PERAK
Perak is on the west coast of the Malayan peninsula, and lies between Kedah, or Queda, on the north and Selangor on the south. It extends along the coast for about 90 miles, and includes, inland, the greater part of the watershed of the Perak river and its tributaries, and of the Krian and Bernam rivers. The seat of government, and the residence of H.M.'s Resident, is Kwala Kangsa, on the Perak river. The chief town and centre of the mining industry is Thaipeng, in the province of Larut.
The state is under British protection and the government is carried on under the Sultan, aided and advised by the Resident, and a Council consisting of the Resident and Assistant Resident, and several native chiefs. A Military Police Force of 700 men, mainly Sikhs and Pathans, is maintained. The most important province of Perak is Larut, which has tin deposits of great richness within a few miles of the sea-coast. It is thus most advantageously situated in respect of commercial intercourse with the British port of Penang, which is about 50 miles off. Larut is under the charge of the Assistant Resident, and its chief town, Thaipeng, is the head-quarters of the Military Police, and of the chief departments of the State. British Officers (Magistrates and Collectors) and detachments of Police are also stationed in other important districts. The Dindings, including the island of Pangkor and the district of Dinding on the mainland, which is British territory, come under the administration of the Straits Government. In the interior of Perak, except in mining districts, the population is almost entirely Malay, the exceptions being a few Chinese shopkeepers, and the Government establishments, police, &c., but tribes of Sakeis and Semangs, the supposed aborigines of the country, inhabit the distant hills. At Larut, and at the chief mining settlements in the interior, Kinta, Batang, Padang, &c., the Chinese form a large part of the population, and may be roughly estimated in 1889 at 98,304, while the Malays number about 85,103. The total population of the state is estimated at 194,800. The country is rapidly increasing in importance, and on the 1st June, 1885, a railway, 8 miles in length, connecting Thaipeng with Port Weld, was formally opened to traffic. There are about 286 miles of telegraph and telephone wires in use.
The only duties levied on exports are a royalty of $10 per bhara (400 lbs.) on tin, and a royalty of one-tenth on timber, ataps, and other jungle produce:-The value of the trade in 1889 was $17,860,718 against $19,708,017 in 1888. Tin is the principal export,. The revenue in 1889 was $2,776,583, and the expenditure $2,090,116. There is daily communication by trading steamers between Penang and Larut and also between Penang and Telok Anson.
DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENT
His Highness SULTAN IDRIS, C.M.G., Yang-de-per-tuan of the State of Perak
COUNCIL OF STATE
H.H. the Sultan
The British Resident
The Secretary to the Government
The Orang Kaya Datu Raja Mahkota, Tuan
Haji Sleman
BRITISH RESIDENCY
Resident-F. A. Swettenham, C.M.G. Resident's Clerk-Geo. E. Cropley Malay Writer-Wan Mat Salleh
KWALA KANGSA DISTRICT Collector and Magistrate-W. G. E. Hervey First Assistant to Magistrate-B. Gaynor Second Assistant to Magistrate and Tutor
to H.H. the Sultan-M. E. Holmes Clerk Land Office-II. L. Taylor Clerk of Courts-J. M. Scully
The Orang Kaya Datu Temenggong Hassan The Datu Panglima Kinta, Usuf
Toh Muda Wahab
Capitan Chang Ah Kwee Capitan Chin Ah Yam Kho Ba Anh
LARUT DISTRICT AUDIT DEPARTMENT
State Auditor-R. D. Hewett Accountant-S. M. Gregory Chief Clerk-P. A. Reutens
Clerks J. Krichenbecla, J. J. Doyle, H. G Peché, H. S. Baptist, A. Eberwein, J Siriwardene, E. C. Good, A. Aeria
CHINESE SECRETARIAT
Act. Protector of Chinese-F. T. Thorold Assistant do. --W. Cowan
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