BRITISH BORNEO. 59 
' formany a year in the Colony of Labuan and on board the 
vessels which had punished their piratical acts in former 
days. 
Then, too, I was soon abis to organise a Police Force 
mainly composed of Sikhs, and was provided with a couple 
of steam-launches. Owing doubtless to that and other causes, 
the refractory chiefs, soon after the Company’s formation, 
appeared to recognize that the game of opposition to the new 
order of things was a hopeless one. 
CHAPTER] Valle 
The area of the territory ceded by the original grants was 
estimated at 20,000 square miles, but the additions which 
have been already mentioned now bring it up to about 
31,000 square miles, including adjacent islands, so that it is 
somewhat larger than Ceylon, which is credited with only 
25,305 square miles. In range of latitude, in temperature 
and in rainfall, North Borneo presents many points of resem- 
blance to Ceylon, and it was at first thought that it might be 
possible to attract to the new country some of the surplus 
capital, energy and aptitude for plantiug which had been the 
foundation of Ceylon’s prosperity. 
Even the expression ‘“‘ The New Ceylon” was employed as 
an alternative designation for the country, and a description 
of it under-that title was published by the well known writer— 
Mr. JOSEPH HATTON. 
These hopes have not so far been realized, but on the other 
hand North Borneo is rapidly becoming a second Sumatra, 
Dutchmen, Germans and some English having discovered the 
suitability of its soil and climate for producing tobacco of a 
quality fully equal to the famed Deli leaf of that island. 
The coast line of the territory is about one thousand miles, 
and a glance at the map will shew that it is furnished with capi- 
tal harbours, of which the principal are Gaya Bay on the West, 
Kudat in Marudu Bay on the North, and Sandakan Harbour 
on the East. There are several others, but at those enumer- 
ated the Company, have opened their principal stations. 
