THE STRAITS ' TIMES, 
Colonial Research. 
Activities in the Straits And 
F.M.S. 
1 
A very interesting and instructive 
document has just become available to the 
public by the issue of the first annual re¬ 
port of the Colonial Research Committee 
for the period ended December 31, 1920, 
says the L. and C. Express. We may 
remind our readers that the object of the 
Committee is to aid researches which may 
; lead to economic developments, and the 
} investigation of animal and plant diseases 
and insect pests. It is designed specially 
to help smaller Colonies and Protectorates 
whose funds are insufficient to allow them 
j to carry out investigations. As a pre¬ 
liminary., the Committee decided to recom¬ 
mend that despatches should be sent to all 
the Colonies and Protectorates, drawing 
attention to the need for a review of the 
activities carried on by, or on behalf of, i 
the Colonial or Protectorate Governments 
in scientific research and economic explo¬ 
ration, and for the consideration of all 
promising schemes, either for new work 
of this description, or for adding to, or 
widening the scope of, work already in' 
progress. The replies received are very? 
informative, and indicate that, with a wisej 
allocation of the grants which the Com-s 
suttee has at its disposal, very valuable 
work is likely to be achieved in developing 
the assets of the Empire. 
Rubber and Tin. 
* 
So far as the Eastern Colonies are con- 
cerned, possessions like Hbngkong, the 
Straits Settlements, and the F.M.S. are 
on so considerable a scale that they are 
able to conduct all necessary researches * 
out of their own* resources. 1 While no reply 
to the despatch /of the Committee had been 
H received from Hongkong, a full report y r as 
sent concerning the F.M.S. by Sir Edward 
wm Brockman, the Chief Secretary, and the 
Governor of the Straits Settlements*also 
sent a despatch. The F.M.S. report indi¬ 
cates that the local Government is fully 
alive to the importance of research work, 
and is making investigations in a number 
of directions, but more particularly in 
regard to problems connected with the 
I two great industries of rubber growing and 
tin mining. With regard to mechanical 
! power, coal, which has been found in 
; Selangor, and water power to a limited 
hxtent is gradually supplanting the use 
of wood for this purpose, and, although 
oil has not yet been found in the F.M.S., 
there is reason to believe that in Brunei 
there is a large and accessible oilfield. As 
regards agriculture, the Government has 
made very liberal provision for agricul- 
*" tural research, and, although rubber 
receives most attention, rice, coconuts, and 
other products are not neglected. It is 
proposed to enlarge the Meteoroiogicaj 
Department, since a systematic investiga¬ 
tion as to rainfall is of importance to 
agricultural as well as in connection with 
water power. A scheme has also been 
approved for the establishment of student¬ 
ships for research in tropical agriculture. 
Details are also furnished of the activi¬ 
ties undertaken in regard to forestry and 
, minerals. It is interesting to note that 
it is in contemplation to publish a work l 
on the commercial products of'the Malay 
Peninsula, while a volume is in preparation 
giving a detailed account of the Malayan 
commercial timbers and their present and . 
possible future uses. It is also proposed 
to publish an account of the principal 
minor forest products, which already have 
a commercial value, and would probably 
' find new markets if more were katown of 
f them. 
j The Geological Department of the 
| F.M.S. has already accomplished much 
■ good work. About one-third of the Malgy 
Peninsula has been surveyed geologically, 
! and it is regarded as desirable that the 
1 survey of the F.M.S. should be completed, 
1 and that surveys of the Straits Settle¬ 
ments, including Labuan and Brunei and 
the Protected Malay States, should then 
be undertaken. It is proposed alsto to 
carry out investigations into- the methods 
of tin* ore saving on alluvial mines-, lode 
j mines, and dredges. There has been a 
steady decrease in the output of tin, and 
it is desired to conserve this valuable metal 
and to prevent unnecessary waste. In the 
past much tin has been, left in the land 
J owing to careless working. 
■ 
Co-Ordination. 
Finally, the question of the co-ordination 
of research work is under consideration, 
and it has beep suggested that a central 
research institute shouid\be established 
at Kuala Lumpur. As regards the Straits 
Settlements, the Governor reports that 
after consulting his advisers, he is of 
opinion that there is still scope for the 
development of research in the Colony. 
The only Research Department is that of 
the Botanical Gardens, and its activities 
will be utilised and extended as far as 
' possible. There are few industries of any 
great external importance, and for many 
i years to come the main object of any j 
industrial research in the Colony will be ] 
to provide for its own. internal needs. At : 
• the present moment there are projects* 
on foot for the encouragement of brick-' 
making, cement manufacture, and glass 
making, in all of which industries the 
demand is urgent, but the supply is 
either lacking or insufficient. There are 
also the large industries of rubber planting, 
rubber manufacture, coconut oil manufac¬ 
ture, and pineapple canning, which are of 
Imperial importance. For these, the 
scheme of research now contemplated in 
conjunction with the Rubber Growers' 
Association will .doubtless (says the 
Governor) be of great assistance, and he 
gives the assurance that the Colony will 
be glad to join with the F.M.S. in the 
enterprise. 
