PAHANG
The State of Pahang lies between Trengganu and Johore, and extends along the eastern side of the peninsula from 2 deg. 40 min. to 4 deg. 35 min. N., its coast line being about 130 miles in length. The area of the State is estimated at 14,300 square miles, and its principal river, which drains a large extent of country, is known by the same name. The river Pahang is, however, owing to its shallowness, navigable for small craft only. The country is sparsely populated, there being, according to the census of 1921, 146,064 inhabitants, as compared with 118,708 in 1911.
The capital of the State is Kuala Lipis, situated at the mouth of the Lipis river, where is also the seat of Government. The State is under British protection, and in August, 1888, the Sultan, acting under the advice of the Sultan of Johore, applied for a British Resident to assist in the administration of the country, which request was acceded to in October of that year.
The predominant rock is slate, but granite, sandstone, limestone, quartz, and schist abound, while traces of volcanic action at some remote age are shown by the presence of basalt, trachyte, etc. As regards its mineralogy the State has always possessed a high reputation for its product of gold and tin. Though during recent periods these have been but little sought, the wonderful old gold workings discovered by Messrs. Knaggs and Gower show that the State must, at some very remote time, have been well known and populated. Gold is worked on a large scale at Raub by the Raub Australian Mining Company, and on a small scale elsewhere by Chinese and Malays. The Pahang Consolidated Company, Ltd., have large tin mines at Sungei Lembing in the Kuantan district, and there is much tin mining in the Bentong-Raub districts, and at Gambang in the Kuantan district.
The revenue for 1924 amounted to $3,179,918 and the expenditure to $3,031,618. The State on January 1st, 1925, owed $14,138,891 to other States of the Federation. The indebtedness incurred by the State is represented by public improvements that are going to prove of a remunerative character in years to come. Excellent roads have been constructed, opening up land for planting and aiding prospecting for minerals. All the principal towns are now connected by telegraph, and the new trunk railway, which is to make another connection between the F.M.S. system and the Siamese Railways, is in an advanced stage, having reached Chegar Perah, 22 miles north of Kuala Lipis, from the southern junction at Gemas. When this line is completed it will be possible to travel by rail from Singapore to Bangkok through Kelantan.
The quantity of copra exported in 1924 was 560.97 tons, as against 481.5 tons in 1923. The exports of rubber were valued at $2,958,444, as against $3,113,739 in 1923. The export of tin and tin-ore, viz., 27,625.36 nett piculs, showed an increase in quantity of 5,002.03 nett piculs and an increase in value of $1,404,885 on that for the previous year. Gold amounting to 12,267.8 oz. valued at $430,740.52 was produced in the year from the mine at Raub, a substantial increase on the figure of 8,227.54 oz. for the previous year.
The total value of trade for the year 1924 was $13,881,185, as against $11,070,911 in 1923, an increase of $2,810,274.
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