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Memoirs of Sir Henry Keppel - A Great Shot - 1873

2012-02-23T09:34:15Z

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Keppel, GCB, OM (14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904) was a British admiral and son of the 4th Earl of Albemarle. Below is an excerpt from his memoirs as published in one of the books in our library 'Memoirs of Sir Henry Keppel - Admiral of the Fleet - by Sir Algernon Edward West' -1905. Catch-up with earlier posts in this series here or search our library here.

Memoirs of Sir Henry Keppel - A Great Shot - 1873

When Lieutenant Windham returned from the East Indies, in [1873], he was visiting his aunt, Mrs. Hare, at Devonport, who insisted on his going at once to pay his respects to the Admiral. Having no uniform, he apologised . 'Dear boy' said Harry, 'I'm not __________,' naming his predecessor.

One day the Admiral challenged the General at Mount Wise to a point-to-point race on Dartmoor. The course was mapped out with due formalities, and the Admiral won the race.

Harry was very keen about his hunting and shooting, and would often get secretly away in the mornings, before his secretary, with despatches from the Admiralty, could catch him. But one day he pursued the Admiral, after a long chase, at Colonel Coryton's place, Pentillie, and made his back into a writing-table, on which many signatures were written. He would often hunt with Admiral Parker, master of the Dartmoor Hounds, and an old coachman there remembered Harry's dancing a hornpipe on the ice on the occasion of a frost. He was a careless shot, and one day he came back to Mrs. Parker, saying, 'I have had an excellent day's sport. I have shot two woodcock, ten pheasants, a rabbit, and your son!'

On the first day's shooting at Port Eliot the keeper surprised him by asking if he might look at his cartridges, explaining that his predecessor, Admiral Codrington, had used ball cartridges, which he had taken out of the store in the Dockyard.

Not contented with hunting on Dartmoor, he crossed over to Ireland with Lord Charles Beresford, to hunt with Lord Waterford, where, as usual, he had a bad fall and broke his collarbone. But his worst accident was when hunting with Lord Digby in Dorsetshire, when he fell on his head, and was laid up for a long time, being thereby prevented from joining the Embassy which was sent to Italy to present the King with the Garter.

Surely there never was a man who 'came up smiling,' as the prizefighters say, after so many accidents.

One day he tumbled from a ship, when visiting her with Admiral Commerell, on to the pigiron pavement in the Dockyard, about twenty feet below him, and was stunned. They gave him up for dead. However, he heard Admiral Commerell shouting for water, so he thought it was time to pull himself together, and cried out, 'Put some whisky in it.' He rallied and was put to bed, but insisted on going to Goodwood. When his doctor declared that he would not take the responsibility of his going: 'Who the devil,' he said, 'asked you to take the responsibility?'

On one occasion he met Mr. Manley Sims, his doctor, who wanted to know how he was. He did not recognise him, and said: 'Quite well, and all the better for not having seen that beast of a doctor of mine for some time.'

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Further Reading and External Links

Henry Keppel on Wikipedia

James 'Rajah' Brooke - Rajahs Residence

2012-02-22T09:45:34Z

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James Brooke was the first White Rajah of Sarawak. After inheriting £30,000 in 1833 he invested it in the schooner 'The Royalist' and sailed for Borneo. In 1841 he became the Rajah of Sarawak. Below is an excerpt from one of the books in our library called Rajah Brooke by Sir Spencer St John published in 1899.

Catch-up with earlier posts in this series here or search our library here.

The Rajahs Residence

This is how the Rajah describes his residence and mode of life at Kuching:

"I may now mention our house, or, as I fondly call it, our palace. It is an edifice fifty-four feet square, mounted on numerous posts of the nibong palm, with nine windows in each front. The roof is of nipa leaves, and the floors and partitions are all of planks. Furnished with couches, table, chairs, books, etc., the whole is as comfortable as man could wish for in this out-of-the-way country; and we have besides bathing-house, cook-house and servants' apartments detached. The view from the house to the eastward comprises a reach of the river, and to the westward looks towards the blue mountains of Matang; the north fronts the river and the south the jungle. Our abode, however, though spacious, cool and comfortable, can only be considered a temporary residence, for the best of all reasons, that in the course of a year it will tumble down, from the weight of the superstructure being placed on weak posts.

