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 Ituma 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 



