The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12
TROPICAL BORNEO, OUR NEXTDOOR NEGHBOR
PRINCIPALLY" "+ rGT T% % E%Hzz T ~S@s55 a ST r z@@So- BRITISH ARE MAKING MONEY

, lost, and what the British North Borneo
Company now Possesses.
l This American Consul. having obtained
the property, organized the American
Trading Company of Borneo, and made n
settlement on the Kinanis River. HIS
company set out plantations and imported
Chinese cheap labor TO work them. but for
some reason or other they were not a
success. and the company failed. The
property then went back to the Sultan and
the British got it under a new lease from
him, and also from the Sultan of Sulu.
| To-day Brunei is still ruled by the Sultan
under the English. He has a capital city
built upon piles in a bend in the river about
fifteen miles from tho sea. His capital
Is surrounded by hills. and standing upon
| these you can see the houses apparently
floating upon the water. Brunei is the
greatest water city of the world. 1t Is all
| water and houses. The boats anchor
among the houses ard the market Is m;.dn
up Of stalls. each of which Is Al canoe. amt
among which other canoes move about
carrying the purchasers from stall to stall.
The sellers are women. each CT whom
! wears an enormous hat.
| The most important OF the English pos
I sessions In Borneo Is that which now he
| longs to Sir Charles Brooke. the nephew
Of Sir James Brooke, who became IA
| nous the world over under the title of
l ia du JoIbcht- Nv N'HA'N% ."
Sarawak on the map. 1t IS about as large
| as the State of New York. and has Il coast
line Of 400 miles. 1t produces diamonds.
| gold. silver, quicksilver. coal. India rubber.
| ~rattans. camphor. birds nests, saso. pepper
| and gambler 1t has a number or navlsa'Ie
| rivers. and Il is indeed d valuable piece or
I! property.
Interesting Story of How the
English Gained Possession.
| The story Of how the English came into
possession OF this country is curious. SIR
James Brooke landed In Sarawsk in his
own vessel in 1899. He found it in a state
| Of instruction. The people were composed
of different tribes, who were lighting each
| other. There was n rajah named Muda
Hassin, who was the nominal ruler, but he
could not keep the people in order, ana
head hunting was the principal business.
Slavery was common and chaos reiGned.
Sir James Brooke united his forces with
those of the Rajah. and in a short time was
able to reduce the people to order. After
, three years Muda Hassin abdicated In his
favor and he became the supreme Governor.
He at once began to organize his admins
tration after modern methods, at the same
time paying respect to the supeTstilons and
| beliefs OF the natives. He learned the Malay
| language. and tolerated the Mohammedan
| religion. although he introduced English
missionaries. For more than a generation
he governed the state in a way perfectly
satisfactory to the people. and in 1883 he
brought 1t under the protection of Great
Britain. The Government is a hereditary
monarchy, being now ruled by his nephew.
but It is governed like one Of the crowned
colonies under the British.
The capital of Sarawak IS Kuching, a
town Of 10000 people, situated on the Sara
wax River, about twenty miles from the
ca. The place Is well fortified. 1t has
ublic gardens. good roads and many COM
.ortable homes The English live in bum
galows and they have all the surroundings
Of civilization. Among other things there
are a lady's club. a gentlemen's club and a
| newspaper. which IS known as the Sara
| wax Gazette. There are Roman Catholic
and Protestant missions, a r~eadinE-room. a
museum and several factories. There are
coal mines not far in the interior, and tim
| Der Is being shipped from Sarawak to Hong
| kong and elsewhere. The country has now
a revenue approximating H.00e,Wo, and its
! annual exports amount to more than 3d.
OOo Coz. The military consists Of 30 Dyaks.
under English officers.
Country Rich in Gold,
| Diamonds and Coal.
Sc little Is known of Dutch Borneo that
a.. ,or bo described onlv In general terms.