The time here passes monotonously, but not unpleasantly. Writing, reading, chart-making employ my time between meals. My companions are equally engaged - Mackenzie with copying logs, learning navigation and stuffing specimens of natural history; Crymble is teaching our young Bugis and Dyak boys their letters for an hour every morning, copying my vocabularies of languages, ruling charts and the like; whilst my servant Peter learns reading and writing daily, with very poor success, however. Our meals are about nine in the morning and four in the afternoon, with a cup of tea at eight. The evening is employed in walking never less than a mile and a half measured distance, and, after tea, reading and a cigar. Wine and grog we have none, and all appear better for it, or, at least, I can say so much for myself. Our bedtime is about eleven."

Excerpt from Rajah Brooke, published in 1899 by Sir Spencer St John

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Further Reading and External Links

James Rajah Brooke on Wikipedia

The Royalist Schooner

War in the East - 21 Feb 1855

2012-02-21T10:39:03Z

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Below is another excerpt from "The War" by William Howard Russell - War Correspondent to The Times Newspaper, its a daily account from the battlelines during the Crimean War (157 years ago).

Catch-up with earlier posts in this series here or search our library here.

Russian Mode of Conducting a Sortie

Wednesday 21st February 1855

The northerly wind continued to blow, and in the Crimea frost and snow are ever borne on its wings till April. The thermometer marked 20 degrees early in the morning, but as the sun shone out soon after eight o'clock and the wind was not high, the day was endurable, and even enjoyable to any one who could move about and was well clad. To the men in the trenches, who were necessarily obliged to keep quiet, and whose supply of fuel was scanty, the cold must have been very trying; but the warm clothing and long boots enabled them to bear the severity of the weather, which would have been fatal to many of them had they been in the same state as those poor fellows on whom winter fell with all its rigour while they had got but the rag of a regimental coat and the regimental blanket.

The Russians during the night made a small demonstration against us, thinking that the sentries and advanced posts might be caught sleeping or away from their posts. Their usual mode of conducting a sortie on the scale which they have hitherto preferred is to send on some thirty men in advance of a party of 500 or 800, in loose skirmishing order. These men advance stealthily, en tirailleur, up to the line of our sentries and picquets, and feel their way cautiously, in order to ascertain if there is a weak and undefended point for the advance of the main body. If the firing is slack, the latter immediately push on, rush into the trenches, bayonet as many as resist, and, dragging off all the men they can get as prisoners, return to the town as rapidly as possible.

In these affairs the French suffer most. Any man, however weak, can rush across a landing into the nearest room, and do damage in it before he is kicked out. The French are so close to the Russians they may be said to live next door to them. The latter can form in a small body, under cover of their works, at any hour in the night, and dash into the works ere our allies can get together to drive them back again. Last night some thirty-five men advanced upon the sentries stationed in front of Major Chapman's batteries (the left attack), but they were instantly perceived and challenged. They replied "Ruski!" and were at once fired upon. The Riflemen in the pits which have been made in front of these lines gave them a spattering volley, and the Tirailleurs at once retreated, and, with the body in reserve, returned to their lines. It is strange they should have given such a reply to the sentries challenge, but the men all declare the Russians used the word I have mentioned, which would seem to be the Russians' notion of their own name in the English tongue.

Excerpt from The War 1855 by W H Russell - Correspondent to The Times.

This volume contains the letters of The Times Correspondent from the seat of war in the East - The Crimean War - the first war with war correspondents.

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Further Reading and External Links

Maps, Plans and Pictures of the Crimean War

William Howard Russell on Wikipedia

William Howard Russell on BikWil

The Falkland Islands Discovery - 1502

2012-02-20T09:24:01Z

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We've delved into the Ultrapedia archives to see what history holds on the discovery of the Falkland Islands; there are many conflicting and biased reports. Here we feature an excerpt from The Merchants Magazine and Commercial Review Volume 6 published in 1842 - reporting the islands were first discovered in 1502 by the Italian explorer Americus Vespucius while in the service of Portugal.

