A British Rajah.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5501, 19 October 1901, Page 1

A British Rajah.

THE ROMANTIC _T RY OF SARAWAK'S LULER.

Sir Charles Anthony Brooke, G CM.G. second Rajah of Sarawak, is the son of he late Rev. Francis Charles Johnson, vicar of White Larkington, Somerset, Ha , o } )al ,g ec nm tame ■ to" Brooke when the natives of Sarawak, In Borneo, chose him as Rajah in soocession to his uncle, the late Sir James Brooke. He is the ruler * of a kingdom a boat the size of Wales and Scotland. He has his own flag, his own army and navy, which are maintained In an efficient slate out of a revenue of £150,000 * a year. He owes his novel position to his uncle, Sir James Brooke, who, EARIY IN THB LAST CENTURA, embarked upon as queer adventure aa ever an Englishman undertook. In came about in this way. In 1826 He fought for the East India Company in the Burmese War, and, being dange ously wounded, was compelled to return home. Soon afterwards lie left the service of the Comv pany, and undertook a roving tour among the Islands of the Indian ArchipeLgo. These islands were occupied by tribes of savages continually at war with each other, and cany.ng on a system of piracy probably unequalled for its daring and ferocity. Mr Brooke had a great insplra* tion. He would rescue these sanguinary aud cruel people from the utter barbarism in which they lived and raise them to the level of civilisation. It was an ambirfoui project for a young man, but he had in Mm something of the spirit of the Empire maker, and he entered upon his taßk with a determination to succeed. Realising that these piratical and murderous savages would pay no heed to anything but force, Mr Brooke returned to England, and with some financial asslstat.ee EQUIPPED A SHIP, , the Royalist, which he manned with a score of picked men, and on Ootober 27* 1828, set sail from the Thames, On reaching Borneo he fourd an Insurrection in fall swing, which the Rajah Muda Hassim was making bat a half hearted and nasucoessful attempt to quell. Rejoicing at his good fortune. Mr Brooke immedi* ately offered the Rajah assistance. The offer was thankfully received. With hand and brain Mr Brooke fought for the cause of tbe Sultan. The result was thab after a seviis of terrible battles tbe rebellion ; waa crushed. For hia services Mnda t Hassim eteated Mr Brooke a Rajah, and presented him wi.h a vast slice of territory with Sarawak as the centre. The new R^jah then set about reforming the people he ruled He, how.ver,. found the pirates difficult to subdue, and at last the English Government sent out ships of war to co-operate with him. The pirates fought desperately. The capital ©f the Sultan was bombarded, aiid he and hia army forced to retreat. Eventually, however, be waa restored to his dominion. Gradually THE PIRATES WEBE BEATEN, but so large was the number of people slain that the ' head money' awarded by '. the British Government .miaunted to no less than £20,000. In 1847 Rajah B-coke returned lo England, nnd th<> Corporation of Loudon conferred on him the freedom of the City. He returnt'd to S*r.wak in a British man of war In 1-867 Raj*h Brooke'e honse at Kuclung w_s attacked by Chinese pirates, and he had lo evaco- ' ate the capital. With a small force he I recaptured the town. It was alout this time that his nephew, then a Lieutenant in die Navy, joinsd hia uncle in Sarawak. On the death of Sir Janus he wae appoint' ed to succeed him. Sir Charles, holds the sovereignty in eemi. alliance wih England. A few years ago the late Qaeen conferred upon him a Q I\M.G rl he Raj^h married V Miss Margaret, tl>e daughter of Mr Olaytca de Windt, Wiltshire. Sarawak haa an area estimated at from 35 000 to 40,000 square miles, and a population of about 300,000. Gold, antimony, quicksilver, „ diamonds, copper, and coal are found in the province. The country also furnishes i more than half the sago produce of the world.