The late George Steward, who fell in August 1844, whilst fighting as
a volunteer in the expedition against the pirates of Borneo,
commanded by Captain Keppel, was the youngest of seven children of
the late Timothy Steward, Esq., of Yarmouth. Having shown an early
predilection for the sea, a midshipman's berth was procured for him
in the maritime service of the Hon. East India Company, in which he
rose with as much rapidity as its regulations would admit; but
unfortunately for him, precisely at the period when he became
eligible for, and had secured, the command of a first-class ship, the
Act of Parliament was passed which abolished the mercantile
privileges, and consequently extinguished the maritime service of the
Hon. East India Company, whose officers thereupon retired on
pensions. Not being disposed to continue at sea as a private
adventurer, Mr. Steward remained unemployed for several years; but in
1842 his adventurous and daring spirit led him to embrace the
proposition of his friend and brother-officer, Mr. Henry Wise, now
connected with the East India and China trade, to undertake the
charge of a commercial expedition to the infant settlement
established at Sarawak under the auspices of Mr. Brooke. In the
month of March 1843 he left England in the 'Ariel,' a smart
fast-sailing brig, purchased, fitted out, and armed by himself and
Mr. Wise, in pursuance of the mercantile operation referred to, and
for the additional security of Mr. Brooke. The vessel arrived at
Singapore in the following July. Here Mr. Steward was informed that
the Borneo seas were swarming with pirates; and the master of the
brig having left her at that port, Mr. Steward assumed the command.
On his arrival at Sarawak, he received from Mr. Brooke a welcome, the
cordiality of which was enhanced by their recognising each other as
schoolfellows. Of the enterprise, intelligence, liberal mind, and
friendly disposition of Mr. Brooke, Mr. Steward has, in his
correspondence, spoken with the utmost warmth, and to him he was at
all times indebted for much valuable assistance and counsel. At
Sarawak Mr. Steward remained until he unfortunately joined the
expedition against the pirates, in which his life was sacrificed.