The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-07
MALAY STATES UNDER BRITISH PROTECTION
Industries Are Mostly
Controlled by
Chinese.

PENANG--TheM Malay Federation con-
sists of the four states of Perak. Selan-
gor. Negri sembilan and Pahang. They
occupy the greater part of the Malay
Peninsula. which lies between the
Straits of Malacca on the west and the
china. Sea on the east The first three
named have a combined coast line on
the Straits of MaIacca of about l9O
miles, while the latter borders the
China Sea and has coast line of about
720 miles. The combined area of the
four states is a little less than that
of the State of Maine. The whole OF
the peninsula is tropical in character
and is well watered by innumeraole
streams. some of which are navigable
for steamers of light draft as far as
fifty miles from the sea.
An agreement was signed in jury
1895 between the rulers of the Malay
States and the English government
whereby the federation was formed
and the different countries passed I'M
der the protection of British rule. me
ARRANGEMENT is simply that the rulers
of the above named states agree 10
accept an English officer, to be styleu
the Resident General, as the agent anu
representative of Great Britain, and 10
follow his advice in all matters or au-
1ninistra ton other than those touchlnS
upon the Mohammedan religion. Inc
necessity for federation resulted from
constant quarrels and factional nights
between the different states. 1t mas
proved to be a great Improvement over
the old regime. The disbursement OF
public money is so arranged that
shortage in one state is made good pS
another in more prosperous clrcum-
stances.
sMALAYS NOT INDUSTRIOUS.
The population of the Federated
Malay States is a little less than too'-
600 The Malay is not Industrious. AS
far as his capacity as a workman Is
concerned he is numbered among the
most unreliable races in the orient.
He Iabors at agriculture in an 1ndlffer-
ent way and devotes some of his time
to the collection of forest produce. He
engages in fishing and boating, being
particularly expert in the latter. 1t is
said that he is always a good sports
man. working harder and with more
enjoyment with that object in view
than for the sake of promoting his own
profit.
Those who know them best despair
of the Malay ever being capable or
much Improvement The lower tribes
are SO shiftless and lazy that they are
satisfied with a bare existence. The
better classes have more pride. but are
still too indolent to work, preterrlnS
to live by taxing the Chinese, who con-
troll nearly all the business of the
country. The Malays are generally
misunderstood. Instead of BEING the
sullen, revengeful characters common
" portrayed in hooks of travel, they
are merely a thristless, Indifferent race,
having too little ambition to be ordi-
narfly anything but peaceful. They
have so little energy that they show
no resentment whatever toward for
eigners for taking the leading part IN
the commercial. agricultural and min
ing pursuits of their country.
The Chinese are in the lead in almost
everv branch of trade and industry.
In numbers they outstrip every other
nationality and their domination is al
most complete. This is not surprls-
ing The result has been the same /,
wherever the Woodworking, economical
celestial mas Deen permitted 10 Try Cph-
illusions with any race on its native
heath. That easy-going child of the |
jungle, the Malay. could hardly be ex-
pected to resist the rivalry of the Chi
naman when the strongest nations are
crying out against his wearing compe-
tition.
CHINESE CONTROL TIN MINES.
The Chinese practically monopolize
the tin mining industry. Although
they work with the most primitive ap-
pliarces, their system is So economical
that they are able to realize profit
from land which an European could
not work at all. The tin fields are
found in alluvial flats with the ore
bearing stratum resting on a slip OF
grey or white clay bottom, varying in
thickness from few inches to six or