Handbook of the federated Malay states - Sabrizain.org

64 Handbook of the
local steamers, and the vessels of the Straits Steamship
Company run between Teluk Anson and Singapore about
three times a week, touching en route at the ports of the
Southern States.
The commerce of the State is not centralised in any one
principal town, but is distributed in different localities.
Taiping, the capital, which is reached most easily by railway
from Port Weld, is the headquarters of the Grovernment, and
is also the centre of what was once the most important
mining district in the State, but is now in this respect of
very secondary importance.
The town of Kuala Kangsar, which is situated upon a most
picturesque stretch of the Perak River, is the place of
residence of His Highness the Sultan, for whom an Astana
or palace of imposing appearance and dimensions was erected
there a few years ago at the cost of the State.
The district of Kinta is by far the most important in the
State. It may be roughly described as being comprised in
the valley of the Kinta Eiver, a tributary of the Perak Eiver.
It includes within its limits the important mining and commercial
towns of Ipoh, Batu Gajah and Kampar, besides
others of less note, and it is here that the greater portion of
the tin exported from the State is obtained.
It is quite possible that the stanniferous prosperity of
Kinta may at no distant date be emulated by the adjoining
district of Batang Padang, of which no such thorough
exploitation has been made as has been accomplished in
Kinta. These two districts, together with the more remote
and untried area of Upper Perak, comprise the source from
which the principal supplies of Perak tin are and will be
drawn.
The seaboard districts of Lower Perak, Matang and Krian
have few or no temptations to offer to the miner, and it is
here that agriculture appears as the prominent industry.
The rice fields of Krian have been noted for many years,
and are of very extensive area. The Malay cultivators have
usually macaged to obtain excellent crops in spite of their
dependence upon atmospheric conditions. The Grovernment
have, however, now included a large portion of the ricebearing
area in a complete and comprehensive scheme of
irrigation, and a proportionate improvement in the crops may
be expected.
In addition to rice fields there are large sugar estates and
coconut plantations in these coast districts. Some of the