About the book (from jacket flap):
This book is concerned with the relations of Great Britain and the sultanate of Brunei between the late 18th century and the early 20th century and it describes the gradual process by which the boundaries of the Borneo states were drawn up. Three diverse regimes were created: a Residency, a dynastic state and a chartered company. The period with which this book is concerned witnessed the rise of British power in the world at large, and the study illustrates some of the motives and methods of Britain’s policy overseas, especially in South-east Asia, in the heyday of its empire. This policy moved through a number of phases, and was affected at different times by differing considerations of ideology and expediency. While most earlier works on Borneo have been concerned primarily with Sarawak and North Borneo, the main focus here is on Brunei, and on attempts of its rulers to respond to the challenges of the 19th century. But the author’s treatment of the Raj in the context of relations of Britain and Brunei is unusual, and he has had access to hitherto unused materials on the subject. Though essentially a piece of diplomatic history this book should be of interest to students of the ‘colonial’ period in South-East Asia in general, and to students of Borneo in particular.
The author is at present Professor of History in the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and is currently working on a history of British policy towards the Sulu sultanate.
