits and pursuits Of
| civilized life. ..... ..... ..r ..u. I..
Being delivered for time at least from these
perils, the new Rajah was at liberty to devote
himself to the welfare of his subjects. 1t is
not possible, in a brel NOTICE, even to hint at
all the events and efforts OF the next fifteen
years of his government,-to say how he re-
pressed the cupidity and lawles6ness of the
Malay chiefs; how he encouraged and protected
the poor Dyaks; how from year to year he re-
sisted the fierce pirates who, coming from the
neghboring islands with strong fleets, sought
to sweep the adjacent seas. OF course the prime
need was to restore confidence, and to assure
to all honest workers, of every race, the
gains of their industry. The first question,
indeed, of the Chinese emigrant was, "Will you
protect us, or will our plantations, 80 soon as
ANYTHING
chiefs? ?n 1t has been beautiful TO behold order
coming out of chaos, peace out of violence.
whole districts redeemed from anarchy, simply
by giving efficient support to the orderly part of
the population. Another object of not less i'm
poTttSanee was to create IN this people something
comprehend that they were citizens, with the
duties of citizens, It certainly was no easy task
to awaken much OF the sentiment of lofty
patriotism IN the minds of those whose only
common memories were of lawless misruIe and
oppre 5slon. Every possible effort has been
made in this direction. The struggle has been,
not to plant an English colony, but to create
Bornean state. The laws are not English, Do1
built upon English precedents. They are simply
the old Bornean statutes, made conformable to
the principles of equity, and administered with
Just regard to the customs and traditions of the
people. The offices of government are oiled to
the least possible degree with foreigners; while
native chiefs and even reclaimed pirates are
associated with them, and thus habituated to
all the forms of a civilized Estate. Mr. Brooke
with rare courage and wisdom, has always
trusted for his safety to the goodwill of
his native subjects He has never been sus-
tanned by mercenary bands. At time when
pratcal violence was most threatening when dis.
orders were yet rife in his own state and when his
subjects but poorly appreciated his benevolent
purposes towards them, his whole English force
was twenty-tour men. 1t is pleasant to add
that this confidence was not misplaced A
younger generation Is now springing up with
larger views of life, and with a better apprecia
ton OF the workings and value of equitable
government. To sum up all in brief sentence,
1t may be said with truth that the admiuistra,
tion has been marked with rare sagacity. firm
ness, and comprehensiveness of view, and tn at
1t has been crowned with success. N..
In l845, MIR. Brooke came for the
first time into official relations with the British
Government, by accepting the Office of conf
Dental agent in Borneo. We have already
alluded to his warm love OF his native country.
As early as lEtl he had expressed willingness
TO sacrifice hi large outlays, and TO relinquisb
all his rights and interests 10 the Grown, If a
guarantee could be given that piracy would be
checked and the native races protected in all
Their proper rights and priv leees. He accepted
gladly, therefore, post which promised to
and entered upon it's duties with vigor.
Immediately upon his appointment, he
was requested to make Investigations
as to the existence of harbor fit for
the shelter and victualling Of ships bound from
Hong-Kong to Singapore. He reported that
Labuan, small island north OF BOrneo, was i'm
every way suitable; that il was about eQuidls-
tant from the two parts; that it had fine hRr-
Dor. or rather roadstead that IL was healthy;
that it abounded in coal OF the best quality;
that finally, the Sultan pledged to convey Ii
upon reasonable terms
But before legal papers could be drawn, the
whole policy OF the Court OF Bruni had changed.
The Sultan was al monarch with ''the head of
an idiot and the heart OF pirate.p All his sym
pathies were with violence and robbery. Under
the influence of Others, he had agreed TO use his