Letters to Charles T.C. Grant, 22 Mar 1853-19 Sep 1884

Item

Shelfmark: MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 8, fols. 1-71

Held at the Weston Library

Comprises:

(fols. 1-3) letter from Lundu [Johnson's first posting after his arrival in Sarawak] about Lee's death and his own possible transfer to Linga; his liking for the Dyak communities, and talks with the Orang Kaya; boat building and plans to meet the Rajah at the river mouth; stores for antimony and sago; and Dutch reinforcements of soldiery from Batavia (Jakarta), 22 Mar 1853
(fols. 4-8) letter from Sarikei about the action taken by him to revenge the murders of Fox and Steele, listing those executed; the trial of the fortmen who had failed to defend the fort; Johnson's meeting with Sheriff Musahore; his intention to build a fort at the mouth of the Kanowit and to place Abang Ali in temporary charge; and satisfaction that justice had been served and a severe lesson given, 28 Jul 1859
(fols. 9-14) letter from Kanowit, about building the fort; the attack by Kanowit Dyak communities on Si Kalei and Sawing; the Dyak people's offer to give up the heads of Fox and Steele; a plan to move the fort to Pulau Dudang; damage to the cutter; reports of these recent actions to be sent by Charles Grant to the Rajah and John Brooke Brooke; enquiries about the state of revenue; plan to attack Sawing and Kalei after the failure of the Dyak communities; and list of supplies needed, to be sent by Penty, 4 and 6 Aug 1859
(fols. 15-16) letter from the Jolly Bachelor, mouth of Kabah (extract), about success of the action taken by Johnson with John Channon and Lawford against Si Kalei and Sawing, and the latter's possible escape, 10 Aug 1859.

(fols. 17-60) Series of nine letters, listed, numbered, and annotated by Charles Grant, relating to the breach between John Brooke Brooke and the Rajah, 27 Dec 1862-25 Dec 1863:

(fols. 17-18) list, with remarks by Charles Grant (1), n.d.
(fols. 19-24) letter from White Lackington [home of Johnson's parents] about the receipt of John Brooke Brooke's letters concerning negotiations with foreign powers and his bewilderment at John Brooke Brooke's misunderstanding of the situation; the effect of Colonel Cavenagh's visit; John Brooke Brooke's inconsistency; Johnson's views about a Protectorate; and his wish to mediate between John Brooke Brooke and the Rajah. An extract from John Brooke Brooke's letter of 4 Oct 1862 is included (2), 27 Dec 1862
(fols. 25-28) letter from White Lackington about the Rajah's reaction to John Brooke Brooke's letters; Johnson's own anxiety and the difficulty of his position; his intention to steer an independent course; and his fear that John Brooke Brooke might decide to leave Sarawak and Johnson's doubts of his own ability to take over the administration (3), 1 Jan 1863
(fols. 29-32) letter from 15 Cork Street, London, about plans for his departure with the Rajah for Paris, en route for Singapore; his interview with John Abel Smith and Knox concerning negotiations and their accusations against John Brooke Brooke; and Johnson's pledge to support the Rajah (4), 14 Jan 1863
(fols. 33-40) letter from the Red Sea, about progress of the voyage; John Brooke Brooke's letter to the Rajah dated 2 Jan 1862 (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 405-408) about handing over Sarawak to Belgium; Coutts's directions to Logan to seize the Rainbow and demand payment from Sarawak; John Brooke Brooke's jealousy of himself, particularly since he had taken the name of Brooke; the testimonial to the Bishop for medical services, Charles Grant's unwise letter to the Bishop and John Brooke Brooke's inconsistent remarks about him; arrival at Aden; and his intention to live with John Brooke Brooke in Sarawak (5), 30 Jan-3 Feb 1863
(fols. 41-47) letter from Sarawak about the meeting in Singapore with John Brooke Brooke and his application for leave of absence; the general sympathy felt for him in Sarawak, the ignorance of the state of affairs between him and the Rajah, and his resentment at St John's Memorandum to the British Government shown to him by Cavenagh; Charles Johnson Brooke's fear that he might publish damaging correspondence; rebuilding of the Fort at great expense, and military matters; Channon's ill health; Peter [Middleton]'s discharge; comments on Rodway, Houghton, and Crookshank; the need for repairs to shipping; the deteriorating situation at the Mission; the poor state of the revenue; the first Council held by the Rajah after his return, and its peaceful outcome; and the general unfriendly attitude towards himself (6), 7-10 Mar 1863
(fols. 48-49) letter from Sarawak about his cruise along the coast and the quiet conditions prevailing; his decision to attack the Kyans; John Brooke Brooke's letter to the British Government about his rights in Sarawak, and the Rajah's second Council at which this was mentioned and condemned; the brisk trade along the coast, and particularly at Sakarang; constant alterations to the Sarawak Fort and the need to move the town to the mouth of the river; and Hay's success as Resident at Mukah (7), 27 Apr 1863
(fols. 50-53) letter from Sarawak about the success of his Kayan expedition and the prospects for that country; John Brooke Brooke's letter warning him not to be false; his condemnation of many of John Brooke Brooke's acts; John Brooke Brooke's assertion that he was Rajah, not merely representative of and heir to Sir James, and his unwise determination to publish the correspondence; and Charles Johnson Brooke's view of his own role to 'work and keep the country together' (8), 25 Jun 1863
(fols. 54-58) letter from Sakarang about letters from his mother and his distress at her support of John Brooke Brooke's cause; Charles Johnson Brooke's view that the whole proceeding was a 'preposterous blunder' and his condemnation of the wildness of John Brooke Brooke's course and his inconsistency; his view of his own duty to support the Rajah; and reports that John Brooke Brooke was 'working with' the Borneo Company (9), 6-7 Jul 1863
(fols. 59-60) letter from Sarawak about Alan Grant's application to Cavenagh for a post in Singapore, and the consequent removal by Charles Johnson Brooke of his name from the books of Sarawak (10), 25 Dec 1863.

Further:

(fols. 61-63) letter (copy) from York Street, refusing to discuss John Brooke Brooke's 'supposed claims'; also a letter, with copy, from Charles Johnson Brooke to R. Butt, Esq., about the claim for £1500 against the Sarawak Government, stating that John Brooke Brooke had been proclaimed an outlaw by Sir James and his property confiscated, 28 Jun and 10 Dec 1869
(fols. 64-67) letter from Kuching about a meeting between Charles Johnson Brooke's wife and the Grants and his hopes of renewed friendship; additional coast ceded to Sarawak by the Sultan of Brunei, and plans to make a fort in the Barram; the North British Borneo Company's effect on Labuan; conditions and improvements in Sarawak; news of Keppel and of Hope Brooke; his own plans while in England; and a wedding present for Blanche Grant, 8 Jun 1882
(fols. 68-69) letter from Cirencester about Lord Grey's congratulations on the state of Sarawak; progress of Barram; and reports on the North Borneo Company, 12 Dec 1883
(fols. 70-71) letter from Cirencester about the frontier line relating to a district where Bampfylde was in charge; Charles Johnson Brooke's travels in France; an invitation to the Grants to visit him; and his plan to return to Sarawak in Apr, 19 Sep 1884.