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The Falkland Islands Discovery - 1502

The merit of discovering these islands has been claimed by the Portuguese, the Spaniards, the Dutch, and the French. Americus Vespucius, in the journal of his voyage through the South Atlantic Ocean, made in 1502, while he was in the service of Portugal, says that he saw a rugged and uncultivated land beyond the 52d degree of south latitude; but under what meridian it is impossible to learn. The Spaniards assert that the islands were found by their earliest navigators in those seas, who called them, Islas de Leones; no direct proof of this assertion has been adduced, but it seems scarcely possible that they could have remained unseen by the people of that nation, during a whole century, in which so many of their squadrons were engaged in exploring the adjacent seas and coasts.

The first notice of the existence of the islands which can be considered as distinct, is contained in the account of the voyage of John Davis, the commander of one of the vessels in the English squadron sent to the Pacific under Cavendish in 1591, written by John Lane, one of the crew, and published at London by Hakluyt in 1600. The writer there states, that after in vain attempting to enter Magellan's Straits, they were on the 14th of August, [1592]

"driven in among certain isles never before discovered by any known relation, lying fifty leagues or better from the shore, east and northerly from the straits"

This description, though short, is sufficient to establish the fact, that Davis did, in [1592], see some of the northwesternmost of the Falkland Islands; and upon the evidence thus afforded, Great Britain founds her claim to the sovereignty of the whole archipelago.

The same islands were also no doubt seen, two years afterward, by the celebrated Sir Richard Hawkins; in the narrative of whose voyage, by John Ellis, it is stated that:

"on the 2nd of February, 1593-4, we fell in with the land of Terra Australis, in 50 degrees, 55 leagues off the straits of Magellan, east-northeast from the straits"

Sir Richard, believing himself to be the first who had seen this territory, gave to it the name of Hawkins Maiden-land; "for" as he says, "that it was discovered in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, my Sovereign Lady, and a maiden Queen, and at my cost, in perpetual memory of her chastity, and of my endeavours."

This name, however, did not obtain general currency; and the islands were not destined to serve as monuments commemorating the chastity of Queen Elizabeth, or the perseverance and liberality of the dauntless searover.

The last navigator, by whom the discovery of these islands was supposed to have been made, was Sebaldus or Sibbald Van Weerdt, the commander of one of the five Dutch ships sent to the Pacific from Rotterdam in [1599], under Jacob Mahu. Having been foiled in his attempt to pass Magellans Strait, Van Weerdt resolved to return to Europe; and on his way back, two days after leaving that passage, he fell in with three small islands, in the latitude of 50 degrees 40 minutes, distant sixty leagues from the South American continent; which were, in all probability, the same seen by Davis and Hawkins. The Dutch, in consequence, gave the name of Sebaldine Islands to the whole archipelago; which is so called on many English maps, published in the last century, while in others it appears as the Sibble d'Wards Islands.

Excerpt from The Merchants Magazine and Commercial Review Volume 6 published in 1842

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Further Reading and External Links

BBC News Magazine on the Falkland Islands

World Atlas Falkland Islands Facts

Americus Vespucius

James 'Rajah' Brooke - A New Era

2012-02-19T09:44:55Z

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James 'Rajah' Brooke - A New Era

A new era was about to dawn on Sarawak by the advent of the British navy. Before dwelling on the change which took place in consequence, let me glance briefly at Brooke's position. He had been granted the government of the country by Rajah Muda Hassim, a grant confirmed by the Sultan; he had gained the confidence of the former, who leaned on him for support, and who hoped through his influence to recover his former paramount position in the capital; he was cordially supported by the Siniawan Malays, and was fully trusted by the Land Dyaks. He was also aided to a certain extent by those useful but troublesome subjects the Chinese, who then only dreamt of making themselves supreme in the interior. He was supported by three English followers, and the occasional presence of his yacht, the 'Royalist'. How was it possible for anyone, therefore, to declare that he had seized the country by force, and held it by force, as was afterwards affirmed by a small English faction? His only enemies were Pangeran Makota and a few discontented Borneans, who dreaded the reign of justice and order. Though secure of the support of the inhabitants of Sarawak, he was opposed by his neighbour the Sultan of Sambas, backed by the Dutch, and he had the mouths of his rivers almost blockaded during eight months of the year by the fleets of Lanun and Balignini pirates who cruised along the coast during the fine season.

