Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-03

Remarkable Career Of Bath Man In Far
on Lands.

or Lands.
For several months past, says the Boston
Post, Boston has entertained unawares high
A.iatic dignitary, monarch whose sway
was unbounded over millions of people, Who
merited from his position all the public hon.
ors lavished upon King Kalakua and other
representatives of distant countries who have
visited this city. More than other guests this
man should have found hearty welcome here.
for he was not the innocent inheFitor of q
throne, but ruler who made his own king
dom. developed his realm by his individual
force and achieved his title and recognition
by means OF pluck. brains and enterprise
This man was Joseph W. Torrey, rajsh of
Ambong and Mavoodu in Borneo. who died
Monday morning at his Boston residence on
Wabon street.
Mr.. Torrey was born in Bath, April 22d.
1928. His father. J. G. Torrey, printed the
Maine Gazette, the fret paper published in
Bath. Soon after the birth of his son, the
elder Torrey moved to Roxbury, where he
became city printer. 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 en-
ploy of Enoch Train Co. Charles Francis
Train was a clerk in the house at that time
Although now more of a merchant than a
newspaper man, Mr.. Torrey's bright wit and
ready pen led him often into journalistic
work, and during his seven wears residence
| in Melbourne, he was frequent writer for
the local papers. He joined the Masonic or
der and was elevated to the grand mastership
of his lodge. From Melbourne he went to
Hong Kong. Here he continued his mercan-
tile work. having been admitted as partner
in the firm of Montgomery, Parker & Co. of
Boston. While a resident of Hong Kong, he
was for time editor and manage OF the
| Hong Kong Times and of the China Mail.
He was eventually appointed United States
Vice Consul 10 Siam. and while resident in
the latter country, strange to say. practiced
Law with good success In Siam he began
the undertaking of his life. He founded the
American Trading Company of Borneo. Sew
| eral American merchants were interested
with him in this scheme, which aimed TO de-
velop large tract of country in the north
side of Borneo for commercial purposes.
At the time the American Trading Com
pany WAS organized, nearly the whole of Bor-
| neo was governed bv Sultan, whose sway
was absolute. The Trading Company settled
upon about &c. 900 square miles of the Sui
tan's land. e., the provinces of Ambong and
Mavoodu, 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 gutta p'rcha,
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 1000, 900
inhabitants. 1t was not long before the Sui
ran of Rorneo Abdul Mumin Ebu MarhOun
Mulaun Abdul Wahp saw that Mr.. Torrey
had come to stay. The Sultan's powers were
threatened by the eDcroachment of foreign
powers, and he knew that strong effort in
the right direction would wrest his northern
provinces entirely from his grasp. 1t may
have been that Mr.. Torrey's Yankee pluck
| Impressed and terrified the Sultan, and il
NAV be that he was won over BY the diplOm-
acy; in either event Mr.. Torrey obtained in
1865 COMM 'sion from the Sultan recognize
ing him rs lajah, or governor of the territory
operated by the American trading COM
panv. As chief executive of this province
Mr.. Torrey had absolute power, being the
final and sole authority over the life and
death of his subjects, exercising in short the
functions of an i-re>p 'nsihle sovereign. He
had the power of retaining his office for life
and of naming his successor. He continued
his sway with eminent success for fourteen
wears Bv this time all his business associates
in the trading company had died, and Mr.
! Torrev sold out his interest to n syndicate of
British capitalists who continued developing
the resources of the country, their capital
being placed at 81, 900. 600 few months
ago he returned to Boston His absolute
power over his Borneo kin .dom was main
tanned to the end and he could have resumed
the executive control at any time.