1917

PERAK
Perak, the premier State of the Federated Malay States., is on the west coast of the
Malay Peninsula, and lies between Kedah on the north and Selangor on the South.
The coast-line is about 90 miles in extent; the greatest length of the State, in a north
And south direction, is 150 miles, and the breadth, in an east and west direction, 90
miles. It is estimated to contain 7,875 square miles ; that is to say, it is about the
size of Yorkshire and Lancashire joined together. The soil is suitable for the cultiva¬
tion of rubber, rice, coconuts, coffee robasta, spices of all kinds, and grasses from
which essential oils are extracted.
The State is well watered by numerous streams and rivers, of which the river
Perak is the most important. This river runs nearly south until it turns sharply to the
-westward and falls into the Straits of Malacca. It is navigable for about 40 miles
from its mouth* by steamers of 300 to 400 tons burden, and for another 100 miles by
•cargo boats. The upper part of the river is rocky and abounds in rapids, and conse-
•quently, except for small boats and rafts, is unnavigable. The Kinta, the B itang
Padang and the Plus are the three large tributaries of the Perak river, and all are
navigable by cargo boats. These rivers rise in the main mountain range and flow west
and south until they discharge themselves into the Perak river.
The climate of Perak is good, the temperature in-the low country averaging .from
•60° Fahr. in the night to 90° Fahr. in the heat of the day. The average mean is about
70° Fahr. in the night and 87° Fahr. in the day. The nights are uniformly cool. Ac
•3.000 feet the average is 3° Fahr. at night to 73° in the day. The rainfall varies consid
erably, Taiping, the capital, registering as much as 170 (average for 10 years 171.05)
54 inches, but the average elsewhere is about 100 inches. There is no true rainy season,
but the wettest months are October, November and December, and the driest are
June, July and August.
The State has been under British Protection since 1874 and has since that date
been administered under the advice of the British Resident. The State Council, a
deliberative, legislative and advisory body, consists of the Sultan and several Malay
•Chiefs, the British Resident, the Secretary to Resident, and two Chinese members.
The seat of Government is at Taiping in the Larut district, three hours from Penang
by railway. The Malay States Guides, a body of Indian troops maintained and equipped
by the Rulers of the Federated Malay States, are quartered at Taiping. The residence
of His Highness the Sultan is at Bukit Chandan in the town of Kuala Kangsar, reached
by rail from Taiping m about an hour. His Highness Sir Idris Mersid-ei-Aazam Shah
•G.C.M.G, died last year (1916), and was succeeded by his son, Raja Abdul Jalil i'oni
Almerhun Idris Mersid-el-Aazam Shah. The High Commissioner of the Federated Malay
States has also a residence at Kuala Kangsar, which town, situated as it is on the Perak
river, here some 200 yards wide, lies in the midst of beautiful scenery and is the centre
•of the Malay life of Perak, and it is here that meetings of the Federal Council are held.
The British Resident has residences at Taiping and Ipoh.
The most important district in Perak is Kinta, of which the principal town is Ipoh—
reached by rail from Penang in five and a half hours. The tin deposits in the Kinta
valley and neighbourhood are of great value, and recent developments in rubber plant¬
ing have brought a new agricultural industry into the district. Mining is here con¬
ducted on the most scientific principles, and many mines are equipped with the
latest machinery.
Other districts in Perak are Krian on the Province Wellesley (Penang) border. Here
the Government has completed an extensive and costly irrigation scheme and large
Areas are under rice, and rubber. A somewhat similar district is Lower Perak, in
which is situated Teluk Anson, the principal port of the State. This port is connected
by a branch railway with the main line of the Federated Malay States Railway and
there is frequent communication by steamers between Penang and Singapore.
The Larut district was formerly famous for its tin deposits, and faction fights for
the possession of the tin mines before 1874 were the immediate cause of the British
intervention in and eventual protection of Perak. The Larut mines had of late years
somewhat sunk in importance, but are now the centre of the bucket-dredging industry.