It might be interesting to explain, as briefly as possible, the
position the Rajahs and their people occupied in that great concern
we now know under the name of the British Empire. When the first
Rajah Brooke undertook the government of the country, he did so, as
he thought, temporarily, imagining that the British Government would
in time take the country under its protection. Apparently the British
Government was not anxious to increase its responsibilities in the
Far East, so that for years the first Rajah struggled on protecting
his people unsupported and alone. One important fact to be remembered
is that ever since the Brooke dynasty has existed in Sarawak, only in
very few instances, have the forces of the British Empire been required
to help the two Rajahs and their Government against their external
enemies, although these were the enemies of the world at large, for
it was only in expeditions against pirates who swept those seas, thus
hindering commerce, that British guns came to the assistance of the
white Rajahs. If we view the matter dispassionately and, shall we
say, from the standpoint of the man in the street, the position was
without doubt a difficult one, both for the British Government, and
for the Rajahs themselves. Most of us are aware that vast lands of
tropical countries--many of them ill-governed by native princes who
are only anxious to amass money for themselves, regardless of the
welfare of their subjects--have over and over again been exploited for
shorter or longer periods by European adventurers. History teaches us
that Europeans, from the time of Cortes down to these days, have on
different occasions swooped like vultures on almost unknown tropical
countries, have gained concessions, the money paid finding its way into
the treasuries of the various princes who claimed the soil, and in this
way the unfortunate inhabitants, the real owners of the land, have been
enslaved and forced by nefarious, cruel, and tyrannical methods to give
their very life’s blood so that these land-grabbing aliens might become
rich.
Being so intimately associated with the Rajah and his people, it is
natural I should be the last to hear the opinions of that portion of
the British public unacquainted with the methods of these rulers,
but I cannot help thinking that very probably then, and even now,
the white Rajahs of Sarawak are classed with such adventurers, and
on this account they found it so difficult to get proper recognition
of their sovereignty from the British Government. Here was a country
come suddenly into existence, with all the paraphernalia of a good
Government, with its Ministers, its Courts of Justice, its safety
for life and commerce, all in English hands, and owned by private
individuals. Communication was slow in those days, and the real
position of the rulers and their people was only known to very few
and inquiring minds amongst the élite of English-speaking people.
The Rajahs were, individually, subjects of the British Crown, and,
despite of their belonging to an old and very much respected English
family, they had few friends at the English Court to push forward their
interests.
The full recognition of Sarawak as an independent State by England
occurred in 1863, whilst Lord Palmerston was Premier and Lord John
Russell Secretary for Foreign Affairs. It was then that the first
English Consul was appointed to Sarawak as a formal acknowledgment of
its independence. Warships calling at Kuching saluted the Rajah’s flag
with twenty-one guns, so that within his own country the Rajah was
acknowledged by the British Government as an independent ruler. The
first Rajah died five years after the appointment of the Consul, for it
will be remembered that the present Rajah succeeded his uncle in 1868.
On our first visit to England after our marriage, the Rajah was anxious
to pay homage to Her Majesty, which was only an ordinary act of
courtesy on his part, considering his position as ruler in a portion
of the Malayan Archipelago. When he requested leave to attend one of
Her Majesty’s levees as Rajah of Sarawak, the answer given by the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs was somewhat disconcerting, in
view of Sarawak having been recognized as an independent State. The
Rajah was informed that Her Majesty’s Government did not see their way
to present him to the Queen as Rajah of Sarawak, but that he could
attend a levee in the private capacity of an English gentleman, simply
as “Mr. Brooke.” The difficulties of the position were obvious, when
one remembers that the Rajah was governing Sarawak for the benefit of
his people, the British Government having recognized the country over
which he ruled. Owing to the exigencies of his Government, the Rajah
had to employ Englishmen to assist him in his work; these gentlemen,
being nominated by him and paid out of the Sarawak treasury, owed
no allegiance to the Foreign or Colonial Offices at home. To ensure
success in the Rajah’s endeavours, these English gentlemen were bound
to honour and obey him, and to acknowledge him as their chief, yet here
was the British Government absolutely refusing to recognize the Rajah
of Sarawak in England as ruler of his own country!
After much correspondence and several interviews with the heads of the
different departments in power, the Rajah, a most loyal servant of Her
Majesty’s, obtained what the Government called the favour of being
presented to Her Majesty as Mr. Brooke. The officials insisted that
_Rajah of Sarawak_ should be placed in brackets, as though in apology
for the Rajah’s position!
[Illustration: TUAN MUDA OF SARAWAK]
[Illustration: H.H. THE RAJAH MUDA OF SARAWAK]
[Illustration: TUAN BUNGSU OF SARAWAK WITH HIS LITTLE SON, JIMMIE
BROOKE]
Very few people even nowadays understand the position of the Brookes
in Sarawak, and it is difficult to drive into their heads that the
Rajah’s wish to be recognized as Rajah of Sarawak had nothing to do
with his own personality. No one can gainsay the fact that nothing is
so dangerous to the prosperity of a country as the anomalous position
of its ruler and its Government. Although I had nothing to do with the
politics of my adopted country, I shared in my husband’s wishes that
the position of Sarawak might be protected, and its ruler’s position
acknowledged by the Queen, in order to give additional security and
stability to its Government and its people. However, in spite of
the scant personal recognition shown for many years to the Rajah by
the British Government, the country managed to flourish--an obvious
testimony to his single-minded and statesmanlike methods.
Notwithstanding these purely political preoccupations, the time we
spent in England was wholly delightful. I quickly regained my health,
and enjoyed the English life very much, but never for a moment did I
forget my land of predilection the other side of the world, for I was
always looking forward to the time when I should return there and begin
again the life amongst my beloved Malays and Dyaks.
The present Rajah Muda was born during this visit to England, and his
arrival telegraphed to Sarawak, elicited from the people many kind and
delightful letters. When the time came for our return to our country,
our son was six months old, and owing to the sorrowful experience we
had had of the dangers of a sea-voyage for young children, we left him
in charge of our good friends, Bishop and Mrs. MacDougall. Our baby was
to stay with them in England until he had completed his first year,
when he was to rejoin us in Sarawak.