Dearie:Russell Family History

1913

Untitled [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 21 January 1913, Page 6 The following are approved for licenses as appraisers for Selangor for 1913. - …J. A. Russell, D.O. Russell. …..

The Malay Daily Chronicle 22 January 1913, page 5. A “Ronggeng” Entertainment at Kuala Lumpur. The ronggeng given by Mr. E. O. James on Saturday was a great success. It was arranged as a farewell entertainment to Mr. R. C. Russell, who is shortly leaving Kuala Lumpur for Burmah, and the night being fine a large crowd of Malays found their way to the lawn on Circular Road which presented what was decidedly an animated scene. In the light of the lanterns the ronggeng proceeded on its merry way, to the delight of the native throng and the amusement of a large number of Europeans. There were Tamil dances too and a sort of quarter- staff exhibition with variations- many of them. Every provision was thoughtfully made for the large crowd present and there were cakes, sandwiches, etc., and liquid refreshment for all. - “MM.”

Letter: 13 February 1913. From Osborne and Chappel, Mining and Consulting Engineers, Ipoh, Perak to The British Resident, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur. Sir, Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate, Ltd. We have the honour to inform you that we have been asked by Mr. J. A. Russell to send you a copy of a letter which we received from the Board of the above Syndicate dated October 25th 1912. You will gather from the letter that Mr. Russell by terms of an agreement, is financially associating himself the above Syndicate, and the directors have asked us if in the case of any interviews with Officials of the Government when his attendance would be beneficial to the interests of the Syndicate, that we are to request the Official or Officials concerned that Mr. J. A. Russell be present, and that due attention to his requests may be given by the Government. We have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servants, Osborne and Chappel. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia SEC. SERL 999/1913

