BROOKE, SIR James, English rajah, cele brated as the Rajah of Sarawak: b. Bengal 1803; d. Burrator, Devonshire, 11 June 1868. He was brought at an early age to England and, having completed his education there, ob tained a cadetship in the Indian army. He dis tinguished himself in the Burmese war (1826) and subsequently sailed to China. On this voy age there rose in his mind the idea of ridding the Eastern Archipelago from the scourge of piracy and ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants. Having come into the possession of a large fortune by the death of his father, he bought one of the royal yachts and set sail for the East (October 1838). Having directed his course to the island of Borneo, he found Muda Hassim, uncle of the King of Borneo and Rajah of Sarawak, a district on the northwest coast of the island, engaged in suppressing a revolt. The Rajah, being hard pressed, agreed to make him his successor in return for his as sistance. The offer was accepted, Brooke took command of the Rajah's army and speedily re duced the rebels to submission. Being now es tablished in the government and recognized as Rajah of Sarawak by the Sultan of Borneo (1841), he endeavored to induce the Dyak na tives to abandon their irregular and piratical mode of life and to turn themselves to agricul ture and commerce. For this end he published a code of laws, establishing free trade and personal equality, and declaring piracy a crime punishable with death. His efforts were won derfully successful. In conjunction with the British naval commanders, he carried on war against the pirates with great vigor. A sum
of money was paid by government for the head of each pirate, and under this system the Malay rovers were soon almost extirpated. On his return in 1847, Mr. Brooke was received with general favor, his position was recognized by the government, he received the honor of Knight Commander of the Bath and was made governor of Labuan, an island near Sarawak, which had been acquired by the British. After his return to Borneo, he continued to labor as before for the extension of British influence.. In 1850 he went as Ambassador to Siam, and not long after gave up his post as governor of Labuan. On the outbreak of the war with China in 1857, his residence was suddenly at tacked by about 4,00G Chinese and he himself only escaped by swimming across the river. His adherents soon rallied, however, and at the head of a large body of Malays and Dyaks he drove the Chinese from Sarawak with the loss of half their number. In 1863 he finally re turned to England, leaving the government in the hands of his nephew, Charles Brooke. Whatever may be thought of the policy of Sir James Brooke, there can be no doubt as to the benefits derived from it by the people of Sara wak. He established civilization and opened up a trade where previously they had scarcely any existence. Under his administration Sarawak increased from a village of 1,000 inhabitants to a town of 16,000, while the trade increased in the same •proportion.