77 
nam© for the whole wlftTid. Commercial relations were soon formed 
with tlie natiwa hy tlic Portttgufse trmlorss, at first in tlic city of Brfluei 
itself, and then in variola otlii-r niaritime States. In 1573 their 
Spanish rivak, who had recenth" estahlished themselves in Manila, tried 
to open a connection with Brftnei, whose Sultan solicited their aid, and 
was reinstated by them in 1580, From that time the Spanish kept np 
iuterccurse with the country ; bnt it was not un frequently interrupted by 
war. The real influence exerted by either Portugnese or SpaiiiardB was 
very slight; ami the only missionary effort of which we have record 
in the Kith century, came to an untimely end in the death of the Theatine 
Monk, Antonio ViNTisiKtLt, wlio had been its originator. Early in the 
ITth century the Dutch and En^^ilish he^'au to g-ain a footing in the island. 
In 1G04 we hear of their traders on the West Coast, and in 1608 Samfel 
BLOMJiAERT was appointed Dutch resident in Landjik and Sukudana. 
The English visited Borneafor tlie first time about 1609, and in l69ii had a 
factory at Banjer-Maijin. From this they were expelled by the influence of 
the Dutch, who, about 17 'V^, obtained a monopoly of the trade. The Dutch 
power became predominant all round the West and South coasts, when the 
Rflja of Bantam coded his rigjhts of suzerainty to their Company. The atten- 
tion of the English was, in the latter part of tlielHth century, turned to the 
North of the island, which was subject to the Sultan of Sulu, frora whom, 
in 1750, Alkx, Dalrymple had obtained formal possession of the i*iland uf 
Balambangan, and all the north-eastern promontory. A military post was 
estubliKhcd thereafter tlie taking of Manila in 176ri ; but in 1775 it was sur- 
]>risedand destroyed by the natives under the dattoi or subordinate chiefs, who 
were dissatisfied with the cession of their territ'>ry. The Dutch, too, were 
overtakei), in spite of apparent progress, with a succession of raisfttrtunes, 
through their own mismanagement ; and iu 180f} their Settlcfuents were all 
abandoned by order of MarShul D.vkndkls, The natives ahnig the coast, 
assisted and .stimulated by immigrants from the neighbouring islands to 
the North, liad revert^-d more and more to piracy, and rendered the 
trade of civilised nations almost impossiljle, so much so that tlie 
Settlement which the Enj^lish East India Company afirain made in 180 1- was 
abruptly abandoned within a few weeks. In 1 81 1 , however, an embassy was 
Nent to the British Goveruraeut, then established in Java, by the Sultan of 
Banjer-Jlasin to beg their assistanee, and a Commander and Resident. 
An expedition was then sent against Sambas, and a post established at 
Pontianak. On the rcstoratitm of the Dutch possessions in 1818, all these 
ari-angcmcnts were cancelled, and until 1812 a free and undisputed field 
was k'ft to the enterprise of the Dutch (iovernment. A suece-^sion of 
active Commisflionera soon laid the foundation of an extensive supremacy. 
About half of the kingdom of Banjer-Masin was surrendered by the Sultau 
in 1823, and further concessions were granted by his son in 18:2,5, On 
the East coast also the SuUun of Kutci ludcnowledgcd for a time the Dutch 
authority. Then came a relapse ; tlieir authority was repudiated, and 
the troubles in Java diverted their attnition from Borneo. Ou the t>pening 
of Singapore, almost all the Bugis trade, which had •formerly centred in 
Amhoyna, went therCj and direct trade was opened with Samwak and 
Brdnci. It became a matter of moment to tbe English merchants at 
