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JOHORE
flourishing little place on the nearest point of the mainland to Singapore island, and lying about 14 miles to the north-east of Singapore city, in 1° 26' N. It contains some 20,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, goal, hospital, market, railway station and a mosque. A steam saw-mill, owned by Chinese, does a good business. A plentiful supply of water, by means of pipes from a stream in the hills about 125 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 within 15 miles of the Singapore Straits. The Chinese are chiefly found as cultivators of gambier 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 some 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, Panti, Johore Bhâru, 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. 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 Bharu 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
Sovereign Ruler-His Highness IBRAHIM, Sultan of the State and Territory of Johore, K.C.M.G., Sovereign of the Most Esteemed Darjah Krabat (Family Order) and the Most Honourable Darjah Mahakota Johore (Order of the Crown of Johore) Private Secretaries-Inchi H. M. Kassim, S.M.J., J. Campbell Ker, s.M.J. Aide-de-Camp-Captain Daud, S.M.J.
COUNCIL OF STATE
Unku Mohamed Khalid, D.K., S.P.M.J. Unku Suleiman, D.K., D.P.M.J. Unku Othman, D.K.
Dato Mentri Jaffar bin Hadji Mohamed,
D.K., S.P.M.J., C.M.G.
Dato Bintara Dalam Ibrahim bin Hadji
Abdullah Moonshee, S.P.M.J.
Dato Bintara Luar Mohamed Salleh bin
Prang, S.P.M.J.
Dato Mufti Syed Salim Al-Attas, S.P.M.J. Dato Sri Stia Raja Abdullah b. Tahir, S.P.M.J. Dato Yahya bin Awal, S.P.M.J.
SECRETARIAT
Dato Yahya bin Shaaban, S.P.M.J.` Dato Andak, D.P.M.J.
Dato Sri Amar d'Raja, Abdul Rahman b.
Andak, S.P.M.J., C.M.G.
Dato Penggawa Timor, Jaafar bin Nong
Yahya, D.P.M.J.
Dato Penggawa Barat, Abdul-Samad bin
Ibrahim, D.P.M.J.
Clerks of Council and Registrars of the Dewan Court-Inchi Abdul Mannan bin Mahbob, Inchi Jaafar, bin Hussein
ECCLESIASTICAL AND EDUCATION DEPT.
The Dato Muntri, The Dato Bintara Dalam, President-Unku M. Khalid
The Dato Sri Amar d'Rajah
Assistants-Inchi M. Kassim Auditor--Hadji M. Hassan, S.M.J. English Translator-H. G. Yzelman
Secretary-Inchi M. Khalid b. Abdullah
Schools Johore Bahru-Malay
Head Master-Inchi Jusoh bin Omar
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