Directory_and_Chronicle_1911 — Page 1410

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THE NEGRI SEMBILAN

This is a group of seven States--Johol, Tambin, Sri Menanti, Jempol, Rembau Sungei, Ujong and Jelebu, the two latter having been confederated with the original group of five in 1895. They occupy together some 3,000 square miles of the interior of the peninsula, bounded on the north and east by Pahang, on the west by Malacca, and on the south by Johore. The five States originally known as the Negri Sembilan were brought under British protection by Sir Frederick Weld in 1883, and by an agreement with the respective chiefs, signed on the 13th July, 1889, they were con- federated as one Residency. They are governed by the native chiefs or penghulus, assisted by the British Resident and Magistrates under him.

Under the later scheme of confederation, brought into force in 1895, by which Sungei Ujong and Jelebu were brought in, there are five districts, viz., Seremban, the Coast, Jelebu, Kuala Pilah, and Tampin. Seremban is the head office, where the Resident and heads of departments reside. Heads of departments are for the whole State, and thus a double staff is saved, as had two States remained alone it would have been necessary, as the Negri Sembilan developed, to make further appointments of European officers. The political affinity of the States is undoubted, and the same tribal and customary laws exist in both, together with the system of the election of the chiefs.

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Sungei, Ujong and Jelebu have together an area of about 1,200 square miles, and a range of hills in the north attain a height of about 3,800 feet, tlie slopes of which have been pronounced by Ceylon planters as most suitable for the cultivation of coffee, cocoa, etc. On the lower ground, nearer the coast, tapioca is successfully cultivated, but during the past year or two, tapioca as well as coffee and cocoanut cultivation have been abandoned to a considerable extent in favour of rubber, the prospects of this branch of agriculture being considered highly satisfactory. Tin mining is carried on to a con- siderable extent. The river Linggi is the only considerable stream in the State, and was formerly navigable for upwards of 40 miles from its mouth. The principal town of Sungei Ujong is Seremban. The port of Sungei Ujong was opened on the 1st September, 1881, at Pengkalan Kompas on the Linggi river, at a distance of about seven miles from the mouth of the river, and a well laid-out town has sprung up. Port Dickson (district and port) lies south-west of Seremban, and promises to become of some importance. The harbour has from eleven to fifteen fathoms of water and is well sheltered. A railway connecting it with Seremban was opened in July, 1891, and has greatly facilitated trade. There is a first-class road from Pengkalan Kompas to the Residency at Seremban, and thence on to Pantai, a distance altogether of about 31 miles, Pantai being 8 miles from the seat of Government and leading to the coffee estates on Bukit Berembun, which are in a flourishing state. To these, a distance of 13 miles, a cart road has been constructed. A cart road from Seremban to Setul, 9 miles distant, and extending to Bernang, 6 miles further on the Selangor border, has been made, and has opened up an extensive and rich tin mining district, which is being rapidly taken upby the Chinese, who are the real wealth producers of the country, as elsewhere in the native States. Two large tin fields were opened in 1902, and the future output of this State is likely to be enhanced very considerably, especially as means of communication in the district are being gradually improved. Communication with Malacca is kept up by subsidized steam-launches, and there is a cart road, five miles in length, from the State to Lubok China in Malacca.

The total trade of the State of Negri Sembilan amounts to about ten million dollars

8 year.

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