Loxp Brassey has not much that is new to tell us about North Borneo in his paper in the Nineteenth Century for August. We were somewhat prepared for the favourable view he takes of the prospects of the British possessions i the island by paragraphs which appeared in various papers about the time of his visit, some six mouths ago. But upon the whole he takes a sober view of the present position and future prospects of Sarawak and the British North Borneo Company. To Sir James Brooke, the first Rajah, he pays a high tribute, as probably would all Englishmen of the present day, to whom the former opposition to him and his policy appears stupid and malignant. His nephew, the present Rajah, is carying on the good work, and Lord Brassey says that having travelled much he has nowhere felt more proud of the great qualities of his countrymen than when he visited Kuehii he capital of Sara-No nelishman, he says, -compare with Rajah Brooke in knowledge of the Malay, and in personal inthuence over the people. He has led them in many victorious expeditions st their enemies, and the present peace has been secured by his exertions. He has adopted the principle of ruling the natives through their own chiefs, with European Residents to supervise districts, but the latter is as auch as possible kept in the the utmost consideration is shown to the Dyak chiefs and their people. This system besides having been. very effi cient is economical, "But the success of the Goyermnent_in Sarawak depends too much, in Lord Brassey's opinion, on a purely personal system, as whenever a weak or unfortunate Rajah succeeds to power there will be imminent danger of the whole falling to pieces. He therefore thinks that the Home Government should pi the country more directly under British protection, La-huan, should he says, cease to be a Crown and be merged either in the administration of Rajah Brooke or the North Burneo Company. Neither would be much burdened by the extra work which the affairs of Laberan would cause them, for at present the English officials are Governor Leys, and Liewtonant Ham-milton, retired from the navy. 'This latter energetic official acts as master-attend-post-naster, colonial secretary, er, magistrate, inspector of po-sector of the prison, chief'
issiouer of woods and colonial engineer, In all these capacities he corresponds from himself to himself and carefully copies and registers his letters. There is something pleasantly quaint in these glimpse of a retired sailor, doubling or if need be multiplying himself many times over; having the honour to submit certain matters from one to another of his official existences and having the honour to be ete., ete.
The necessity of defining the position of the British Government to the possessions of the North Bomieo Company is shown by the importance which Sandakan—as well as Labuan would acquire in case of war. Already two Russian cruisers have visited Brunci,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.