The Republican journal., 1885-07-16

| worse, IOr somehow the snow seems to
deapen the sound of the whistle, and it
would be we'll nigh impossible to nay-
gate Puget Sound in fog without
steam whistle, for the echo is almost as
much help as the compass, l had almost
said. You, yourself, may be as careful
as it were possible for human being to
be, but some reckless pilot may at any
moment send his steamer crashing into
your vessel and send you to the bottom
of the Sound" Alta California.
Rajah Torrey.
REMARKABLE CAREER OF A BATH MAN IN
FAR OFF LANDS.
| For several months past, says the Bos-
| ton Post, Boston has entertained un-
awares a high Asiatic dignitary, a mon
arch whose sway was unbOunded over
| millions of people, who merited from his
position all the public honors lavished
upon King kalakua and other represen-
tatives of distant countries who have
visited this city. More than other guests
this man should have found hearty well
come here, for he was not the innocent
inheritor of throne, but ruler who
made his own kingdom, developed his
realm by his individual force and achiev-
ed his title and recognition by means of
pluck, brains and enterprise.
This man was Joseph W. Torrey, rajah
of Ambong and Mavoodu in Borneo, who
| died Monday morning at his Boston resi-
dence on Wabon street.
Mr.. Torrey was born in Bath, April
22d, 1928. His father, j. G. Torrey,
printed the Maine Gazette, the first pa
per published in Bath. Soon after the
birth of his son, the elder Torrey moved
to RoXbury, where he became city print
er. His son received his education in the
RoXbury high school. In 1853 he left
Boston for Melbourne, where he entered
upon a commercial career in the employ
OF EnOch Train x Co. Charles Francis
Train was Il clerk in the house at that
time. Although now more Of q merchant
than q newspaper man, Mr.. TOrreys
bright wit and pen led him often into
journalistic work, and during his seven
years residence in Melbourne, he was a
frequent writer for the local papers He
joined the Masonic order and was elevat-
ed to the grand mastership OF his lodge.
From Melbourne he went to Hong Kong
N,
having been admitted as a partner in the
firm Of Montgomery, Parker Il Co. of
Boston. While a resident OF Hong Kong,
he was for time editor and manager Of
the Hong Kong Times and of the China
Mail He Was eventually appointed
United States Vice Consul to Siam, and
while resident in the latter country,
strange to say, practiced law with good
success. In Siam he began the under
taking of his life. He founded the
American Trading Company Of BorneO.
Several American merchants were inter
ested with him in his scheme, which
aimed to develop a large tract of coun-
try in the north side of BOrneo for com
merclal purposes
At the time the American Trading
Company was organized, nearly the
whole OF Borneo Was governed by Sui
tan, whose sway was absolute. The
Trading Company settled upon about
10000 square miles Of the Sultan's land,
L. e., the provinces of Ambong and Nav
oodu, and began operations. Their ac
ton was much similar to what is known
in the western part Of this country as
preemption. These provinces are rich in
natural products, prominent among them
being gutoa percha, spices, tin and gold,
and the coast line is well adapted for
commercial purposes.
At the time Mr.. Torrey began his work
| there the provinces contained about D.
600 inhabitants. 1t was not long be
| fore the Sultan OF Borneo, Abdul Mumin
Ebu Marhoun Mulaun Abdul Wahp, saw
| that Mr.. Torrey had come to stay. The
| Sultan'S powers were threatened 10y the
encroachment Of foreign powers, and he
knew that a strong effort in the right
direction would wrest his northern prov
inces entirely from his grasp. 1t may
| have been that Mr.. Torrey's Yankee
| pluck impressed and terrified the Sui
| tan, and it may be that he was won over
| by the diplomacy in either event Mr..
| Torrey obtained in 1865 a commission
from the Sultan recognizing him as rajah
or governor of the territory operated by
the American trading company. AS
| chief executive of this province Alr. Tor
rey had absolute power being the final
and sole authority over the life and death
of his subjects, exercising in short the
| functions Of an irresponsible sovereign.
| He had the power Of retaining his office
| LOT HE ana Oh naming HIS successor. lie
continued his sway With eminent success
for fourteen years. BY this time all his
| business associates in the trading com
pany had died, and Mr.. Torrey sold out
his interest to a syndicate OF British cap
italists who continued developing the re-
sources OF the country, their capital be-
ing placed at G2,0OO,OOO A few months
ago he returned to Boston. His absolute
power over his Borne0 kingdom was
maintained to the end and he could have
resumed the executive control at any
| time.
| A. h4:J4 o. H. p