I am not bothered by the headhunting thing - please continue. Also, will you in the future write a chapter or chapters about Miri (I used to live there a long time ago), especially the oil and gas industries and anything related to them such as the oldest oil platform in Sarawak (Oil Platform No.1 - I think ), Canada Hill, etc.? Also, will the Indian community only consists of Sikhs (I remember when I was there that there was a small Sikh Gurdwara (Temple) in Miri)? Please let me know. Thank you.
Wow.
This can only invite Dutch intervention.
Nah, skulls are nowhere near the most disturbing thing I've seen. It makes sense to talk about, given the Ibans' reputation as headhunters. I still love how Sarawak is acting as a cultural melting pot (if only at an early stage thus far, which is about right). Nice little update, sketchdoodle .
This may be a long shot but...
...any chances that the Ibans would clash with the Tausugs in the future?
The Tausugs or the Suluks (as they are referred to by the people(s) of Sabah) are more of a problem for Sabah aka Northern Borneo than to Sarawak.
Can't wait for more.
What year are you up to in the TL?
Also, opportunistically yoinking Palawan off of the Spanish when the Philippines are eventually stripped from them.
Good luck with that. In order for Brooke to even have a chance, it needs to have the resources of whole of Borneo as well as the industrial capability to produce a navy that can beat the Spanish. Borneo has the resources to do it, but Brooke needs to harness Borneo.
That is a small amount of time when the Spanish navy is not at par with the great powers or until the locals rebel or another power takes them from Spain.
The Spanish navy were not easy pickings until the 1890s. The most dangerous time fighting Spain was around 1880s when a otl rejected high tech sub in Spain can be activated instead of rejected. Of course this under the assumption that you even have a navy at par with the US by the 1890s.
Well, technically, Palawan was never directly under the rule of the Spanish- it was part of the Sultanate of Sulu, along with Sabah. Just have it included as part of the Sabah purchase, or sold in a subsequent purchase of territory from the Sulu Sultanate soon afterward, and you're there, without even having to confront the Spanish at all. Easy peasy. Plus, this way you get the Palawan Hornbills confined within Sarawak's territory as well, which would be in keeping with the thread's title.
About Brooke/British Palawan, I recently found out through JSTOR that there was actually a treaty signed between Sulu and the British East India Company back in 1763-1764, ceding not only North Borneo but the island of Palawan to the British as well. From the source I'm reading, it was hoped that the territory would act as a balance against the power of the rising Dutch and the established Spanish.
The issue with this is the Spanish already were present in Northern Palawan since 17th century in knew about Palawan since 1521. Sulu ceded Palawan to Spain in 1705. Sultanate of Brunei ceded Palawan to Spain in 1749.
The Spanish got both recognition but regardless they were already the De Facto in control of the islands.
The British East India Company only established a trading post rather than Sulu giving up the Northern Borneo in the 18th century.
By the 1850s, the Spanish were already well established in Palawan.
I don't think any colonial power would like an independent Philippine republic so close to their SE-Asian possessions.
That might not be the case.
IMO, the colonial powers would never see an independent Philippines as a threat. It might inspire uprisings in their own colonies, but that's it. Some of them might welcome it, given the right time and circumstances.
That might not be the case.
IMO, the colonial powers would never see an independent Philippines as a threat. It might inspire uprisings in their own colonies, but that's it. Some of them might welcome it, given the right time and circumstances.
If you really think that the colonial powers will willingly let brown people run their own country if there's anything remotely valuable there, you're being a lot more optimistic than I think is justified.
Well, I don't honestly believe that the Europeans would let the entire Philippines be independent by any stretch of the word. However, a little slice of the Philippines like the Sulu Sultanate? That might be a whole lot more possible...
In light of this, could there be a chance for the U.S to add Cuba as a possession instead of Philippines, and let the other colonial powers (the British, Germans, Dutch, etc.) squabble over the islands instead?
If you really think that the colonial powers will willingly let brown people run their own country if there's anything remotely valuable there, you're being a lot more optimistic than I think is justified.
Sarawak or Borneo is actually browner. Everybody forgets that by 1850s philippines is already a western nation. The insulares(pure Spanish blood born in the Philippines) and Creoles/mestizos were already rebelling since 1820s. Philippine population composition is actually closer to Spanish America than it's neighbors in Asia around this time.
BTW, any updates on Sarawak's northern neighbor?
Interesting discussion about the Philippines, everyone. I'm going to need some thinking over about the islands now.
Huh, now this changes everything. If the Philippines can end up being like Bakumatsu Japan by themselves, that could cause some butterflies in itself towards maritime SE-Asia. With this though... I need to think on this for a bit.
Sarawak or Borneo is actually browner. Everybody forgets that by 1850s philippines is already a western nation. The insulares(pure Spanish blood born in the Philippines) and Creoles/mestizos were already rebelling since 1820s. Philippine population composition is actually closer to Spanish America than it's neighbors in Asia around this time.