The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-24
"MONARCH OF ALL / SURYEY
Uptodats Robinson CruSoe and Island AutocraS Recalled
by Death of Ruler.
by Death of Ruler.

and as privatser under the British flag.
had caused himself to be naturalized as
Dutch citizen
His son, however. John Glunies-Ross,
who succeeded him in 1854, and whose
mother was Malay. had no such rea-
sons 10 fear or dislike the land OF his
fathers birth. Apprehenssve, however,
Of the seizure Of his islands by some
foreign European power, he established
friendly relations with the British gov
eitlment, and by direction OF the latter.
Capt. Freemantle visited the archipelago
in 1851, on board the frigate Juno. and
hoisted the English flag on the islands
In the name Of Queen Victoria
BY strange coincidence. a Russian
man-o'-wsr steamed into the lagoon har-
Dor foytyeight hours later, but finding the
Union Jack fiuttering from the Flagstaff
on land, and the Juno at anchor in The
harbor, paid mere complimentary visits
70 Capt. Freemantle, and, with ill-con-
cealed signs OF disappointment. departed
Capt. Freemantle remained for three
months. and before leaving established
the status of the archipelago as part and
parcel Of the British empire. leaving,
however. TO the islands, their complete
autonomy, and 10 John Ross not merely
proprietorship OF the group. but also the
right and duty OF administering them in
the same way that his father had done
before him, with autocratic powers of
life and death. There was no other visit
OF any British man-o'-war until 1854,
when the Serpent called. and made a
complete survey OF the islands.
John Ross died in 1871, and was sue
eeeded by his son George, with similar
powers and authority, which now pass
undiminlshed to his son Sydney. who has
been administering the islands for some
time past. during his fathers illness in
England.
Although the British government takes
more interest IN the group than formerly,
and causes II to be visited once a year
by a representative Of the governor OF
the Straits Settlements. who usually
makes the trip from Singapore on board
a msn-of-war. and furnishes an extreme
ly interesting report on his return. yet
the British penal code has never been
introduced into the islands There is no
police force and no crime, and the cur
rency Of the islands consist OF bits OF
parchment bearing the signature OF the
head Of the Ross family. and convertible
at q Fixed ratio into rupees or dollars
when an islander makes a rare visit %
Batavia or Singapore. The ROSES. who
are Presbyterians. have all married Ma
lays ard. in spite OF the fact that the
population OF more than 1000 are nearly
all Moslems, yet the Ross influence has
been sufficiently great 10 cause mono
gamy TO prevail In fact. no one on the
! island has more than one wife.
Sydney Ross the new king of the CO.
cos Islands, like his brothers. has been
educated in Scotland and has received q
careful medical training at the universe
ties OF Glasgow and OF Edinburgh. His
mother. Ike his grandmother and great
grandmother. was a Malay Of exceptional
cleverness and devotion. also OF much
refinement. and her influence over the
natives OF the archipelago was of ines
Unable value 10 her husband in main
tainig his authority by persuasion In lieu
Of force.
The islanders live in houses furnished
In the European model. sit at table to ca
their food with the aid Of knives and
forks and have adopted as a national IN
stitutlon weekly washing day. In fact
| the Scotch influence is apparent through
out the islands, although the English Ian
guage is almost entirely unknown.
OF late years the islands have beer
placed in telegraphic communication witt
the outer world. by means OF a cable sta
! ton. which is In charge OF one CT Sydne,
Ross's younger brothers, who also acts
as Loyd's agent in the archipelago. TIT
export trade. entirely in the hands Of TIT
| ROSES is restricted TO copra OF the verI
| finest character; and virtually cut of
not from news. since there is the cabl,
station, but from personal intercours,
with the outer world. both European ant
| Oriental. the thousands CocOs islander
I and their rulers, lead an ideally happl
/ life. without any trouble Or disturbance
/ Indeed, IL is the nearest approach to Ar