New-York tribune., 1911-02-01
NEW Rance OF SARAWAK
Girl of American Ancestry to
OcCupy an Oriental Throne.

American. Lord Esher's youngest daughter
the Hon. sylvia Brett. IS about 10 become
.,e virtual queen Of sn important SOW
.,.,ig- state g. the Orient for her en-
..sgsr,ent Is announced 10 c. Vyner Brooke
ne rsfah of Sarawak and its regent In
.na absence OF hts father. Sir Charles
r,r0oke. whose eightv-odG wears and their
attendant .nirnlties compel him now to
i've altogether in England. AS the wife
n C Vvuer Brooke sylvia Brett will be
,ons invested with the title OF rance, or
,roer and the predicate of highness. while
when her fathsr-in-iaw dies she Will share
her husbands right not only in the Orient,
s,,t also IN England. 10 the honors due 70
ar Oriental sovereign and 10 salute Of
nineteen guns.
The future rance Of Sarawak Ike her
brother. Captain the Hon. Maurice Brett
uro married the London actress Zena Dare
81 CarGir .sst week, and re~ eldest brother.
-be Hon. oliver Brett, VINO IS IN New York
a. the ST. Regis Hotel IS 4 erandchild of
old Baroness Van DER WCye-, wife of the
Belgian diplomat who was for so many
wears Belgian envoy a London and the
PERSONAL representative -1-re OF Queen
victora's uncle Leopold | OF Belgium.
The baroness was dautnter o. Joseph
safes. of Boston. the American partner
Of tho great banking house OF Barring.
roserr Bates spent a portion OF each year
M London and hao nnst picturesque,
historic and rospitA1le suburban home az
rv.~ze-har. c1 the Thames. known as
YORK House It was there tlat al those
5ts-.rgtisreG American VIC visited Eng
land during the first thirty years Of the
Victorian era were enabled 20 meet the
leading men = Great Britain.
The story OF Sarawak is one OF the ro-
naucss Of the British Empire. and it may
10 said 10 owe its existence as sovereign
state 20 the late Lady Blrdett-Coutts.
More than half a century sEo she fitted
oat az her own expense az armed expeci-
..o- for the purpose of surrressing the
pirates who then infested The strait OF
Nlslacca. seizins English merchant ship
ping bound Tor Chinese ports and either
numbering the crew and passengers on
board or else carrying them Of into horri-
a.e slavery Lady Burdeyt-Coutts intrusted
The command Of the expedition jointly 20
.he late Admiral Sir Harry keppel and to
-- James Brooke, 9 wealthy officer OF the
ss1gal army who had done q good deal OF
cruising 10 The Indian ocean and in the
strait ~ M-lacca or his armed yacht.
Between them Sir James frooke and Sir
Harry Keprei practically wiped the piracy
lr -ae strait out or existence.
Sir James declined 90 return with Sir
Harry hs1pel 10 England when their mis-
sion was accomplished. and obtained the
consent Of Lady Eurdett-COuttS 10 his re-
.anns The ships of the expedition and
also t1eir ornaments. in order TO assist the
sultan Of Bc-ueo IN The suppression Of the
fierce rrak head hunters. who had re-
.o.-et l-a.nst his rule So valuable was
US assistance that the Sultan. subsequently,
TO token ~ gratitude, surrendered 90 h!1
.a soVa~a .-utv ~ portion Of his Louliu-
..-s. namely Sarawak. embracing the
.7~'aaru and western portions of the great
L..ar island cf B0r0ea. and bestowed upon
.w r"e -.le o. Reja-. There SIR James
.a. "r q government as far as possible on
English lines. rne British government al
owing army and navy officers on half pay
.a take temporary service under his orders,
v.ue Lady Ea-oa-t-Coutts continued TO act
.e the financial bacbe~ = the enterprise. in
which she took an immense amount II in
..~es-. bv reason ~ i-s civIEng influence
-ra Fa~ Eas- To-day Sarawak Is g
.-1e-erCg. state of about one hundred
thousand square miles. With q population
.. sloH. B. million with many naviga3is
rv.rs splendid roads. tweUty-tLre- post
eee- -r. g. telephone system extending
over a considerable portion " the state.
Sir Charles Brooke is the nephew and
.-t~ of Sr James. succeeded 20 his throne
.1or- forty years ago. after eleven years
q rs q
.. t.e sister of Harry DE- Windt, the ex-
.--.- w-. spends So much ot his time In
.. country.
lH. mr. ..ree wears aso Sir Charles had
.rss.e .la-r-, on his hands. lie had
mao, the mistake Il inviting his nephew,
.roos- Johnson. 10 5o.u him IN Sarawal.
.-1 appointed aim Governor Of one ~ his
-ov..e.e .5~-uasrer General chief JUS
... aad believe even commander II
Il az l.s army. At any rate. Brooke
johnson directed several military eXpedi-
-l.- f- -l. suppression Of insurrectioa
... ~ .t. reduction If unrulv chiefs -
...5t..5- u. Some way he fell out with
.s r.s-i-. S.~ James BrOoke's son. Q.
"--.- Brooke. who is now -1arrying Lord
Es..r -a.s-re-, and who. besides being
member of TIE travellers Club. In Lon
l.. and q graduate Of Lagdalen College
-a..5r.-c i-. as have mentioned above
.Isa auo Eeet,- Of Sarawak ir MS
.l.....s absence The quarrel resulted ~
e. Charles a.sr ssi1g his nerhew from his
-.... ans .r ta1isnirG him from his
...a.r.9--.
r-...- johnson .aereupor established
rus-r a. -.-Ier iu the TERRITORY OF
Java. belonging 20 ..e su.-anate ~
s-.-. .... s.~ Charles brooke suose-
..-..- u.- .as frcw DE sultan oi
-.. chs sovereignty cS the province ~
..av-. l- called upon his nephew, BROOKE
johnson. to clear out. Having puAJ ~
..c-.r.~. t~ao.rG business ~ LaVas, SoAh-
son -.trseu .a do go. and according. S-r
Charles. although we'll over seveuty Years
a.. a. .as uue. marched q, the head ot an
.--. Tc--.l tr EngIs1men, ana con
sstre ~ about ten thousand splendioy
.--ir.. Malay dyaks. armed 10 the teeM
.-t .e moss modern magazine -,iies anu
r....t-. guns. irte L.was % drive out DIS
ac. .err
rra.r ordinary circumstances tie Eng
..-. -orarrm,nt wCulo probably have felt
called spor -9 interfere IN "a N9r thus tax
.-g place between TWO Of It's citizens " the
Tar ORIENT Bu- this would have consu-
.--4r ar .rs-action Of the sovereign rights
~ Sir Charles Brooke. which had Deen
guaranteed 20 MIN by the British govern
men, in return FOR hls acceptance of IT'S
-lzere ntr. And then. TOO. it would have
proved = sorry recogn. .tlon for all 'he Work
ralcr he lad accomplished n establishing
aw and order among q people who, nn..'
s and his un.ie TOOK hold Of sara"aH'
rer. renowned throughout The Orient for
...... .. the dreaded