Letters to Robert Hay, 1859-1867

Item

Shelfmark: MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 8, fols. 74-130

Held at the Weston Library

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Comprises:

(fols. 74-78) letter from Sarawak about John Brooke Brooke's recommendation to give up the gold works in Sadong; plans for the new town Moarra Tabas near the river mouth, where Hay would be Resident; news of Alderson, Bishop McDougall, Watson, and Rentap; and the Rajah's improved health, 20 Jan 1859
(fols. 79-80) letter from Sarawak about problems concerning the new town, financial difficulties, and the decision to reduce the fortmen, by nearly half, to 24, 24 Jan 1859
(fol. 81) letter from Sarawak about the Bandar's return and the conclusion of peace, 3 May 1859
(fols. 82-83) letter from Sarawak (part torn off), instructing Hay to attack the house of the Orang Kaya Iran unless he paid his fine; and news from Koch about the Banting Dyak communities' refusal to receive Iran, 8 Jun 1859
(fols. 84-86) letter from Sarawak, congratulating Hay on the conclusion of Iran's business; the Bishop's arrival at Santubong; reports from St John and the Sultan about 'the Mukah affair', referring to Pangerans Matusen and Nipa; Labuan's low state and the departure of the traders, also from Brunei; reports of payment of the debt to the [Borneo] Company; and the expected return of John Brooke Brooke and the Rajah, 22 Jun 1859
(fols. 87-90) two letters from Sarawak about the discovery of the Datu Hadji [Gaffur]'s conspiracy to murder all Europeans; instructions to Hay to come at once to Sarawak; and steps to deal with the conspirators and future precautions to be taken, 12 and 14 Oct 1859
(fols. 91-92) letter from 'Above Sarikei' about finding Sarikei to be deserted and burnt, and Sheriff Musahore having fled to Egan; details of his force; and instructions to send the Lotus with necessaries to Rejang, 3 Mar 1860
(fols. 92A-B) letter [from Sakarang?], about a letter given to the Pangeran Tumonggon to be forwarded to Mukali; plans to go to Rejang to support Abg Ali; reports that the Sarikeis 'sing small', and reactions to the news that the Sarawak Balla had gone into Sadong; John Brooke Brooke 'is Raja Mudah', and the need for him to come out immediately, 27 Dec 1860
(fols. 92C-D) letter from Lingga about his intention to get up a balla at Sakarang, the Rajah having left the coast in his charge, 14 Jun 1861
(fols. 92E-F) letter from Sarawak about drawing against the Mukah account the sum of $19.80, the price of the padi, 15 Jul 1861
(fols. 93-94) letter from Sarawak about a letter from the Rajah written to the Bintulu people approving Charles Johnson Brooke's actions; increase of allowance to the Bintulu fort; references to Houghton and Paul, and the need for regular accounts to be sent from the out-stations; and plans for an expedition [against the Kayans], 25 Apr 1863
(fols. 95-96) letter from Sarawak, advising Hay that Paul should not sleep out of the fort and to exercise caution in any correspondence with indigenous parties, 26 Apr 1863
(fols. 97-100) letter from Kanowit about the successful attack on the Kayan community there, giving details of the action, and instructions about the chief Yonghang, 18 Jun 1863
(fols. 101-107) letter from Lingga about his condemnation of John Brooke Brooke's acts, and his disapproval of Hay's opposition to the Rajah's government; John Brooke Brooke's claim to be Rajah supreme rather than representative and successor to Sir James; and Charles Johnson Brooke's hope that Hay would not make his private feelings known so as to excite people to do mischief; reference to Paul, Watson, Stuart [Johnson], and Chambers, 10 Jul 1863
(fols. 108-109) letter from Lingga (marked 'Private & Confidential') about a talk with Manei and his hope that 'this question' would not agitate the people of Mukah; instructions to Hay to go [to Bintulu], and for Rodway to relieve Paul; and Charles Johnson Brooke's resolution concerning his own course, and his distress at suspicions that he might take advantage of his brother's absence to become Rajah Muda, 10 Jul 1863
(fols. 110-111) letter from Sarawak about Rodway relieving Paul; the heads of Talip and Kalei brought to Kanowit by the Kayans; Charles Johnson Brooke's intention to visit Mukah and Bintulu; and criticism of Paul's foolish behaviour at Bintulu, 27 Jul 1863
(fols. 112-113) letter from Sarawak about his policy to permit the movement of free people; and the decrease in sago trade, 29 Jul 1863
(fols. 114-115) letter from Sarawak about John Brooke Brooke's visit to Kilgraston; news from the Rajah at Galle, of 'recognition as good as gained', and the appointment of a Consul General; the return to England with the Rajah of John Brooke Brooke's baby [Agnes]; plans for Alan [Grant]'s career; Charles Johnson Brooke's visit to Sakarang, and the conclusion of peace; news of trade and produce, also of the Crookshanks, Boyles, and McDougalls; and his wish that the Rajah and John Brooke Brooke might meet and the business be 'settled satisfactorily to Brooke's interests', 16 Nov 1863
(fols. 116-118) letter from Lingga about Wise's paper concerning Sir James Brooke and Sarawak, his own grief at the disgrace this 'infamous libel' had brought on the family and his shame at the linking of Wise's name with John Brooke Brooke's 'on paper before the public'; and the accusations made against Charles Johnson Brooke by his family, 24 Apr 1864
(fols. 119-120) letter from Sarawak about the sale of Hay's cattle; the Dutch war in Sentang; peaceful developments in Sarawak; and news of Crookshank, Alderson, and Fitz, 4 Nov 1864
(fols. 121-122) letter from Sarawak about the sale of cattle; the news that Hay was working in the office of the Borneo Company; the possibility that he might wish to rejoin the Sarawak Service; and completion of the fort at Mukah, 25 Dec 1865
(fols. 123-124) letter from Simanggang (Sakarang), in reply to Hay's invitation to visit him in China; Charles Johnson Brooke's disinclination to move from Sarawak; and news of Watson and Fitz, 21 Nov 1866
(fols. 125-126) letter from Sarawak about the visit of Harvey and Black in connection with 'poor Helms'; Hay's appointment to Shanghai, a request to him to obtain silkworm eggs, hopes for cultivation of the mulberry in Sarawak and the production of silk; and the departure of the McDougalls for China, 12 Dec 1866
(fols. 127-128) letter from Sarawak, thanking Hay for the silkworms; news of the Rajah's attack and recovery, and his disabled arm; slowness of trade; and Helms's search for cinnabar, 3 Apr [1867]
(fols. 129-130) letter from Sarawak about silkworm eggs received in a rotten condition; a visit from Admiral Sir Henry Keppel in a heavier ship than had ever ventured there before; and news of the Rajah's improved health and hopes for his return to Sarawak, 19 Apr 1867.