IIo BRITISH BORNEO. 
courageous and expert in allthe arts of jungle warfare, while 
the pluck and cool steadiness under fire of the Sikhs is too 
well-known to need comment here. The services of any 
number of Sikhs can, it appears, be easily obtained for this 
sort of work, and some years ago a party of them even took 
service with the native Sultan of Sulu, who, however, proved 
_avery indifferent paymaster and was soon deserted by his 
mercenaries, who are the most money-grabbing lot of warriors 
I have ever heard of. Large bodies of Sikhs are employed 
and drilled as Armed Constables in Hongkong, in the Straits 
Settlements and in the Protected Native States of the Malay 
Peninsula, who, after a fixed time of service, return to their 
country, their places being at once taken by their compatriots, 
and one cannot help thinking what effect this might have in 
case of future disturbances in our Indian Empire, should the 
Sikh natives make common cause with the malcontents. 
Fault has been found with the Company for not following 
the example of Sarawak and raising an army and police from 
among its own people. This certainly would have been the 
best policy had it only been feasible; but the attempt was 
made and failed. 
As | have pointed out, British North Borneo is fortunate in 
not possessing any powerful aboriginal tribe of pronounced 
warlike instincts, such as the Dyaks of Sarawak. 
The Muhammadan Bajows might in time make good sol- 
diers, but my description of them will have shewn that the 
Company could not at present place reliance in them. 
While on the subject of “ fault finding,’ I may say that the 
Company has also been blamed for its expenditure on public 
works and on subsidies for steam communication with the 
outer world. 
But our critics may rest assured that, had not the Company 
proved its faith in the country by expending some of its money 
on public works and in providing facilities for the convey- 
ance of intending colonists, neither European capital nor 
Chinese population, so indispensable to the success of their 
scheme, would have been attracted to their Territory as is 
now being done—for the country and its new Government 
Jacked the prestige which attaches to a Colony opened by 
