JOHORE
This State occupies the southern portion of the Malayan Peninsula, and has an area of about 7,500 square miles. The State is ruled by a Sultan, who is independent, but under the protection of the British Government so far as external policy is concerned. The present Sultan, Ibrahim, was born in 1873, and succeeded his father, the late Sultan Abubakar, in 1895, being crowned on the 2nd of November of that year. On the 1st January, 1916, the dignity of an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George was conferred on His Highness the Sultan by His Majesty the King, and the investiture took place at Johore Bahru on May 11, 1916. More recently, His Highness has been decorated with the Order of the British Empire in further recognition of his services during the Great War. Since 1910, the Sultan has had the services of an officer of the Straits or F.M.S. Civil Services as General Adviser, and other members of these services are seconded to control various departments, with the result that the government is now on a better footing and the finances materially improved. The country has made great progress in material prosperity, and its orderly condition has attracted a good deal of European capital, invested in planting enterprises.
The revenue for 1920 amounted to $11,838,975 against $11,002,777 in 1919, and the expenditure to $13,070,283 in 1920 against $8,223,862 in 1919. Improved methods of collection and administration, and the expansion of the agricultural and tin mining industries are factors in the increase of revenue, which has nearly trebled since 1914. Surplus assets at the end of 1920 amounted to $7,896,477. The railway, which connects Singapore with the F.M.S. system, was completed in 1909, and its construction has already given a great impetus to the opening up of this fertile State. Along its 120 miles it provides access to the extensive areas of valuable forest land not con- veniently reached by the natural waterways. It is operated and leased by the F.M.S. Railway Department, which now controls the whole of the railways in the Malay Peninsula. The State owns a light railway in Muar, but this has now been closed to passenger traffic, the opening up of a road system making the district more accessible.
Eighty-two schools are maintained by the Government, and at four of these English is taught. At the English College, which is conducted on the lines of an English Public School, there were 54 boys in residence in 1920.
The capital is the town of Johore Bahru, or new Johore, as distinguished from Johore Lama, or old Johore, the former seat of the Sultans of Johore, which was situated a few miles up the wide estuary of the Johore river. The new town is a flourishing little place on the nearest point of the mainland to Singapore island, and lying about 14 miles to the north-east of Singapore city, in 1° 26′ N. It contains some 15,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, gaol, hospital, market, railway station and a mosque. A plentiful supply of water has been provided since March, 1890. Good roads are being made, and public works, such as the construction of waterworks and bridges and the establishment of an electric light and power station at Johore Bahru, are receiving a good deal of attention. The Public Works Department spent $4,323,497 in 1920.
The population of the State at the census in 1921 was ascertained to be 282,244 (as compared with 180,412 in 1911), of whom 626 were Europeans, 158,144 Malays, 96,888 Chinese, 24,278 Indians, 173 Eurasians, and 2,135 others. The Chinese are chiefly found as cultivators of gambier and pepper, and are spread over the range of country in the extreme southern end of the peninsula, nearest to Singapore, but there is also a large Chinese population on the Jemaluang tin-field near Mersing.
Imports Exports
....
1920 $42,877,896
1919 $29,524,700
71,061,346
68,685,787
$100,568,046
$111,563,683