To sum up all in a brief
sentence, it may be said with truth that the administration has been
marked by rare sagacity, firmness, and comprehensiveness of view, and
that it has been crowned with success.
In 1845, Mr. Brooke came for the first time into official relations
with the British government, by accepting the office of confidential
agent in Borneo. We have already alluded to his warm love of his native
country. As early as 1841, he had expressed a willingness to sacrifice
his large outlays, and to relinquish all his rights and interests to the
crown, if a guaranty could be given that piracy would be checked and the
native races protected in all their proper rights and privileges. He
accepted gladly, therefore, a post which promised to increase his power
to benefit his people, and entered upon its duties with vigor.
Immediately upon his appointment, he was requested to make
investigations as to the existence of a harbor fit for the shelter and
victualling of ships bound from Hong-Kong to Singapore. He reported that
Labuan, a small island north of Borneo, was in every way suitable; that
it was about equidistant from the two parts; that it had a fine harbor,
or rather roadstead; that it was healthy; that it abounded in coal of
the best quality; that, finally, the Sultan stood pledged to convey it
upon reasonable terms.
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