The times., 1899-01-21
Thc potcntatc of the SuIu Islands
and His History.
lFr1m the New Yorl. SAM

(Fr9m the New York sum
When the American Peace Commiss icn-
ers in the negotiations ut Paris. insisted
on the cession OF the Sulu archipe 20 To
this country. the United states acquired a
very picturesque and possibly unruly va
sal in the person of his Highness the 81
tan of SuIu together with his hareIu OF
Sultanas and something more than 10000
Mussulman subjects. Thus for the st
time is the Mohammedan religion brought
under the protection OF the Stars aHi
Stripes.
The Sulu archipelago over which this
Aussulman monarch hC.ds sway is the
southernmost part of the remarkab e
Philippine group. lying east of Bo-nev
which was at one time under his High
ness jurisdiction. Parts OF Mindanao and
Palaman still render allegiance 10 lis
Highness. Two vassal sultans in the fos-
mer paying tribute 10 the Sultan of the
Suits as their feudal lord. Although TO-
nearly three centuries the Span!a dis
Waged war against the Sultan OF tie
Sulus not until 1877 did this potent lie
acknowledge the sOverei. .lnty Of Spain in
his dominions. which was also formally
recognized by England and Germany in
protocol signed March II, 1871 No mill
tary post was established in the archi-
pelago until 1880, when = convict co. p5
took possession. Two years later ga~rI-
sons were established in Bongao AID
Siassi, two small islands of the Sulu
group.
In 1887 the island of SuIu was partIy
conquered by Gen. Aroias. who was late
ly in command of the Spanish garrison a
Havana. In this conquest the Sultan did
not fare so badly, for he secured the title
OF excellency and an annual pension of
s2.iO0. besides 4 renewal OF the decree OF
1877 exempting the entire population OF
the archipelago from taxation for a second
period Of ten years, from 1857. Spain has
never been able TO levy tribute upon the
Sultan of the SuluS- In fact, Spanish iu-
risdiction in Mindanao and the Sulus has
always been Of the most limited descrip-
ton. .Ar. John Foreman. the English
traveller, who lately gave information re-
garding the Philippines to the American
Peace Commissioners. observes on rhis
point:
1t is at great sacrifice that the span
iards can retain the little possession which
they have acquired in the south. and fire.
qdent acts of violence are stil p4rpet trateI
on them By the turbulent Mussu!ma,.s.
who virtually refuse to recognize. other
rights thar those OF their Sul,aus. To-
whom they give allegiance. Indeed. IL NAV
be Unhesitadngly asserted that the Span
iards hold no more domain in Mindarao
and the Sultanate Of Sulu than thai of 4
days march from thelr respective garri-
sons; and in Mindanao, in particular NOS
one hundredth part OF the territory
His highEess the Sultac resides at MAY
bun, iG the island of Sulu, the largest in
the archipelago. 1t is about thirty-four
miles long and twelve broad There are
140 or 1850 Islands in the Sultauate, eighty
or ninety Of which are inhabited Sulu.
the Spanish capital OF the group. was for
tifed and put in good sanitary order some
years ago by Gen. Parade recently sta
toned at Havana, and member of the
Evacuation Commission. This officer in
tae early eighties was governor of SuIu.
He erected land defenses and furnished the
town with pure water supply. His 90
ernment was one of martial law The Sui
tan. at Maybun, on the southern coast. rul-
ed without Spanish interference.