Excerpt from American Interests in Borneo: A Brief Sketch of the Extent, Climate and Productions of the Island of Borneo

So little is known of this new field for American enterprise, by the generality of people, that when the great importance of its acquisition is referred to, the question is usually asked, "Where is Borneo?" For the information of those who have not paid much attention to the practical study of geography, it may be stated, that off the southeastern extremity of Asia, and separated from it by the Chinese Sea, there is a cluster of large, fertile, and thickly populated islands, which constitute a portion of what in modern geography is termed Oceanica, or what is better known, perhaps, as Malaysia. Of all the islands in this group Borneo is by far the largest, in fact, it is the largest Island in the world, except Australia. It is situated directly on the equator. Its greatest length being 778 miles, and greatest width 685 miles, embracing an area of 316, 320 square miles, and stretching from 7° of north to 4° of south latitude, and from 108° to 119° of east longitude. It is consequently seven times as large as Cuba, or twice as large as the State of California.

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