364 general considerations on the ISLAND OF BORNEO. 
greeted or only preset ved with a political view ; during the English 
occupation, the government of British India did not occupy itselt in 
a greater degree with the interests of Borneo. On the Revival of 
the Dutch power in the Indian Archipelago, it applied itself with 
more aim and energy to the condition of the natives; the conduct 
of the princes was better watched, and more direct measures were 
taken against piracy; but government saw its attention too often 
turned away from Borneo by the events which took place in Java 
and Sumatra, and the ill-assured condition of its finances obliged it 
to postpone to another time the accomplishment of its designs. At 
the present day when our power is firmly established in both of these 
islands, it can devote all its care to the extension to Borneo of the 
enjoyment of that active protection which it bestows on its other 
possessions in Malasia. The new administrative measures, as well 
as the efficacious repression of piracy in the seas between Borneo 
and Celebes, will have for their effect the amelioration of the lot of 
the inhabitants of these islands. 
This summary is sufficient to give a superficial idea of the opinion 
which has prevailed until now of Borneo. We shall devote the rest 
of this chapter to the development of some general ideas respecting 
this island, while in the following chapters we intend to furnish a 
more circumstantial relation of remarkable events which have hap¬ 
pened in Borneo, and more particularly of those which are connect¬ 
ed with the interests of the present epoch. 
Borneo is divided by the equator into two unequal and extended 
parts, of which the southern is the larger. This island is the great¬ 
est on the globe after that new world, surrounded on all sides by 
the ocean, which is named New Holland. If we comprise the nu¬ 
merous arehipelagoes by which the great land is environed, this group 
may be said to occupy mors than eleven degrees of longitude and 
about ten of latitude. The geographical position of the principal 
island is between 7° N. L. and 4° 20’ S. L. and between 106° 40 ? 
and 116° 45 E. Lon. Its length from north,to south will be about 
300 leagues and its breadth varying from 250 to 150 leagues. It# 