His people were also in constant peril from the expeditions organised by Sherif Sahib, the chief of the neighbouring district of Sadong, the rendezvous of every species of pirate; and all coast trade was stopped by the constant presence of the Seribas and Sakarang Dyaks, led by their warlike Malays, who foraged along the whole western coast of Borneo. He was saved simply by his great prestige, as he had in reality no force with which he could cope with a large pirate fleet a prestige acquired by his bravery, his tact, his great kindness, and the just and benevolent rule which he was striving with all his energy to introduce into his adopted country.

And what were his chief objects? How well the following lines express them:

"It is a grand experiment, which, if it succeeds, will bestow a blessing on those poor people, and their children's children will bless my name."

Again, "If it please God to permit me to give a stamp to this country which shall last after I am no more, I shall have lived a life which emperors might envy. If by dedicating myself to the task I am able to introduce better customs and settled laws, and to raise the feeling of the people, so that their rights can never in future he wantonly infringed, I shall indeed be content and happy."

Excerpt from Rajah Brooke, published in 1899 by Sir Spencer St John

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Further Reading and External Links

James Rajah Brooke on Wikipedia

The Royalist Schooner

Falkland Islands Discovery - 1594

2012-02-18T09:25:26Z

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With the Falkland Island a newsworthy topic once more we've delved into the Ultrapedia archives to see what history holds. Below is an excerpt from the book History of the British Colonies by Robert Montgomery Martin published in 1835 claiming they were first discovered in 1594 by Sir Richard Hawkins.

Catch-up with earlier posts in this series here or search our library here.

The Falkland Islands Discovery - 1594

THE Falkland islands, between the parallels of 51.10. and 52.30.S and the meridians 58. and 62. W. (contiguous to the Straits of Magellan,) so advantageously situated as a refreshing port for our numerous ships doubling Cape Horn, and as a cruising station for our ships of war in the Pacific, were first discovered by Sir Richard Hawkins during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1594, or as some think, by Captain Davis, in 1592, an English navigator under Sir Thomas Cavendish; they were subsequently visited by a ship belonging to St. Maloes, from which they were called by the French, 'the Malouins' and also subsequently, by the Spaniards, 'the Malvinas.' Little, however, was known of them until Commodore Byron, when on a voyage of discovery to the South Seas, visited them in January, [1765], and formally took possession of them for his Majesty Geo. III. under the title of 'the Falkland Islands,' though others say this name had been previously given them by an English navigator named Strong, in 1689, who, after being there about fourteen days, described Egmont, on the N.W. coast of the largest island, as being the finest harbour in the world, capacious enough to hold all the navy of England in full security. Geese, ducks, snipes, and other fowl were found in such abundance, that the sailors were quite tired with eating them; and in every part there was a plentiful supply of water.

When the French lost the Canadas, a colony of farmers was transported thither by M. de Bougainville, and about the same time a British colony was established at Port Egmont by Captain McBride; but their right to settle there being disputed by the Spaniards, M. de Bougainville surrendered the possession of his part to the latter in April, [1767].

Great Britain, however, by virtue of her original discovery, claimed the sovereignty, which led to a rupture with Spain in the year [1770], and the point was warmly and strongly contested for a considerable period.

Spain, however, finally conceded our right to the islands. The two largest of the islands are about 70 leagues in circumference, and divided by a channel 12 leagues in length, and from 1 to 3 in breadth. The harbours are large, and well defended by small islands, most happily disposed. The smallest vessels may ride in safety; fresh water is easily to be obtained; there is seldom any thunder or lightning, nor is the weather hot or cold to any extraordinary degree. throughout the year, the nights are in general serene and fair; and, upon the whole, the climate is favourable to the constitution. The depth of the soil in the vallies is more than sufficient for the purpose of ploughing.

