Rajah Brooke

by Sir Spenser St. John

RAJAH BROOKE

THE ENGLISHMAN AS RULER OF AN
EASTERN STATE

BY

Sir SPENSER ST JOHN, G.C.M.G.

AUTHOR OF
‘HAYTI; OR, THE BLACK REPUBLIC,’
‘LIFE IN THE FORESTS OF THE FAR EAST,’
ETC.

LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE
MDCCCXCIX

Copyright by T. Fisher Unwin, 1897, for Great Britain and
the United States of America

PREFACE

I have undertaken to write the life of the old Rajah, Sir James Brooke, my first and only chief, as one of the Builders of Greater Britain. In his case the expression must be used in its widest sense, as, in fact, he added but an inappreciable fragment to the Empire, whilst at the same time he was the cause of large territories being included within our sphere of influence. And if his advice had been followed, we should not now be troubled with the restless ambition of France in the Hindu-Chinese regions, as his policy was to secure, by well defined treaties, the independence of those Asiatic States, subject, however, to the beneficent influence of England as the Paramount Power, an influence to be used for the good of the governed. Sir James thoroughly understood that Eastern princes and chiefs are at first only influenced by fear; the fear of the consequences which might follow the neglect of the counsels of the protecting State.

The plan which the Rajah endeavoured to persuade the English Government to adopt was to make treaties with all the independent princes of the Eastern Archipelago, including those States whose shores are washed by the China Sea, as Siam, Cambodia and Annam, by which they could cede no territory to any foreign power without the previous consent of England, and to establish at the capitals of the larger States well-chosen diplomatic agents, to encourage the native rulers not only to improve the internal condition of their countries, but to inculcate justice in their treatment of foreigners, and thus avoid complications with other powers.