The Origins of British Borneo

PREFACE

PREFACE BY 188 8 Britain ha d secured contro l over northern Borne o an d commanded th e eastern par t o f th e Sout h Chin a Sea . Thi s was the culmination of fifty years of involvement in the area. During the 1840 s and 1850 s that involvemen t wa s hesitan t an d faltering . But afte r i86 0 it became a definite movemen t towar d dominatio n of th e rout e betwee n Singapor e an d China . Two basi c factors o f Britain's Fa r Easter n polic y wer e involved . On e wa s the nee d t o maintain and protect the trade route to East Asia. The other facto r was th e evolutio n o f a n imperia l policy—th e change-ove r fro m primarily a commerciall y base d t o a politically base d policy . Th e change took place durin g the quarter o f a century following i860 . British activit y wa s motivate d mor e an d mor e b y th e ide a tha t another powe r migh t acquir e a territoria l footin g i n northwes t Borneo an d threate n th e trad e routes . Britain's forwar d movemen t i n Borne o wa s a s much a reactio n to the French presence i n Indo-Chin a a s it was a reflection o f th e new imperialist feeling arising in Britain. The suspicion of German intentions i n th e are a move d Britai n t o strengthe n he r position . She sponsored the state of North Borneo under rule by a chartered company. B y agreement with German y and Spai n she defined he r sphere i n Borneo . Finall y Britai n assume d protectorate s ove r Sarawak, Brune i an d Nort h Borneo . The purpos e o f thi s boo k i s t o stud y Britain' s progressiv e involvement i n Borne o fro m i86 0 t o 1888 , an d t o sho w ho w i t reflected th e developmen t o f polic y i n London . Th e bul k o f th e work was written in 1963 as a thesis presented for the Ph.D. degre e in the Universit y o f London . Par t o f Chapte r Thre e o f the thesi s was publishe d i n th e Sarawak Museum Journal, (Vol . XI, Nos . 23-24) in 1964, and parts of Chapter Six appeared in 'The Partitio n of Brunei' which was published in Asian Studies (Institute of Asian X PREFAC E Studies, Universit y o f th e Philippines , Quezo n City ) i n Augus t 1967. Bot h chapter s hav e bee n rewritte n fo r thi s book . I a m indebted t o the staf f o f the Britis h Museum , th e Colonia l Office Library , th e Publi c Recor d Office , London , th e Nationa l Archives, Washington , an d th e Sarawa k Museu m i n Kuching . Mr. Tom Harrisson , th e former Curato r o f the Sarawa k Museu m was especiall y helpfu l i n encouragin g m y research . I woul d als o like t o acknowledge the advice and hel p o f severa l othe r scholar s who have read my wor k a t som e stage—Professo r C . D . Cowan , Professor W . N . Medlicott , Mr . B . R. Pearn , an d Professo r Bria n Harrison. I expres s m y thank s t o colleague s i n Hon g Kon g wh o hav e advised i n numerou s way s while th e manuscrip t wa s in prepara tion , t o Mr s Noree n Talbo t wh o prepare d th e index , an d especially t o Mr . G . W . Bonsal l o f th e Hon g Kon g Universit y Press. Th e Asi a Foundatio n provide d a generou s gran t toward s the publicatio n o f th e boo k an d th e Departmen t o f Geography , University of Hong Kon g helped with th e maps . Department of History L . R...