Directory_and_Chronicle_1911 — Page 1534

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BRITISH NORTH BORNEO

This territory, formerly known as Sabahı, situated at the northern end of the island of Borneo, has a coast line of about 500 miles.. The population is made up of Malays Bajaus, Dusuns Sulus, Filipinos, and is estimated to number about 200,000, (see below) which includes about 12,000 Chinese. The chief geographical feature in the territory is the mountain of Kina Balu, about 13,700 feet high. The principal river on the West coast is the Padas; but the country possesses many considerable and valuable rivers. On the East there are the Kinabatangan, Labuk, Sugut, Segama, and many others, The best harbours are those of Jesselton on the West coast, Kudat on the North, and Sandakan on the East.

The climate is particularly pleasant for the tropics; the days are rarely very hot while a blanket is often required at night; and very little inconvenience is experienced from insect pests, such as mosquitoes and the like. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disturbances are unknown. The seas are teeming with fish, and the export trade in dried and salted fish is increasing. Trade with Hongkong, especially in timber, is well established, and steamers for Hongkong and Singapore, whence the majority of the trade supplies are obtained, are frequent. Amongst the zoological productions of North Borneo are to be noted elephants, rhinoceros, deer of three kinds, wild cattle, pigs, bears, and pythons. Of game birds there are a few-argus, fire back, and bulwer pheasants, wild duck, many varieties of wild pigeon and doves, nipe, and quail.

Sandakan has a magnificent harbour and is the chief place of trade. The imports include cloth, rice, hardware, manufactured goods of all kinds, opium, Chinese tobacco, Chinese coarse crockery, matches, biscuits, oil, sugar, &c. The chief exports are tobacco, timber, cutch and rattans, gutta-percha, india-rubber, bird's-nests, seed pearls, bêche de mer, sharks' fins, camphor, tortoise-shell, beeswax, and other natural products, which are brought in from the interior, the neighbouring Sulu Archipelago, &c.

Coal fields are now being exploited throughout the territory. The Cowie Harbour Coal Mines at Silipopon have been worked with great success. For transporting coal there are two lighters capable of carring 450 tons each, two of 10 tons each, and another building. About 3,000 tons of coal is stocked at mines and at Sebatic,

The revenue of the territory inclusive of land sales for 1909 was $1,803,522, an increase of nearly six lakhs compared with the revenue in 1908, while the expenditure, $755,323, showed an increase of less than $1,000. Tobacco planting promises to become a great and profitable industry, and the tobacco already raised obtains a ready sale at very high prices. Cutch is extracted from mangrove bark and is being exported in increasing quantities. A great effort to introduce the cultivation of the Chinese poppy (Opium) failed. Rubber is the latest and most popular industry. There are now twenty-six companies working in British North Borneo with a capital of about three and half million sterling. The population of the town of Sandakan, the capital of the territory, was 9,541 in 1901, of whom 101 were Europeans and 3,878 Chinese. There are several sections of railway, totalling about 130 miles now open. The longest line runs from Jesselton to Tenom, 98 miles, which was built at a cost of $25,714 per mile. The railway is playing an important part in the development of the Company. San dakan is distant 1,000 miles from Singapore, 1,200 miles from Hongkong and 660 miles from Manila. It became connected telegraphically with Labuan on the 7th May, 1897, and was thus placed in communication with Europe, etc.

The territory of British North Borneo was acquired from the Sultans of Brunei and Sulu by cession for a small annual payment in 1879-80, and the British North Borneo Company was incorporated by Royal Charter on the 1st November, 1881. The area of the Territory is 31,106 square miles, and the population is estimated at about 200.000, of whom about 200 are European, The Company's authorised capital is £2,000,000, but the amount subscribed is so far less than £1,500,000. The Company has raised £500,000 in debentures and bonds at 5 per cent. but about one-fifth has already been paid off, and the remainder will be redeemed this year. In May, 1888, a British Protectorate was established. The following officers have administered the Government of the Territory since its acquisition by the Company:-1881-1887, W. H. Treacher; 1887-1888, W. M. Crocker (acting); 1888-1891, C. V. Creagh, c.M.G.; 1891-1892. L. P. Beaufort (acting); 1892, C. V. Creagh, C.M.G; 1895, L. P. Beaufort; 1900, Hugh Clifford, C.M.G.; 1901, E W Birch, C.M.G.; 1901, E. P. Gueritz.