1845.] COURT OF SOOLOO. 271 



Sooloo, and confidant of the parties, that the Sultan has 

 no real power, and in the case of the appeal of the Trench 

 Admiral, for his active interference at Basilan, he declared, 

 distinctly, " that he was not responsible for any acts of 

 aggression committed within his territory by persons who 

 were, not only, not subject to him, but whom it was quite 

 out of his power to control, being natives of Mindanao." 



The Sultan of Sooloo was deemed the virtual Sovereign, 

 and exercised entire control over all the northern and 

 eastern coasts of Borneo, comprised between Pulo Tiga, 

 near Brunai, and Cape Kanioongan, near the river Kotai ; 

 as well as throughout the Sooloo Seas, including Banguey, 

 Balambangan, Balabac and Palawan, in so far as relates to 

 the Malay population. Of this sovereignty, Balambangan, 

 and that part of the coast of Borneo, comprised between 

 Pulo Gaya and the eastern head of Muludu Bay, was 

 ceded to Great Britain about the year 1763, at the period 

 when the English forces took Manila, and finding the 

 Sultan Alimudin a prisoner there, restored him to his 

 throne and possessions. Gratitude, for this benefit con- 

 ferred, induced him to adopt England as his firm Ally, and 

 in proof of his sincerity, and by the consent of his Chiefs, 

 perfected the Treaty of Alliance by the above cession. 



The following notes, relating more particularly to this 

 connexion with Borneo, are collected from the ' Oriental 

 Repertory ', by Dalrymple, and are extracted as far as 

 they are borne out by our own observations. 



" The limits of the Sooloo Sovereignty," as given by 

 Dalrymple, ; " are to the eastward and northward, the 

 Philipines ; westward, Borneo-Proper ; and southward, 

 Idanea, or the inland of Borneo. 



