Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 898

BRITISH NORTH BORNEO

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particularly poisonous varieties, are very rare. Of game birds there are a few, argus, fire back, and Bulwer pheasants, three sorts of partridges, many pigeons and doves, snipe and quail.

Sandakan has a magnificent harbour and is the chief place of trade. The imports include cloth, rice, hardware, manufactured goods of all kinds, opium, Chinese tobacco, Chinese coarse crockery, matches, biscuits, oil, sugar, &c. The chief exports from Sabah are rattans, gutta-percha, india-rubber, birdsnests, seed pearls, trepang, sharksfins, camphor, tortoiseshell, dried cuttle fish, beeswax, and other natural products. These are brought in from the numerous rivers, the neighbouring Sulu Archipelago, &c. The imports for 1890 amounted to $2,018,089 as compared with $1,799,620 in 1889, the exports to $901,290 as compared with $701,433 in 1889 The revenue in 1890 was $599,239 as compared with $251,602.05 in 1889; the expenditure in 1890 was $464,143. Tobacco- planting promises to become a great and profitable industry, and the tobacco already raised has secured a market in Amsterdam. The price of land has doubled in con- sequence. The population of the town of Sandakan, the capital of the territory, was 7,132 in 1891, of whom 131 were Europeans and 3,627 Chinese.

The territory of British North Borneo was acquired from the Sultans of Brunei and Sulu by cession for a small annual payment in 1879-80, and the British North Borneo Company was incorporated by Royal Charter on the 1st November, 1881. The area of the territory is 31,106 square miles, and the population in 1889 was estimated at 150,000. In May, 1888, a British Protectorate was established.

LABUAN

This, the smallest British Colony in Asia, was ceded to Great Britain by the Sultan of Brunei in 1846, and taken possession of in 1858. It is situated on the north-west coast of Borneo in latitude 5 deg. 16 min. N., and longitude 115 deg. 15 min. E. It has an area of 30 square miles, and is about six miles from the Borneo coast. Although Labuan possesses a fine port, has extensive coal deposits, and by situation seemed likely to become a depôt for the trade of the north coast of Borneo, it has only partially fulfilled the expectations formed of it. The produce of Brunei finds a market in Labuan, but the volume of the trade is small. There are three sago manufactories on the island, where the raw material is converted into flour, for export chiefly to Singapore. The Government is now administered by the British North Borneo Company, having been handed over to it by the Imperial Government in 1889. The population is slightly under 6,000, of whom the bulk are Malays. The Chinese, who number over a thousand, are the chief traders, and most of the industries of the island are in their hands. The European population, under twenty in number, consist mainly of Government officials. The revenue is chiefly derived from the farming out of licenses to sell tobacco, spirits, opium, and fish. Mr. C. V. Creagh, Governor of British North Borneo, has been appointed also Governor of Labuan, Mr. L. P. Beaufort acting during his absence.

DIRECTORY

BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY

Incorporated by Royal Charter, 1st November, 1881

COURT OF DIRECTORS, LONDON

Richard B. Martin, M.P., chairman

Admiral A. C. Mayne, C.B., vice-chairman Sir Alfred Dent, K.C.M.G. Edward Dent

Rt. Hon. Lord Elphinstone

Sir Julian Goldsmith, Bart. Hon. Sir Henry Keppel, G.C.B. J. A. Maitland

Philip A. Myburgh, Q.c.

Manager-W. M. Crocker

Secretary-Benjamin T. Kindersley

Offices-15, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.

Governor and Commander-in-chief-HoN. CHARLES VANDELEUR CREAGH (absent) Acting

do.

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

HON. LEICESTER PAUL Beaufort

Government Secretary-L. P. Beaufort

(acting Governor)

Acting Government Secretary-A. Cook

Acting Assistant do.-D. Cator Chier Crk-C. Holloway

Clerks B. F. Medina, W. Solomons, S. Za-

chariah

Malay Writer and Interpreter-Md. Yacob