Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/226

 104. THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — BORNEO (BRITISH)

There is a British Post office which is worked as an Indian Inland office with the exception of insurance. Letter rates between England and Bahrein the same as between England and India. An up mail steamer and a down mail steamer call fortnightly.

Coins in use are British sovereigns, Indian rupees worth 16d., Austrian (Maria Theresa) dollars worth from 19d. to 2id., and Turkish lire worth from 185. to 18s. 6d. according to the rate of exchange. The rupee is the coin in general use. There is also an imaginary coin, the kran, commonly quoted by small shop-keepers and peasants ; it has the fixed value of 6 annas and 6 pies {6^d.). The measure employed is the dhiraa of I85 inches. The weights are : the miscal shirazi of 72 grains ; the viiscal bar of 720 grains ; the ruhaa of 4-114 lbs. avoir. ; the man of 57-6 lbs. avoir. ; and the rafaa of 576 lbs. avoir.

The political relations between the Government of India and the Chief of Bahrein are conducted through the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (headquarters at Bushire) and a Political Agent residing at Bahrein.

Political Resident, Persian Gulf (Bushire). — Lieut. -Colonel Sir P. Z. Cox, CLE., C.S.I.

Political Agent at Bahrein. — Major A. P. Trevor, R.E.

Foreign Office Reports. Annual series. London.

Bent (J. Th.), The Bahrein Islands in the Persian Gulf. Proc. R. G. Soc. (N.S.) xii. 1. 8. London, 1890.

Zwemer (S. M.), Arabia: The Cradle of Islam. Edinburgh ant\ London, 1900.

BORNEO (BRITISH).

British North Borneo. — Governor. — A. C. Pearson.

British North Borneo occupies the northern part of the island of Borneo. The interior is mountainous, Mount Kina Balu being 13,700 feet high, but most of the surface is jungle.

Area, about 31,106 square miles, with a coast-line of over 900 miles. Population (1911) 208,183, consisting mainly of Muhammadan settlers on the coast and aboriginal tribes inland, with a large number of Chinese traders, artisans, and coolies. Chief towns, Sandakan (population 6,000), on the east coast, and Jesselton, on the west coast.

The territory is under the jurisdiction of the British North Borneo Company, being held under grants from the Sultans of Brunei and Sulu (Royal Charter in 1881), The territory is administered by a Governor (appointed with the approval of the Secretary of State) in Borneo and a Court of Directors in London, appointed under the Charter, On May 12, 1888, the British Government proclaimed a formal protectorate over the State of North Borneo, In 1898 certain border lands were acquired from the Sultan of Brunei, and more recently certain inland territories have been occupied. For administrative purposes the whole district is divided into nine provinces. In December, 1904, an area of about 200 square miles was transferred to Sarawak in exchange for rights over coal mines on Brunei Bay. ..

A large area has been alienated on leases for tobacco planting, tapioca sago, rubber, cocoa-nuts, and coffee. The total labour force employed in the country at the end of 1910 was about 18,000 coolies.