Directory_and_Chronicle_1896 — Page 822

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SELANGOR

The population of Selangor in 1884, when the first census was taken, was 46,568 According to the census taken in April, 1891, the total population of the State amounted to 81,592 persons, of whom 50,814 are Chinese, 23,750 Malays, 3,592 Indians, 1,224 Sarkeis (aboriginal tribes), 357 Europeans and Eurasians, and the remainder Arabs, Singhalese, Bataks, &c. This is supposed to be far below the real number.

The principal industry of the State, and from which it derives the largest portion of its revenue, is alluvial tin mining, on which a duty is charged of $12 per bhara (three piculs). The export in 1894 amounted to 375,337 piculs.

In addition to its mineral resources the State, however, possesses large tracts of land well adapted for agricultural purposes, and the recent removal of restrictions on the free importation of Indian coolies into the Protected Native States renders it possible for European planters to obtain cheap labour and to open estates ou a large scale. Small plantations of coffee, cocoa, and pepper have already been successfully commenced, and rice, sugar, and other products of the Peninsula under native cultivation are doing well in various parts of the State, and to encourage pioneer planters, large grants of land have recently been made, on special terms, for the planting of sago, pepper, and gambier.

The revenue amounted in 1894 to $3,334,468 and the expenditure to $2,817,292. The value of the imports amounted to $12,925,602, and of the exports to $12,139,686.

The principal exports are tin, hides, garmwood, tapioca, canes, rattans, and gutta percha. The principal imports are opium, salt, salt-fish, rice, oil, tobacco, and tea. At the commencement of the year 1885, all duties were abolished, with the exception of those on tin, opium, and spirits.

There is frequent and regular communication, by means of coasting steamers, between the Straits Settlements and Selangor, and from Kwala Lumpor a system of cart and bridle roads extends to the boundaries of Perak, Sungie Ujong, and Pahang. A line of metre gauge railway, to connect Kwala Lumpor and Klang (a distance of 22 miles), has been constructed, and was formally opened by Sir F. Weld on the 15th Sept., 1886. An extension of this line to Serendah, 24 miles north of Kwala Lumpor, has been completed, and will ultimately be carried on to Kwala Kubu, the principal inland town. The first sod of the extension was cut on the 26th August, 1839. Another extension is projected to Cheras, in the Ulu Langat district. connection with the railway a line of telegraph has been erected between the same terminal stations and extended to Malacca i Sungie Ujong, where it is connected with the cables of the E. E., A. & C. Telegraph Co. There is also inland telegraphic communication between Kwala Lumpor, Rawang, and Kwala Kubu, whence it is carried on to Raub in Pahang, extending up to the Perak frontier at Tompong Malim and through Perak to Penang. A telegraph line from Rawang to Kwala Selangor has lately been completed, and Kwala Langat has been connected with Klang.

DIRECTORY

GOVERNMENT

Sultan-His Highness ABDUL SAMAT BIN ALMERHOM, RAJAH ABDULLAH, K.C.M.G. H.B.M. Resident-W. H. TREACHER, C.M.G.

In

1

COUNCIL OF STATE

H. H. The Sultan, president

The British Resident

The Chief Magistrate Kwala Lumpur

Rajah Suleiman (Raja Muda)

Raja Kahar, Jugra

KWALA LUMPUR

RESIDENCY

British Resident-W. H. Treacher, C.M.G. Resident's Clerk--F. L. D'Rozario

SECRETARIAT

Government Secretary-G. W. Welman

Yeap Kuan Seng (Capt. China), K. Lumpur Raja Hassan, Klang

Raja Laut, Kwala Lumpur

haja Haji Bot, hwala Lumpur

Towkay Loke Yew

| Chief Clerk-Gerald H. Leebruggen

Record Clerk—C. H, C. Buchanan First Clerk-W. T. Cooke

Second Clerk-A. R. de Souza

Third Clerk-A. D. Packian Pillay Fourth Clerk-C. Maartensz

Fifth Clerk-Quake Yam Bee