Since, [1767], they fell into comparative insignificance; and, for many years past, little notice has been taken of them by our government. Ships of war, on their passage round Cape Horn, have occasionally touched there for supplies of water, etc. and South Sea whalers and other merchant vessels; but the navigation being little known, they have not, until lately, been much frequented, although very nearly in the track of ships homeward-bound from the Pacific. Latterly, however, circumstances arose which induced the last commander-in-chief on the South American station (Sir Thomas Baker), to send down a ship of war for the purpose of reclaiming that possession, which lapse of time seemed to have rendered almost absolutely abandoned. The Buenos Ayrean Government have, however, endeavoured to set up a claim to the islands.

Excerpt from History of the British Colonies by Robert Montgomery Martin published in 1835

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Further Reading and External Links

BBC News Magazine on the Falkland Islands

World Atlas Falkland Islands Facts

Falkland Islands Discovery - 1592

2012-02-17T09:50:01Z

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With the Falkland Islands in the news again we thought we'd delve into the Ultrapedia archives to see what history holds. Below is an excerpt from a parliamentary speech made in 1770 on the Falkland Islands claiming they were first discovered in 1592 by the British Captain Davies.

Excerpt from The Speeches of the Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham in the Houses of Lords and Commons by William Pitt published in 1848

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND'S MOTION RESPECTING THE SEIZURE OF FALKLAND'S ISLAND - 22nd November 1770

Badge of The Falkland IslandsThe expulsion of the English from the Falkland Islands by a Spanish force in the year [1769], caused serious apprehensions to be entertained of a rupture between Spain and Great Britain.

The Falkland Islands are situated in about 51 and a half degrees of southern latitude, and about one hundred leagues from the eastern entrance to the Straits of Magellan. They consist of two large, and a great number of small islands; the large ones being divided by a sound or strait of considerable length. They are supposed to have been first discovered in the year 1592, by Captain Davies, who was the associate of the brave but unfortunate Cavendish, and was afterwards parted from him, or basely deserted him. In consequence of stress of weather, Davies was prevented from making any observation on them, nor did he even name them. This was reserved for Sir Richard Hawkins, who two years afterwards discovered them, and called them, in honour of Queen Elizabeth, Hawkins' Maiden Land. No settlement being made on them, when the Dutch navigator, Sebald de Wert, touched at them in the year 1598, he imagined himself to be the first discoverer of them, and designated them the Sebaldine Islands. We hear nothing more of these islands until the reign of William the Third, when one Strong fell in with them, and is supposed to have given them their present English name, which being also adopted by Halley, was inserted in our maps.

Lord Anson was the first who was impressed with the importance of forming a British settlement on the Falkland Islands; and accordingly, soon after the peace of Aix la Chapelle, when he was at the head of the Admiralty, preparations were made for sending out some frigates to make discoveries in the South Seas, and particularly to examine, with precision, the state and condition of the islands in question. But the Court of Spain gained intelligence of this project, and made such representations against it, that it was for the time laid aside, and continued dormant until the conduct of naval affairs was entrusted to the Earl of Egmont. Under the directions of this nobleman, Commodore Byron was sent out, in the year [1764], to make a settlement on the Falkland Islands, and in the beginning of the following year he took formal possession of them in the name of the King of Great Britain. About the same, or perhaps at an earlier period, the French, animated by a desire to retrieve the great national losses which they had sustained during the late war, formed a plan of making discoveries in the South Seas. The low state of their finances prevented this scheme from being undertaken at the public expense; and it was left to the enterprise of a private individual M. de Bouganville, to carry it out at his own and his friends risk. He fitted out an expedition at St. Malo, whence these islands were called by the French Les Malouines, and having arrived at them, he formed a settlement which he designated Port Louis, and built a fort. The British settlement, which was called Port Egmont, in honour of the first Lord of the Admiralty, under whose auspices it was made, lay on the larger and more western of the two principal islands; and the French settlement on the eastern and lesser of them. The King of Spain asserting an exclusive right to all the Magellanic regions, procured a cession of the French settlement, and changed its name from Port Louis to that of Port Solidad.

