71 
Britiih North Borneo. 
British Korth Borneo, or the territory of Sabah, obtain eel hj a trad- 
ing company from tlie Sultana of Britnei and Sulu, is another sitij^nlar 
experiment in administration. It* extL'iid.-f from tlje Kiraanis Hiver on the 
West to the Sibiuto River on the Enst coast — an ai'ea uf about 18,000 
square niilps, with n eoast-line of about 6'jJ miles. It is siiiiutefl 
ntiaily midway between Sinnrapore and llongkono;, between latitude 4^ 
and 7^ N., and h)ngitu:]e 115^ and 119^ E., having the SuUunato of 
Brfinei on the East, and Dutch Borneo ou the South. Population about 
200,00'>, composed principally of Bajaus, llanos^ SuUis, Dusuns, 
and a few Malays, and Cl.inesc. 
The names of two enterprising gentlemen must aWays be main- 
ly associated with the experiment which ia being made to develope tins 
territory— Baron Overbece. to whom is <lue the fir^t conception of the 
scheme, and Mr. Alfred Dest, who supplied the menus of bringing it to 
trial. The Provisional Company was e^itahli^bod in 1877, and Her 
Majesty's Charter was signed on the 1st of Novemberj 1881. The com- 
pimy have formed three principal establishments, or residencies, viz.. on 
the Nortli-Wcst coa^t, on the Papar and Tanipasuk rivers, and on the 
East coast at Sandilkan Harbour. 
Tifir/ik. — Sandakan, or Elo[)ura, situated in a bay of that name, the 
seat of Government and the residence of the G-ovemor ; Kudat on Ma- 
rudu^ Kimduis, Papar, and Gaya on the West Coast; and Ab^ii ou 
the Tampasnk Bay. 
Capes, — Cape Unsang, and Tengku Sampan-Mangio Puint in the 
North. 
Bays, — Mariidn, Labuk, Darvclj Amtong, Gaya, and Kimanis, This 
last is one of ihe n;jtural hiirboui*s of tht t'onipany*s territory, said to 
contain 10 square miles of good anchorage, with five to twenty fathoms of 
water. It is well situated both commercially and strategically, and ia 
capable of being easily defended from Guya and Sap;ingar Islands ; it is 
not only well proteeted in all weather, but. lying not far from the trade 
route between Uongkong and Singapore, is well suited as a place of refuge 
for our mert iiant navy in case of warfare. There are other harboui's well 
suitcdfor shelter atid general shipfung purposes, though stratepcally otlcss 
iniportai'.ce than Gaya. Suth are Auibong Bay on the West, Mariidu 
Bay with Kudat Harbour on the North, and Sandukan Bay on the Kast 
coast. From the last of these, tljc bulk of the exjiort tnide is at present 
carritd on. It is tlie best protected harbour in Borneo, being for 20 
miles almost completely land-lot ked ; ou the other himd it is much shal- 
lower than Gaya I'ny. 'Jlic nt'W town ]■ jopilraj built upon a promontory 
commanding its eutrancej has now become the Company^a chief trading 
place. 
* Qtiite rr c«;BtIy it hcB been extended tcworclB Bri^nd bo ae to mduida tha BiTar 
Pa4!U*, tuxd b«twe«ji B,0OQ &ad 1,000 squbis inii«« of kdditioQil torritory. 
i 