The Malay Mail, Supplement, Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, March 5, 1913. The Rawang Coal Measures. Their Extent and Potentialities. History of the Coalfields. The credit of discovering the Rawang coal measures belongs to one Haji Abdul Hadi bin Abdullah, a Malay who in the latter part of 1908, found beside a stream near the Southern boundary of the Rantau Panjang forest reserve, in about as out of the way place as any in mid Selangor, a piece of dark mineral which appeared to him unfamiliar. He took some specimens to the District Officer, Ulu Selangor, at Kuala Kubu, who handed them over to the mines department. The mineral was examined and found to be a species of coal. Haji Abdul was rewarded with a pension of five dollars a month for life, which, we believe, he subsequently compounded for a lump sum in order to visit Mecca, and so he passes out of the story. An Inspector of Mines visited the place on Nov 17th 1908, and the Mines Department, impressed by the value of the discovery, commenced prospecting, near the scene of Haji Abdul's find, in May 1909. An adit was driven into the side of the sloping ground by the stream and numerous experimental shafts were sunk in the same immediate neighbourhood. The presence of coal in large quantities was soon established, while sample lots were tried in this country with considerable success, it being demonstrated that, though the coal had not a high calorific value as compared with the best Welsh coal, it might well prove useful fuel for local consumption, since, being on the spot, it would be possible to produce it at a very much lower price than that paid for imported fuel, practically all of which is Indian or Japanese mineral, with which the Rawang product has proved to be practical identical in economic value. Moreover, the increasing price of firewood, even three years ago, indicated that the mining industry might well be hampered in the future by the curtailment of the supply of timber readily available. The investigations of the Mines Department had not, however, determined the extent of the measures, nor the probable direction of the seam when the then High Commissioner, Sir John Anderson, visited the workings on May 5th 1910. Towards the end of the same year prospecting was stopped, and the Government decided, apparently, that enough had been done to establish the existence of useable coal in quantities sufficient to induce private enterprise to carry out the task. Negotiations were opened with local capitalists but eventually a prospecting permit over 18,000 acres was given to a London corporation, formed for the purpose, and entitled the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate. The concession covered the southern portion of the Rantau Panjang Forest reserve and a large area adjoining. The syndicate appointed Messrs. Osborne and Chappel their agents, and the latter engaged Mr. Mungo Park who had till then, been an Inspector of Mines under Government, to carry out the work of further prospecting the area. Mr. Mungo Park had already some knowledge of the measures and was, moreover, one of the few men in Malaya who had any experience of coal mining, he having worked in the coal fields of Natal and the Transvaal before he came to this country. He began prospecting on behalf of the Syndicate in April, 1911, with the object of discovering whether there was enough coal of a marketable quality to enable the syndicate to dispose of its holding to those who would be willing to finance it as a working colliery. There was no intention of developing the measures, except in so much as might be necessary for obtaining coal for experimental purposes, nor was it part of the syndicate’s programme to determine the full extent of the coal field. Towards the end of last year the syndicate found, as a result of its discoveries, that it possessed a marketable proposition and it was enabled to dispose of its rights to a Kuala Lumpur group willing to undertake the capitalisation of the colliery into a going concern. Situation and Extent. We propose to make some account of the discoveries of Mr. Mungo Park, but before doing so it may be of interest to convey an idea of the situation of the district in which the existence of the coal has been established. The portion of the measure so far definitely prospected is an oblong block of about 350 acres running from north of the southern boundary of the forest reserve nearly due south, and is at present approached from the 26th mile of the Kuala Lumpur- Kuala Selangor Road, via Rawang, about 8 miles beyond the last named town. From the milestone a rough track, crossed and re-crossed at frequent intervals by the spoor of wild elephants, leads south west, for two and three quarter miles through dense jungle of the forest reserve, to a small clearing where are the houses of the prospector and the men who have been working for him; other clearings in the jungle near by, mark the site of the Government workings on the scene of the first discovery and the pits sunk later for obtaining coal for experimental purposes. Here in the midst of the virgin forest are heaps of coal, not very large ones, for they consist only of the residue left over when the good coal was removed, but still coal enough to provide a striking contrast with its surroundings. Environment has much to do with the impression left on the mind by any specific scene, and the Englishman’s idea of a coalfield is usually derived from what he is accustomed to in his own country, where the existence of the mineral, means that it has been worked for a period quite long enough to have blackened everything in its neighbourhood, to say nothing of the scarifying effects produced by the allied industries which usually spring up in its immediate surroundings. It is necessary to exercise the imagination, presupposing the possession of such an attribute, to experience any lively sensation of incongruity when standing in a primeval forest and being assured that coal or anything else lies below the ground, but even an unimaginative person cannot escape the sense of the unusual in being confronted with heaps of raw coal lying in the depths of an F.M.S. forest reserve. However there the coal is; it can be seen and touched, so it is worth while considering how it will be approached if it is worked. The present method of approach is obviously unsuitable, for even if the track from the Government road should be metalled it would be a roundabout way of getting to the railway line. Approach from the southern end will undoubtedly be the best, and this has been recognised by Government since the 1913 estimates provide for the spending of $2,000,000 on a branch line from Kuang in the direction of Batang Berjuntai which will, in the first instance, go as far as the Rawang coal fields. In addition the new road from Kepong to Kuala Selangor, which has been under construction so long, but which is now nearly completed, passes within a few miles of the coal field so that this may well prove the best method of approach to Kuala Lumpur for road- borne traffic. The Main Seam. To come to the results of the actual prospecting, and bearing in mind that borings were nowhere sunk below 340 feet, the existence of two seams of coal, besides small minor ones, has been established, the Main Seam and the North Seam. The latter has been little investigated, and leaving it for the present, it may be well to deal with the Main Seam which was the site of the first discoveries. The outcrop, which lies on an average about 20 to 30 feet below the soil, runs from a point a little to the west of the first discovery almost due east and then curves boldly towards the south, running first due south and inclining more to the west as it reaches its termination. It forms, therefore, a rough semi circle, rather like an undrawn bow, bent towards the east, with the top, or northern end more flattened than the bottom or southern end. From the outcrop the seam slopes inwards and