End of Absolutism

One hundred and one booming salutes split the morning: one for each year of the dynasty and one more. As their echo died away, promptly at 8 o'clock one morning last week, the Raja and Ranee of Sarawak, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke & Lady Brooke, left the great ghost-haunted palace from which they had ruled for 24 years, proceeded with guard of honor to the Government offices. There they witnessed the ceremonies that put an end to the absolute rule which the House of the White Rajas of Sarawak had exercised over half a million brown-skinned subjects for a century. Henceforth an Administrative Council of British officials will assume the responsibility of government.

On Sept. 24, 1841, James Brooke became Raja of Sarawak. An English adventurer in the service of the East India Company, at the age of 21 Jamie Brooke had been wounded in a battle in the Brahmaputra valley, mutilated and doomed to a childless future. Unable to marry, he took to the sea, which he said "wants nothing but a gallant heart from her lover." He put into Blidah Fort, Borneo, helped suppress a rebellion against a Malay prince, wound up by becoming absolute monarch of 50,000 square miles of viciously virginal jungle in northwest Borneo.

The first Raja was succeeded by his nephew, Sir Charles Johnson Brooke, a lusting, jungle-loving buck. Sir Charles used to think dinner an unnecessary and expensive meal, but he relented on his wedding night and bought his bride bread, butter and tea. Sir Charles in due course died (although his ghost still haunts the palace, says his daughter-in-law), to be succeeded by his son, the present Raja.

The present Sir Charles produced three fabulous daughters. He promised Sarawak to his 28-year-old nephew, Sir Anthony Brooke, but withdrew the promise when Anthony married pretty Kathleen Hudden, a commoner. Last April he announced his intention of establishing a constitutional monarchy for his superstitious, head-hunting subjects, who dote on such delicacies as wood slugs and hot rice wine, who count among them such medical curiosities as the "Snake Man" who sheds his skin once a year.

More potent perhaps than the Raja's intentions in effecting the change was the will of the British Empire. Oil-rich, rubber-bearing, strategically-placed Sarawak as an air base can menace Thailand, the Philippines, Malaya, the Dutch East Indies. It is far too important on the map of the South Seas today for comic opera.

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