352 
S O O L O O. 
if he would cede to the English the north end of Borneo, as well as the 
south end of Palawan. This he readily promised, and he was, in 
consequence, carried back to Sooloo and reinstated; his nephew, 
Alim-ud-deen, readily giving place to him, and confirming the grant to 
the East India Company, in which the Ruma Bechara joined. 
After various arrangements, the East India Company took possession 
of Balambangan, in the year 1773, and formed a settlement there with 
a view of making it an emporium of trade for Eastern commodities. 
Troops and stores were sent from India, and the population began to 
increase by settlers, both Chinese and Malays, who arrived in numbers. 
In the year 1775, the fort, notwithstanding all the treaties and engage¬ 
ments between Dalrymple and the Sultan, was surprised by the 
Sooloos, and many of the garrison put to death. This virtually put an 
end to the plans of the English, although another attempt was made to 
re-establish the settlement by Colonel Farquhar, in 1803; but it was 
thought to be too expensive a post, and was accordingly abandoned in 
the next year. This act of the Sooloos fairly established their charac¬ 
ter for perfidy, and ever since that transaction they have been looked 
upon as treacherous in the highest degree, and, what is singular, have 
been allowed to carry on their piracies quite unmolested. The taking 
of Balambangan has been generally imputed to the treacherous dispo¬ 
sition and innate love of plunder among the Sooloos, as well as to their 
fear that it would destroy the trade of Sooloo by injuring all that of 
the archipelago. But there are strong reasons for believing that this 
dark deed owed its origin in part to the influence of the Spaniards and 
Dutch, who looked with much distrust upon the growth of the rival 
establishment. Such was the jealousy of the Spaniards, that the 
governor of the Philippines peremptorily required that Balambangan 
should be evacuated. The Sooloos boast of the deed, and admit that 
they received assistance from both Samboangan and Ternate, the two 
nearest Spanish and Dutch ports. These nations had great reasons to 
fear the establishment of a power like that of the East India Company, 
in a spot so favourably situated to secure the trade of the surrounding 
islands, possessing fine harbours, and in every way adapted to become 
a great commercial depot. Had it been held by the East India Com¬ 
pany but for a few years, it must have become what Singapore is now. 
The original planner of this settlement is said to have been Lord 
Pigot; but the merit of carrying it forward was undoubtedly due to 
Dalrymple, whose enterprising mind saw the advantage of the situa¬ 
tion, and whose energy was capable of carrying the project success¬ 
fully forward. 
Since the capture of Balambangan, there has been no event in the 
