JOHORE
This State occupies the southern portion of the Malayan Peninsula, and has an area of about 7,500 square miles. The State is ruled by a Sultan, who is independent, but under the protection of the British Government so far as external policy is concerned. The present Sultan, Ibrahim, was born in 1873, and succeeded his father, the late Sultan Abubakar, in 1895, being crowned on the 2nd of November of that year.
On. the 1st January, 1916, the dignity of an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George was conferred on His Highness the Sultan by His Majesty the King, and the investiture took place at Johore Bahru on May 11, 1916. Since 1910, the Sultan has had the services of an officer of the Straits or F.M.S. Civil Services as General Adviser, and other members of these services are seconded to control various departments, with the result that the government is now on a better footing and the finances materially improved. The country has made great progress in material prosperity, and its orderly condition has attracted a good deal of European capital, invested in planting enterprises.
The revenue for 1916 amounted to $7,976,862 against $5,790,393 in 1915, and the expenditure to $4,602,433 in 1916 against $3,645,421 in 1915. Improved methods of collection and administration, and the expansion of agricultural and the tin mining industries are factors in the increase of revenue. The public debt is now $4,000,000, representing the balance of the loan incurred to construct and equip the State Railway. The railway, which connects Singapore with the F.M.S. system, was completed in 1909, and its construction has already given a great impetus to the opening up of this fertile State. Along its 120 miles it provides access to the extensive areas of valuable forest land not conveniently reached by the natural waterways. It is operated and leased by the F.M.S. Railway Department, which now controls the whole of the railways in the Malay Peninsula. The State owns a light railway in Muar; it carried 418,047 passengers in 1916 and 7,600 tons of goods, and the receipts were $100,228 compared with $86,701 in 1915.
Eighty-one schools are maintained by the Government, and at five of these English is taught.
The capital is the town of Johore Bahru, or new Johore, as distinguished from Johore Lâma, or old Johore, the former seat of the Sultans of Johore, which was situated a few miles up the wide estuary of the Johore river. The new town is a 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 10,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, gaol, hospital, market, railway station and a mosque. A plentiful supply of water has been provided since March, 1890. Good roads are being made, and public works, such as the construction of waterworks and bridges and the establishment of an electric light and power station at Johore Bahru, are receiving a good deal of attention. The Public Works Department spent $1,521,592 in 1916.
The population of the State at the census in 1911 was ascertained to be 180,412, of whom 161 were British, 71,315 Malays, 63,405 Chinese, 30,904 Javanese, and 5,659 Indians. The Chinese are chiefly found as cultivators of gambier and pepper, and are spread over the range of country in the extreme southern end of the peninsula, nearest to Singapore, but there is also a large Chinese population on the Jemaluang tin-field near Mersing.
Appended is a comparison of the exports and imports for the past two years :--
Imports Exports
Total......
1915 $9,163,665
28,917,800
મ
.................38,081,465
1916
$12,739,747
41,825,980
$54,565,727
European pioneers have, in the last few years, taken up large areas for planting,. chiefly rubber and coconuts. Gambier and pepper cultivation is on the decline,
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