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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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THILLC.O. 882

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8 PUBLIC RECORD ONE LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT POLIRON OF THE DE APREDUCES MOGRAPHICA 16--NOT TO

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by the end of December the Bisayas were again in revolt. Both they and the Muruts seem to have been in fear of an attack by the Temenggong with Sarawak assistance, and therefore both tribes protested that they did not wish their country to be ceded to Sarawak; they would be willing to come under the Company's Govern. ment; but in no case would they return to their allegiance to Brunei. They even expressed the intention of attacking Brunei and taking the Temenggong's head.

In the meantime, Mr. Maxwell, as previously stated, obtained from the Temenggong early in December a grant of the Trusan river, but the Sultan declined to approve it, at the same time refusing to hear of the cession of the Limbang, to which the Temenggong had agreed. The Temenggong, supported by Mr. Maxwell, pro- tested that, as the Trusan was hie tulin property, he had a right to cede it without consulting the Sultan. Mr. Treacher declined to accept this view, which seems to be contrary to all accepted accounts of Brunei custom, and eventually after considerable acrimonious discussion it was agreed to refer to the Foreign Office the decision of the question of ceding the Limbang to the British North Borneo Company or to Rajah Brooke, all negotiations being meanwhile suspended. Mr. Treacher understood this agreement to extend to the Trusan, which the Company were also willing to take over, but Mr. Maxwell subse- quently repudiated this interpretation and in- sisted that as regards Trusan the only question to be decided by the Foreign Office was whether the Temenggong's grant was to be approved; if not the district must remain in the Temenggong's possession.

Mr. Treacher now visited the disturbed dis- tricts and, on January 7th, 1885, induced the insurgents to undertake to keep the peace for three months pending the Foreign Office de- Trade with Brunei was accordingly resumed to some extent.

cision.

In the course of January Mr. Maxwell was replaced as Sarawak agent by Mr. Everett, who, disregarding Mr. Maxwell's undertaking to cease negociations, began to intrigue with the Temeng- gong for a Sarawak Protectorate over the whole of Brunei. On hearing of this, the Sultan and Pengiran Di Gadong repudiated the Temeng- gong's action and asked Mr. Treacher to request Her Majesty's Government "if no other course was available" to establish a Protectorate on the Perak model. (This suggestion was endorsed by the foreign traders in Brunei but Lord Derby was "not prepared to undertake this onerous. charge.")

This open breach between the two parties made it practically hopeless for Rajah Brooke to expect to obtain the Sultan's chop for the Truman and Limbang cessions, and accordingly he now

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tried to persuade Her Majesty's Government that the Temenggong's nomination as Regent had really been operative, and that Mr. Treacher ought to be removed from his post, as be and the British North Borneo Company were engaged in intrigues against the real ruler of Brunei with the Pengiran Di Gadong, who was placing the seal of "the imbecile Sultan 10 on documents which the latter was incapable of understanding. (This accusation refers especially to the case of certain concessions to the Company, with which it is not necessary to deal.) He also began openly to express his intention of taking posses sion of the Trusan on the ground that the ́Temenggong's grant was valid."

Mr. Treacher objected to this, as he had now been instructed not to allow any cession of Brunei territory without the consent of Her Majesty's Government. Rajah Brooke argued that these instructions did not apply to Trusan and to Mr. Treacher's letter, insisting that they did and enquiring whether he was correct in assuming that no steps would be taken to occupy the district pending the decision of the Foreign Office, returned an indefinite answer to the effect that he was about to visit the Trusan "the permanent occupation of which will be matter of future consideration.”

When this correspondence took place (March 1885) Rajah Brooke was at Brunei endeavouring to effect the formal installation of the Temeng- gong as Regent but owing to the opposition of the Pengirans Di Gadong and Bendahara his efforts were unsuccessful.

The conduct of the Temenggong at this time is difficult to explain. While still clearly on excellent terms with Rajah Brooke, he seems to have repented of his promise to cede the Limbang, as on February 20th he agreed to a document, drawn up by the Sultan and the principal chiefs, binding themselves and their successors not to cede any more territory, the Limbang being especially mentioned.

(This document is known as the “Umana.”) He was also making overtures of friendship to Mr. Treacher.

In April, Her Majesty's Government were still considering the general question of the future of the Limbang and the other disturbed districts, and, the three months' truce having expired, the inhabitants of those lands began to grow restless, but Mr. Treacher again visited them, and, as the result of his efforts, all except the Trusan Muruta tendered their submission and received the Sultan's pardon.

On May 2nd, Rajah Brooke again visited Brunei. On this occasion he paid honours tọ- the Sultan which on his previous visit he had paid to the Temenggong." It would seem that

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