In the year [1769], Captain Hunt, the commander of a frigate, which with the Swift, a sloop of sixteen guns, was stationed at Port Egmont, being on a cruise off the islands observed a Spanish schooner taking a survey of them. Captain Hunt immediately sent a message to the Spanish commander, requiring him to depart. This requisition was for the time complied with, but two days afterwards the schooner returned with letters for Captain Hunt from the Governor of Port Solidad, complaining that the former had sent an imperious message to the Spaniards in the King of Spain's own dominions. In reply, Captain Hunt warned the Spaniards from the island in the name of the King, as belonging to the English by right of discovery in the first instance, and of settlement in the second.

Excerpt from The Speeches of the Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham in the Houses of Lords and Commons by William Pitt published in 1848

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Further Reading and External Links

Charles Lennox - 3rd Duke of Richmond

William Pitt The Elder - 1st Earl of Chatham

BBC News Magazine on the Falkland Islands

James 'Rajah' Brooke - Granted the Government

2012-02-16T09:42:59Z

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He is Granted The Government of Sarawak

The greatest state was observed when the Sultan's letters were taken on shore. They were received and brought up to the reception hall amid large wax torches. The person who was to read them was stationed on a raised platform. Standing near him was the Rajah Muda Hassim, with a sabre in his hand; in front was his brother Jaffer with a tremendous Lanun sword drawn; and around were the other brothers and myself, all standing, the rest of the company being seated. The letters were then read - the last one appointing me to hold the government of Sarawak - after which the rajah descended from the platform and said aloud,

"If anyone present disowns or contests the Sultan's appointment, let him now declare it."

All were silent.

"Is there any pangeran or young rajah that contests the question? Pangeran Der Makota, what do you say?"

Makota expressed his willingness to obey. One or two other obnoxious pangerans, who had always opposed themselves to me, were each in turn challenged, and forced to promise obedience. The rajah then waved his sword, and with a loud voice exclaimed,

"Whoever he may be that disobeys the Sultan's mandate now received, I will cleave his skull."

And at the moment some ten of his younger brothers jumped from the verandah, and drawing their long krises, began to flourish and dance about, thrusting close to Makota, striking the pillar above his head, and pointing their weapons at his breast. A motion on his part would have been fatal, but he kept his eyes on the ground and stirred not. I too remained quiet, and cared nothing about this demonstration, for one gets accustomed to these things. It all passed off, and in ten minutes the men who had been leaping frantically about, with drawn weapons and inflamed countenances, were seated, quiet and demure as usual. This scene is a custom with them, the only exception being that it was pointed so directly at Makota.

This unworthy chief was now ordered to leave the country, as his presence was not only distasteful to the Tuan Besar, as Brooke was called, but to all those whom he had driven, by his oppressions, into the rebellion which had lately been quelled. The Bornean rajahs also looked upon him as an interloper, and he found no support from them; he was said, in fact, to be a stranger from the Dutch 'sphere of influence,' as it is now the fashion to call possession without occupation.

Excerpt from Rajah Brooke, published in 1899 by Sir Spencer St John

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Further Reading and External Links

James Rajah Brooke on Wikipedia

The Royalist Schooner

James 'Rajah' Brooke - 1841

2012-02-15T09:29:04Z

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James 'Rajah' Brooke - 1841

Muda Hassim immediately carried out his original promise, and in a formal document handed over the government of the district of Sarawak to Brooke. The news was received with rejoicing by the Land Dyaks, the Sarawak Malays and the Chinese, but with some misgivings by the rascally followers of the Bornean rajahs. This event took place in September [1841].

Brooke's first act was to request Muda Hassim to return to their families the women and children who had been given as hostages after the close of the civil war. He succeeded in most cases, but as the younger brothers of Muda Hassim had honoured with their notice some of the unmarried girls, he was forced to leave ten of them in the harems of the rajahs.

Being now Governor of Sarawak, he determined to effect some reforms. One of the greatest difficulties he encountered was the introduction of impartial justice; to teach the various classes that all were equal before the law. He opened a court, at which he himself provided, aided moreover, by some of the rajah's brothers and the chiefs of the Siniawan Malays, and dispensed justice according to the native laws, which in most cases are milder than those of European countries. When absent himself his chief officer acted for him. As long as these laws were only applied to Dyaks, Chinese or inferior Malays, there was no resistance, but when the privileged class and their unscrupulous followers were touched, there arose some murmurings.

