The Portland daily press., 1868-07-02
Miscellany.
1'he Rajah of sarawak.

The death of SIR James Brooks, Eajah OF
Sarawak, in Borneo, and Ex-Governor OF the
Island of Labuan, is reported as having taken
place at BARTON, Devonshire, England, rom
a second attack of paralysis. AS the Rajah
was born on the 29.h oil April, 1913, he was
a little over 65 -ears old. His whole lie was
such romance that we think our readers
may desire to know it.
His father retired official in the civil SER
vice of the East India Company, married at
Calcutta, and his own birth took place in
Bengal. The lad, alter the custom OF the
time, was sent to England to be educated,
and was at Norwich Grammar School for the
usual period. At an early age he entered the
military service OF the East India Company,
and saw active service at once, being severe
ly wounded in the lungs during the Bur
mese war; This compelled him TO re-
turn TO Englar on furlough, but his
health was long in a precarlous state
While on "sick leave" he yachtea up tne
Mediterranean, visited several cities OF Asia
Minor, and examined The plains OF Troy. In
those days there was no steam navigation be-
eween England and India. and he had to EN-
baIk in sailing vessel TO India. Shipwreck-
ed on the voyage to rejoin his regiment, his
1urloush had expired before he reached Cal
cutta, whereby he lost lis commission and
LETT tue army About 1880 he went to China,
where he conceived the idea OF putting down
piracy in the Eastern Archipelago, and of civi
lizlng the savage inhabitants OF those distant
islands. he purchased yacht, manned with
twenty sailors, tested the seaworthiness OF his
vessel and the seamanship of his crew by
three years cruise in the Mediterranean, and
saiied for the Island of Borneo in october,
1888. On reaching Sarawak, a northwest
province, he found Mudah Hassim, uncle OF
the Sultan OF Borneo, engaged in war with
some rebel tribes. Lending him the assis-
tance OF English arms and skill. he soon put
down the instruction, and Tor this was made
Raiah and Governor OF Sarawak, the native
Governor being compelled to resign. In his
official capacity, Rajah Brooke applied him
self TO suppress piracy, to put down
"head-hunters," to reform the government,
to Introduce free trade, to facilitate the eX-
tension OF European commerce, to civilize
the savage Dyaks and to frame new laws
In due me lin 1S47) the British !Govern-
ment purchased the Island OF Labuan, near
Sarawak, and charges OF severity brought
against him being investigated and declared
improved, Brooke was made Governor and
Commander-in-Chiet for Queen Victoria,
with salary of $4,000 year, and his recep.
ton in England was an ovation. In 1S48 be
was also Governor of Sarawak for the Sui
tan OF Bomeo, and exercised power almost
kingly. His secret of success was his allow
lug native council to govern native pop
ulation.
Sir James Brooke continued Governor of
Labuan until February, 1856, when he was
superseded. In 1857, while he still was
haJah OF Sarawak, the English having got in
to war with the Chinese, a large body of the
latter, who objected to his persistent efforts
10 suppress opium smuggling made night at
tack upon his house, committed great havoc
upon his property, including valuable libra
ry, and put him into so much peril that he
escaped only by swimming acrUss creek.
With the aid of the natives, however, Sir
James attacked and defeated the Chinese,
killing two thousand of them, and utterly
DESTROYING their fourishing settlement.
Returning to England in 1858, he delivered
public lectures on the desirableness OF Sa-
rawak being taken under British protection"
which means being annexed by England.
There was reason to believe that the Dutch
intended to occupy it. In November, 1858,
the Prime Minister, Lord Derby, declined
NEEDING with Sarawak. Sir James Brooke's
friends and admirers raised sum OF money
to make good his losses, with which he pur-
chased the estate at Devonshire, where he died.
In the autumn OF 1861 he returned to Bor-
Deo. to put down rebellion there, and sue
ceeded. but was soon after recalled there to
suppress another. The independence of Sa-
rawak was soon after acknowledged In the
absence of Rajah Brooke his nephew was
acting Governor. A British consul is duly
accredited to Sarawak. The town OF Sara
wax had about one thousand inhabitants
when Biooke first saw it, in 1889, and now
has over twenty-five thousand. Its chief
trade is with Singapore, the exports to which,
in 184I, were e25,OO0, and, in 1858, were over
e3O0,OO0 a year. At his death Brooke, though
still British subject Was an independent