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mines are deserted, the company having discontinued
mining operations. There is a good harbour at the only
town, Victoria, and this place forms a convenient coaling
station for H.M. gunboats on the China station, which
cruise in these seas. The trade is mainly in the hands
o f the Chinese, who purchase the native products of
Borneo, Palawan, and the Sulu Archipelago, which is
brought hither in native prahus or boats. Some of the
traders also make voyages to different parts of the Bornean
coast to collect sago, gutta, beeswax, edible swallows’
nests, camphor, trepang or beche de mer, mother-o’-pearl
shell, and other produce, in return for which they barter
■cloth or cotton goods, opium and tobacco, muskets,
ammunition, gongs, and crockeryware, spirits, tea and
provisions, mostly derived from Singapore. The ss.
|j Cleator ” carries the mails and most of the imports
and exports between Singapore and this port, and affords
the only regular means of transport. This vessel makes
the voyage between Labuan and Singapore every twenty-
one days, calling at this port on her way to Brunei.
The main industries of the colony are the coal-mines,
sago-washing factories, and the culture of rice, fruit, and
other food products. The mines were leased by the
Government to the Oriental Coal Company of London
and Leith, at a yearly rental of UlOOO a year for mining
privileges and the right of cutting timber free of duty.
.£50 annually was also paid for a wharf and store sheds at
the harbour, a distance of nine miles from the mines. The
coal was brought down in large sailing boats or lighters,
manned by Malays. In 1876 only 5824 tons were obtained,
but additional workings have been opened and alterations
were made by the Company’s manager, Mr. A. Boosie,
which it was thought would have facilitated a much larger
output. The greatest drawbacks to successful mining