HISTORY OF BORNEO 23 



In 1747 the Dutch East India Company, which 

 in 1705 had obtained a firm footing in Java, and in 

 1 745 had established its authority over all the north- 

 eastern coast of that island, extorted a monopoly 

 of trade at Banjermasin and set up a factory. 

 Nearly forty years later ^ (17S5), the reigning prince" 

 having rendered himself odious to his subjects, the 

 country was invaded by 3000 natives of Celebes. 

 These were expelled by the Dutch, who dethroned 

 the Sultan, placing his younger brother on the 

 throne ; and he, in reward for their services, ceded 

 to them his entire dominions, consenting to hold 

 them as a vassal. This is the treaty under which 

 the Dutch claim the sovereignty of Banjermasin 

 and whatever was once dependent on it. In this 

 way the Dutch got a hold on the country which 

 they have never relaxed ; and, after the interval 

 during which their possessions in the East Indies 

 were administered by England,^ they strengthened 

 that hold gradually, year by year, till now two- 

 thirds or more of the island is under their flag and 

 feels the benefits of their rule. If there are still 

 any districts of this large area where Dutch influence 

 has even now barely made itself felt, they will not 

 long remain in their isolation ; for the Controleurs 

 are extending their influence even into the most 

 remote corners of the territory. 



To turn again to the north-western coast and 

 the doings of Englishmen, in 1763 the Sultan of 

 Sulu ceded to the East India Company the territory 

 in Borneo which had been given him when he 

 killed the usurper Abdul Mubin in Bruni. In 1773 

 a small settlement was formed on the island of 

 Balambangan, north of Bruni ; and in the following 

 year the Sultan of Bruni agreed to give this 

 settlement a monopoly of the pepper trade in 

 return for protection from piracy. In the next 



^ Crawfurd, Descriptive Dictionary^ P- 37* ^ l8ii to 1S15. 



