Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 792

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

JOHORE

This state occupies the southern portion of the Malayan Peninsula, and has an area of about 9,000 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. Under Sultan Abubakar's liberal rule 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 capital is the town of Johore Bharu, or new Johore, as distinguished from Johore Lâma, 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, separated from the island by the old Straits, and lying about 14 miles to the north-east of Singapore city, in 1° 26' N. It contains somie 20,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, goal, hospital, market, railway station, and a new mosque. A steam saw-mill, owned by Chinese, does a good business. A plentiful supply of water, by means of pipes from stream in the hills about 12 miles distant, has been provided since March, 1890. Good roads are being made, and, to meet the requirements of the Padang district, a light railway was completed during 1890 as far as Parit Jawa, a distance of eight miles.

The population of the state is remarkable for containing a larger number of Chinese than of Malays. The exact figures have not been ascertained, but probably come to 200,000, viz., Malays, 35,000, Chinese 150,000, and Javanese 15,000. More than half are found in with 15 miles of the Singapore Straits. The Chinese are chiefly found as cultivators of ganbier and pepper, and are spread over about this range of country in the extreme southern end of the peninsula, nearest to Singapore.

European pioneers have, in the last few years, made sonic experiments in planting, on a large scale, sago, tobacco, coffee, tea, and cocoa. These have been grown in five different districts-Batu Pahat, Pulau Kokob, Pauti, Johore Bharu, and Pengerang; but it is uncertain how many of them can be considered established industries.

At the present time the principal exports of Johore are the carefully cultivated gambier, pepper, and sago, and the natural products of timber, rattans, and damar. For almost all such produce Singapore is the port of shipment.

The only mineral in which the country is really rich is iron. It is nowhere worked, but is found almost everywhere. Some deposits of tin are known in several places and gold in one or two spots. A little tin is worked at Seluang, but no considerable mining is actually carried on, unless the islands of the Carimons be included. Though now politically separated from Johore these islands are geologically part of it, and were formerly a dependency of the kingdom.

Coaches and steam-launches run daily to Singapore, whence letters and passengers find easy access to all other ports. A telegraph line has been erected between Johore Bhâru and Singapore, and a railway has been proposed, and will probably be constructed across the latter island before a very long period has elapsed.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1895 — Page 792

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