Directory_and_Chronicle_1917 — Page 1474

SELANGOR-THE NEGRI SEMBILAN

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YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, THE

-Kuala Lumpur

President Jas. Craig

Vice-President-B. J. Eaton

Hon. Vice-Presidents-E. S. Hose, J. R. O. Aldworth, Dr. S. L. Sansom, Hon. Mr. W. F. Nutt

Hon. Secretary-A. Eberwe in Hon. Treasurer-H. C. Francke General Secretary-Vacant

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., Serembun, 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 we 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. The population of the Negri Sembilan at the 1911 census was 130,199, of whom 69,745 were Malays, 40,843 Chinese, and 18,248 Indians. The estimated population at the end of 1915 was 143,011, of whoa: 500 were Europeans.

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, the slopes of which have been pronounced by Ceylon planters as most suitable for the cultivation of coffee, cocoa, and other tropical products. On the lower ground, nearer the coast, tapioca is success- fully cultivated, but during the past year or two, tapioca, as well as coffee and coconut cultivation have been abandoned very largely in favour of rubber. Tin mining is carried on to a considerable extent. The river Linggi is the only important 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, 1884, 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. The State is now traversed by the F.M.S. railway

" become