POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL SITUATION IN THE BORNÉO REGIONS VISITED BY THE HUNTER FROM JANUARY 10 TO FEBRUARY 8 1890.

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE REGIONS OF BORNEO UNDER THE PROTECTORATE OF ENGLAND.

We have seen in the course of this report that the states of North Borneo, Sarawak and Bruni came under British protectorate: the first on May 12, the second on September 5 and the third on September 17, 1888. According to the agreements reached on the above dates, the protectorate does not confer on the British Government any right to interfere in the internal administration of the three States, but no cession or alienation of territory can take place without its consent; the relations of these States with each other are directed by its care, it can establish consular authorities with them and finally it reserves the right to intervene in questions of succession for the Rajanah of Sarawal and the Sultanate of Bruni. It is further specified, with regard to the latter state, that British or protected subjects will be subject exclusively to the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the English consul. As a result of these agreements, the Governor of Singapore was invested with the functions of Consul General in Bruni and High Commissioner in Borneo. As a result of these measures, the whole of Borneo between Cape Datou and the Sibuko River, which roughly represents the former Kingdom of Borneo, is now under the exclusive control of the English Government, but without any of the burdens of sovereignty. If we look at the new confederation formed by the three protected states as a whole, we can see that with the 300,000 inhabitants of Sarawak, the 50,000 of Bruni and the 150,000 of Nord-Borneo, we have a fairly substantial total of 500,000 souls spread, it's true, over a large area of territory. The confederation's overriding interest is to encourage population growth and, above all, to attract Chinese immigration, as labor is what is mainly lacking on the large Malay island, and the Chinese are the only workers who can be advantageously employed in these regions. A study of the economic situation in the states of Sarawak and Borneo has shown us that the finances of the former are prosperous, and those of the latter are on the way to becoming so. As soon as this goal is achieved, it is easy to foresee that the English government will consider uniting the three Confederate States under its direct authority, and the United Kingdom will not delay in adding to its empire a new and vast colony founded by the initiative of its nationals.

Bugard, Frigate Captain