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 1848. 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 sago mills on the island, where the raw material is converted into flour, for export chiefly to Singapore. These mills were erected by influential Chinese introduced by the Governor from Singapore; they have also put up tapioca mills and have arranged to plant 500 acres a year until 5,000 acres have been planted. Cocoanuts are being planted on the same land. There is regular steamship communication with Singapore, Sandakan and Manila as well as with the local ports. 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 in 1901 was 8,411, of whom 51 were Europeans and 17 Eurasians, the remainder being chiefly Chinese and Malays. The Chinese, who number over a thousand, are the chief traders, and most of the industries of the island are in their hands. There are about forty Europeans now, including Government officials, the staff of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, the Coal Point mines, and traders. The Labuan Coalfields Company, Limited, are lessees of the Coal Mines in the island, and are developing a considerable trade in the coal, which is largely supplied to H.M's ships. The present output is about 14,000 tons a year. The revenue is chiefly derived from the farming out of licences to sell tobacco, spirits, opium, and fish.
GOVERNMENT OF LABUAN
DIRECTORY '
Governor-Ed. Peregrine Gueritz Deputy Governor & Magistrate-in-charge-
W. H. Hastings
Chief Clerk— M. Walli bin Laut Second Clerk-Vacant
TREASURY
Treasurer-T. J. C. White (on leave)
-Stanley E. Denneys (acting)
Do.
Chief Clerk--Chan Wai Sik
Second Clerk-W, Kong
POST OFFICE
Post Master-G. S. Averay Jones Chief Clerk-Christy G. Boyd Second Clerk-Chua Ah Sah
HARBOUR OFFICE
Pilot & Harbourmaster-Capt.J.K.Webster Boarding Officer-Vacant
do.
COURTS
-C. J. Skinner
Judicial Commissioner-E. P. Gueritz Acting Clerk of Courts & Reg.--Wm. de Silva
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT Senior District Surgeon-Dr. R. E. Adamson Dispenser-Ah Ng
POLICE AND GAOLS
Sergeant-Munggal Singh
Clerk and Assistant Gaoler-Tawenish
LAND OFFICE
Clerk-Ho Eng Keng
CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Rev. G. H. Knight Clarke
CONSULATE
H.B.M.'S CONSULATE, Labuan
Consul for Territories of B. N. Borneo, Brunei, Sarawak-G, Hewett (on leave), M. S. H. Mc Arthur (acting) Consular Agt., Sandakan-W.G.Darby
EASTERN EXTENSION, AUSTRALASIA AND
CHINA TELEGRAPH CO., LD., Labuan
F. A. Betts, acting superintendent, W. S. Bevan, F. A. Edmunds, R. E. W. White, D. Walton, L. H. L. Maclean, E. K. Maclean, M. F. Murray, E. Cocks, operators
REMINGTON TYPEWRITER, 327 Broadway, New York, U. S. A.
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