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Given at our Istana, at Johore Bahru, on the ninth day of the month of Rajab, in the year of the Hedjirah, one thousand three hundred and fourteen, corresponding to the fourteenth day of the month of December, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six of the Christian era, in the second year of our reign.

By his Highness's command, (Signature)

Dato Mentri BESAR, of Johore.

4092.

7

No. 2.

JOHORE BOUNDARY COMMISSIONERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

To the Right Honourable

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

TILLC.O. 882

T

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Johore-Malacca, Johore-Johol, and JOHORE-PARANG Boundaries.

The boundaries between the State and Territory of Johore and the Province of Malacca, and the State of Johol in the Negri Sembilan and the State of Pahang respectively, shall be as follows :—

A line coinmencing at a point in the centre of the Kuala Kesang where it enters the sea, thence along the middle of the Sungei Kesang and the Sungei Chobong at.an equal distance from either bank of the said rivers to a point near Bukit Asahan where the road to Kampong Relau crosses the Sungei Chohong, thence following a line 30 yards from the south side of the road to a point to be fixed where the road enters Kampong Relau, thence in a direct line to Lubok Kedondong, thence down the middle of the Sungei Gemch (or Gemas) to Kuala Gemeh, thence to Kuala Chandoi on the Sungei Palong, thence to Bukit Ulu Perloh, thence to the summit of Bukit Selanchor, thence to the summit of Gunong l'ukin, thence to the summit of Gunong Besar, thence to the summit of Gunong Berembun, thence by a line connecting the highest points of Gunong Berembun and Gunong Kendok, so that the line falls entirely to the north of the Sungei Endau, thence to a point on the left bank of the Sungei Endau opposite the extremity of the point on which the Kuala Sembrong Police Station stands, thence along the middle of the Sungei Endau to Kuala Endau, thence at sea to the most southern point of Pulau Keban, thence due east, along the north parallel of latitude 2° 39′ 20′′.

2. Where the middle of a river is the boundary, the inhabitants of the State or Province on either side thereof shall have equally the right of navigating such river.

3. Where the Sungei Endau lies, by this award, wholly within the State of Johore, persons residing in the State of Pahang shall have the free right of navigating that river, and shall have free access to it for that purpose.

All persons, whether of European or Asiatic race, owning or working houses, farmis, mines, or other properties, or carrying on industries in territory which, prior to this award, has been supposed to belong to another Province or State than that to which it is hereby declared to belong, shall be secured in the peaceable enjoyment of such properties or industries, and shall henceforth pay to the Government under which they are now hereby placed all such dues, rents, royalties or other payments as are lawfully and customarily payable to such Government by the subjects thereof.

4. After this award has come into operation, no Governinent of a Province or State affected by it shall maintain any police stations or officers, or levy any taxes or duties, or purport to exercise any jurisdiction beyond its boundaries as hereby defined.

5. The various boundaries mentioned herein and marked on the annexed map are adopted as clearly indicating the spirit and intention of this settlement, and shall be binding upon all parties concerned.

6. Provided that in the event of any doubt or difference arising as to the precise geographical position of any portion of the said boundaries, the question shall be referred to the examination of surveyors, one to be named by each State concerned, and a third to be appointed by the other two.

7. A report of the result of such examination shall be made to the Governments of the States concerned, and in the event of their not agreeing to abide by it, such report shall be referred to the Secretary of State, whose decision as to any suggested amendment in detail of the definition of the boundaries shall be final, and shall be communicated to the respective States.

8. The cost of marking out any portions of the boundaries as herein laid down, or of any revision thereof, shall be borne in equal shares by the States concerned.

9. This award shall take effect six months after its publication in the Straite Settlements Government Gazette.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies. SIR,

Colonial Office, February 19, 1898.

WITH reference to our report of the 18th instant, transmitting to you a statement and map showing the boundaries which we recommend you to lay down as between the State of Johore and the Province of Malacca, the State of Johol and the State of Pahang, respectively, we have the honour to invite your attention to a question which arose during our discussion, but as to which we did not deem it advisable to include any recommendation in our report with regard to the future ownership of a small island near the mouth of the River Endau. By his award of 1868, previously referred to, Sir Harry Ord, in order to determine as between Johore and Pahang the ownership of the islands lying off the East Coast of those States, declared that a boundary line should be drawn to seaward from the centre of the mouth of the River Endau to the southernmost point of an island known as Pulau Keban, and thence due eastward.

2. This gives the Island Keban to Pahang; but having regard to the fact that it lies only a mile from the Johore Coast, and is between nine and ten miles distant from the nearest point of the Pahang Coast at Kuala Endau, and to the further fact that with two smaller islets, Kechil and Ujul, which are almost connected with it and with the mainland by reefs, it affords useful protection to Johore vessels during the north-east monsoon, Pulau Keban appears physically and for administrative purposes to helong more properly to Johore.

3. We, however, considered it very important in principle that we should not advise in our report any deviation from or reversal of Sir Harry Ord's award, and therefore determined that the ownership of this island Keban must stand over for separate negotiation. But looking to the large proportion of the inland territory in dispute between Johore and Pahang which we have proposed that you should assign to the latter State, we suggest that you may properly request Her Majesty's High Commissioner to initiate negotiations between Johore and Pahang with a view to the Island of Keban being transferred to Johore.

We have, &c.,

4091.

SIR,

No. 3.

CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH. FRANK SWETTENHAM. ROBERT G. W. HERBERT, ABDUL RAHMAN.

COLONIAL OFFICE to the JOHORE BOUNDARY COMMISSIONERS.

Downing Street, March 9, 1898.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of the letter dated the 18th ultimo, enclosing the award of the four Commissioners appointed by him to determine the boundary between Johore on the one hand, and Malacca, the Negri Sembilan and Pahang on the other, and I have the pleasure of informing you that Mr. Chamberlain approves in full the boundary fine which the Commissioners. unanimously recommend, and desires that his cordial acknowledgments may be conveyed to your colleagues and yourself for affecting a settlement of this troublesome question.

2. He notes that the authority given by the Sultan of Johore to his representatives expired on the 31st of January last, whereas the Commissioners recommendations were signed on the 18th of February, but he has been informed by

Sir R. Herbert

that the you

Sultan has telegraphed the necessary extension of authority.

3. So far the only expense incurred has been £3 108. for maps, due to Messrs. Stanford. This will be paid by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, and one half should be refunded to them by the Johore Commissioners. Any future expense

• No. 1.

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