Brooke saw at once that to ensure stability to his rule he must govern the people through, and with the aid of, the chiefs to whom they were accustomed. He therefore proposed to Muda Hassim to restore to their former positions the men who had been at the head of the late rebellion, and who certainly had been more sinned against than sinning. To this the rajah agreed, which added much to the Englishman's influence, not only among the Malays, but also among the Dyaks, who were accustomed to be ruled, and, it must be confessed, to be plundered by these chiefs. But the tribes thought that it was better to pay exactions to one than to be exposed to the persecutions of many.

Although Muda Hassim had made over to Brooke the government of the country, it was necessary that this grant should be ratified by the Sultan. Brooke therefore proceeded to Brunei in the 'Royalist,' accompanied by Pangeran Budrudin. It was also very necessary to pave the way for Muda Hassim's return to the capital, with his rapacious followers, before Sarawak could really prosper. Everything succeeded; the Sultan not only ratified the grant, but sent a strong invitation to his uncle to return to his old position of being the prime minister, whose absence they all deplored. His Highness sent letters to that effect, and when the 'Royalist' arrived at Sarawak there was very general rejoicing.

Excerpt from Rajah Brooke, published in 1899 by Sir Spencer St John

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Further Reading and External Links

James Rajah Brooke on Wikipedia

The Royalist Schooner

War in the East - 14 Feb 1855

2012-02-14T10:20:09Z

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Below is another excerpt from "The War" by William Howard Russell - War Correspondent to The Times Newspaper, its a daily account from the battlelines during the Crimean War (157 years ago).

The Recall of Lord Lucan

Wednesday 14th February 1855

THE great topic of conversation and gossip to-day is the recall of the Earl of Lucan from the command of the Cavalry Division. The circumstances under which this unusual exercise of authority has taken place are not very accurately known, except to a few officers to whom Lord Lucan has communicated them, but the prevailing, impression among those who are likely to be well informed, and; whose opinions carry weight, is certainly to the effect that the step is not justifiable on the grounds set forth for taking it.

Thursday 15th February 1855

Last night the wind increased in force, blowing in strong gusts and squalls, which tore down tents and the materials for hutting on the heights over Balaklava, and sent them clattering down the hill. This wind, hot and dry as one of the warm breezes of the tropics, sucked up the moisture of the roads as it passed, and the tracks of deep mud and the waste of earth and water on which our camp stands are rapidly becoming solid so rapidly, indeed, that the effect is little short of magical. It much resembles the Mediterranean sirocco. The thermometer exposed outside my quarters marks no less than seventy-one degrees. The sky is overcast and lurid, but there are no clouds visible the whole atmosphere is of a slaty grey hue overhead and on the horizon, but objects at a distance give well-defined outlines, and are not at all obscure. The wind is very uncertain in force; at times the gusts are terrific; they generally come at intervals of five or six minutes, and vary in strength at each outburst. The general direction of the wind is from the south-south-east to south-west. Under the strange change of temperature, the bulbous roots, which seem to abound in the soil of the Chersonese, are putting forth shoots with vigour, and crocuses and hyacinths, some in flower, have pushed their bright green leaves above the black surface of the soil, and, by their freshness and vividness of colour, afford a strong contrast to the sterile aspect of the hoof-betrodden ground.

Towards night the violence of the gale abated. The Field-Marshal came down to Balaklava yesterday, and visited the various public establishments in the town, and inspected the progress of the railway. There was another sortie last night, which the French repulsed with a loss of thirty-five killed and wounded and missing.

The Russians lost at least as many in their hasty retreat. The works on our right are in splendid order.

The division of General Bosquet on our right and in rear of our right flank was reinforced to-day by upwards of 8000 men.

The Russians have established three batteries from Inkermann Light east on the heights over the Tchernaya towards the southeast, with the object of annoying our flank, but the distance is too great, and all their efforts to injure us have hitherto been abortive.

Excerpt from The War 1855 by W H Russell - Correspondent to The Times.

This volume contains the letters of The Times Correspondent from the seat of war in the East - The Crimean War - the first war with war correspondents.

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Further Reading and External Links

Maps, Plans and Pictures of the Crimean War

William Howard Russell on Wikipedia

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