BRITISH MALAYA 627 



t - A noteworthy feature in the history of the island in 191 1 was the closing of the mines at 

 Coal Point belonging to the Labuan Coalfields Co., Ltd. In 1909 there was an output of 

 61,855 tons and of 86,689 in 1910, the export in the respective years being 57,268 and 92,223 

 tons. Only 17,748 tons were exported as cargo and bunker coal in 1911. The shrinkage 

 in trade was due entirely to the stoppage of mining. 



A fortnightly mail service is maintained by German steamers between Labuan and Singa- 

 pore. The rainfall was 151.25 inches in 1910; 99.82 inches in 1911. 



Cocos-Keeling Islands. 1 The annual official visit to the Cocos Islands was made in Sep- 

 tember-October 1911 by Mr. Charleton Maxwell. A wireless telegraph installation had 

 been erected on Direction Island in March. Messages have been sent a distance of 2,300 

 miles, and have been exchanged over a radius of 1,600 miles. 



According to the census of 1911 there was a population of 749 (411 males, 338 females), 

 of whom 39 were Europeans and 668 belonged to Malay races (including 33 Bantamese con- 

 tract coolies). At the time of Mr. Maxwell's visit the population was recorded as follows: 

 Home Island, 640 (3 Europeans); Direction Island, 64 (27 Europeans); total, 704. The 

 Europeans on Direction Island are members of the Easterti Extension Telegraph Company's 

 staff. There were 50 Christians and 669 Mahommedans when the census was taken. 



There are no independent trades or industries. Every able-bodied man and every boy 

 over fourteen years of age is in the direct employment of the proprietor, Mr. Clunies-Ross. 

 There are 172 men and boys rated for pay according to their ability, apprentices receiving 

 I rupee per week and competent artisans 7 rupees. Fishing is done only as a recreation in 

 spare time. One man is rated as a fisherman and supplies the proprietor's household with 

 fish. Soap, vinegar and salt are manufactured locally. The soap is made from coco-nut 

 oil and the ashes of the coco-nut husks; the vinegar from the palm wine "tuwak, " and the salt 

 from sea-water evaporated over a fire in iron pans. Mr. Clunies-Ross proposes to start a 

 small export trade in shark's liver oil for the manufacture of cod-liver oil. Since the typhoon 

 of 1909 a large number of coco- nuts have been used as seed, and the replanting of the entire 

 area of the islands was nearly completed in October 1911. The area available for planting 

 is 10 square miles or 6,400 acres, and is planted with 1,216,000 trees. In the typhoon there 

 were over 1,000,000 trees, and only 3 per cent were left standing. No copra was exported 

 in 191.1, but export was expected to be renewed in 1913. In 1910 the export was 371 tons. 



The rainfall of 1911 was 70.25 inches. 



Christmas Island. 2 In 1911 the population amounted to 1,369 (1,328 males, 41 females), 

 19 being Europeans, 1,252 Chinese and 44 Malays. Christians 32, Mahommedans 46. 



The rainfall of 112.43 inches in 1909 was a record, but was eclipsed in 1910 with 136.93. 



In 1909 the only export was phosphate of lime (105,481 tons), but in 1910, in addition to 

 137,700 tons of phosphate, there were exported 1,200 Ibs. of cotton. Extension works are 

 in hand to increase the output of phosphate. As the present quarry will be exhausted in a 

 few years, the Company is building a light railway, 15 miles long, to open up phosphate beds, 

 hitherto untouched, on the south-east end of the island. Value of imports (1911) $229,513; 

 exports $3,288,208'. Revenue (1910) $85,023.34; expenditure, $14,107.25. 



British North Borneo. 3 According to the census of 1911 the population was 208,183 

 (79,141 men, 60,081 women, 35,774 boys and 33,187 girls), compared with 104,527 in 1901, 

 an increase of 103,656. In Sandakan, the seat of government, there were 8,256 inhabitants, 

 and in Jesselton 2,686. The total of 208,183 included 355 Europeans, 167,586 natives of 

 Borneo (of whom 87,951 were Dunsuns, 25,314 Muruts, and 22,587 Bajaws), 26^002 Chinese, 

 5,510 natives of the Dutch East Indies, 5,503 natives of the Sulu Archipelago, and 246 Japan- 

 ese. Divided by religions there were 3,156 Christians, 61,165 Mahommedans, 24,076 Con- 

 fucianists, 164 Buddhists, 150 Hindus, 173 Sikhs, and 119,299 pagans. Agriculturists num- 

 bered 74,469, labourers 18,865, an d fishermen 3,528. Steps are being taken to attract agri- 

 cultural immigrants, and arrangements have been made for the immigration of labourers. 



Recent years have witnessed an enormous development in British North Borneo, and 

 the Court of Directors of the Chartered Company by which its affairs are administered have 

 every reason to be satisfied. "Seconded" by the Colonial Office for the purpose, Mr. J. 

 Scott Mason (b. 1873) in 1912 assumed the governorship in succession to Mr. F. R. Ellis for a 

 period of two years; but on December 5 he was killed by a fall from his horse, and 

 Mr. Aylmer Pearson, formerly acting-governor, at once returned from England to take 

 up the office. To aid the governor and the staff of civilians in the local administration, a 

 legislative council was created in 1911, upon which the commercial, planting, Chinese and 

 native communities have representatives. Sanitary Boards have been established at San- 

 dakan, Lahad Datu and other townships. 



The reorganization of the medical department is in progress, and a hill station for 

 Europeans is in contemplation. Increased grants-in-aid have been made to the missionary 

 bodies in whose hands educational affairs are at present. 



There are 125 miles of railway on the north-west coast connecting Jesselton with Weston, 

 in Brunei Bay, and Tenom, inland. The gross earnings amounted to 16,936 in 1911 

 against 13,214 in 1910. A sum of 28,000 was spent in improving and strengthening the 



1 See E. B. xv, 712. 2 See E. B., vi, 294. 3 See E. B. iv, 262 el seq. 



