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 1926 amounted to $6,444,451 and the expenditure to $6,435,295. The State on January 1st, 1927, owed $13,885,152 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 niake another connection between the F.M.S. system and the Siamese Railways, is in an advanced stage, having reached the Kelantan boundary 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 1926 amounted to 907.32 tons, as against 314.17 tons in 1925. The exports of rubber were valued at $9,046,980, as against $8,393,892 in 1925. The exports of tin and tin-ore, viz., 33,122.02 nett piculs, showed a decrease in quantity of 1,656.73 nett piculs and an increase in value of $199,215 on that for the previous year. Gold amounting to 12,981 ozs. valued at $433,000 was produced by the Raub-Australian Gold Mining Co.
The total value of trade for the year 1926 was $22,947,261, as against $20,740,640 in 1925, an increase of $2,206,621.
DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENT
SULTAN-ALMOKTASIM BILLAH AL SULTAN ABDULLAH, K.C.M.G., IBNI ALMERHOM AL. SULTAN AHMAD AL. MA'ATHAM SHAH
British Resident-Hon. Mr. A. F. Worthington
Malay Secretary to His Highness-Tungku Mahmud ibni Sultan Abdullah
COUNCIL OF STATE
His Highness the Sultan, president
Hon. British Resident
Tungku Suleiman ibini Almerhum Sultan
Ahmad-(The Tungku Besar)
Orang Kaya Maharaja Perba of Jelai Che Ungku Penglima Besar
Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Che Mahmud bin Mat
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