downwards, towards the string of the imaginary bow at an angle of 10 degrees; the direction being, beginning at the north end of the seam, first south then south west, then due west and finally west with a slight tendency to the north. The seam has uniform depth wherever bored at 50 feet, measured at a right angle to its floor, and since it slopes downwards, the further it gets from the outcrop the deeper it lies. The full extent of the seam has not been proved, but at rather over 300 feet, the depth to which the deepest borings were made, the coal still continued wherever tested, so that there is strong presumption that it runs further at a greater depth. The next strata above the seam is oil shale to which we shall refer later, and the next clay, while beyond the clay comes a mass of rock. It was at first believed that this rock, which occurs slightly beyond the deepest borings, was a solid quartzite formation older than the coal, and that in consequence the seam could not continue beneath it. For the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the rock, therefore, a pit was sunk, and carried to a depth of about 46 feet, in a valley the reverse side of the hill in which the rock begins. The stone quarried from this pit, which is still being worked, are boulders of varied kinds of rock, which appear younger than the coal, so that the seam may be of much greater extent than is present known. Setting conjecture aside, however, and taking into consideration only the area actually prospected, it is reckoned that there exists in the main seam about 15 million tons of coal, though for the purposes of estimation not more than seven to ten million tons have been calculated upon. Still, taking even the lowest figure, the Main Seam offers an enormous quantity of coal, at a comparatively shallow depth. The North Seam. Going due north from the scene of the first workings, by the Mines Department the first outcrop is a strata of sandy clay running immediately under the Main Seam, the next outcrop, underlying the clay, is oil shales, and beyond the shales, comes the outcrop of the North Seam, running at the same angle as the Main Seam, but, of course, far below it. This seam, which was discovered by Mr. Mungo Park, has so far been but little prospected. Coal of a quality similar to that of the Main Seam has been won from two pits near the point of discovery, immediately north of the first workings, and experimental bores put down to the east and south- east indicate that the outcrop tends to follow the same outline as that of the Main Seam. But though its existence has been established, its extent has not yet been proved. The very fact of its existence, however, indicates that the capacity of the coal field, as a whole, may possibly be very much greater than was at first believed or has yet been definitely ascertained. Quality of the Coal. It would appear that the presence of coal in large quantities has been ascertained, and that there are indications that further prospecting, if undertaken, may reveal the existence of quantities larger still; but, however large the amount, unless the quality is good, there would be no profit in mining it. The coal has, therefore, been subjected to a variety of practical tests, both by the Government and by the prospecting syndicate, here and in England, the general results of which indicate that, although not a high- quality coal, it may well prove of use here in Malaya, taking into consideration the peculiar conditions which govern the supply of fuel. To go into details, abbreviated though, for in their entirety details of any subject, save to experts or persons vitally interested, are apt to be tedious, the deposits are pitch coal, a variety of lignite ranking between lignite and bitumous coal, of the tertiary period, closely allied to coals found in Sumatra, Borneo and New Zealand, and to the brown coal of Germany, of which latter 49,000,000 tons were produced during the first nine months of 1910 and a slightly larger amount during the twelve months preceding. In England no coal of the same kind is found, and compared with the English minerals, it is a young coal, though this fact, by the way, has no bearing on its fuel value since pressure and local conditions, rather than age, determine its worth or worthlessness. When compared with the valuable deposits in England the Rawang product has but a low calorific value, but when contrasted with Indian coal with which it would have to compete, it appears to more advantage, since, though it has slightly lower calorific value than the Indian mineral, it is a cleaner fuel, having no sulphur and producing much less ash and smoke and practically no clinker. The railway tests give 56lbs. per train mile for the local coal as against 47lbs from the Indian, but it is claimed that better results would have been obtained had the furnace bars on the engine employed in the tests been altered by being put nearer together, since the Rawang coal breaks up easily and requires a grate with narrow bars or even a chain gate. If, however, the railway authorities decide to use the local coal, it could be put upon the railways at the time at a very much lower rate than could Indian, the cost of which is from $11.75 to $12 per ton in Kuala Lumpur. That fuel does not depend entirely upon calorific value is shown by a series of practical test carried out at Kuala Lumpur cement works, near Batu Caves, where we are told that, although no greater amount of Rawang coal than Indian coal was used, the former owing to the qualities mentioned above, gave by far the better results of the two minerals. But wood is still the principal fuel here, both on the railway and on mines, and with wood the new coal should be able to compete, even at present prices, while in the future it ought to be in a position more favourable still. On the railways 123lbs to 140lbs of wood are used per train mile as against 56lbs of Rawang coal, i.e. more than two to one. Moreover, coal occupies less storage space than timber and would on that account be preferable. Further, apart form the railways, which have a permanent supply of wood assured in the big mangrove reserves, harvested in accordance with the rules of forestry, the increase in the cost to other users, the principal of which, are of course, the mines, has recently been so considerable that, in spite of the vast forests which cover the greater art of the peninsula, wood fuel is now costing as much that consumers are eager for a substitute. The forests are receding from the near neighbourhood of the mines and the chief centres of industry so that, though there is almost any quantity of timber to be had, the cost of transport is tending to raise the price beyond that at which so rapidly burning a form of fuel can be used with economy. Further experiments have shown that Rawang coal can be used successfully in the furnaces of mine boilers and, an important point when dealing with so conservative race as the Chinese; mine-owners and managers who have tried the coal are willing to use it instead of wood if the price is satisfactory. We are told that, from trials carried out by Mr. Chong Yoke Choy at Mr. Loke Yew’s mines near Ampang, it was found that a ton of Rawang coal was equal to two and half parsongs of hard wood for which the current market rate was $5.30 a pasong at the time, though now it is higher. In addition to local tests, specimen parcels have been sent to England for trial and Professor Bone has used Rawang coal with success in the Bettington boiler, in which dust coal is fed through a sprayer on to the furnace bars in the manner employed in oil burning furnaces. Another consignment was recently tried at Stockton on Tees where, as we recorded the other day, the municipal power plant, using Rawang coal, successfully completed a trial run of thirty hours. Oil Shales and Clay. Mention was made earlier in this article of the strata of oil shales which overlies both the Main and the North Seams. These shales are somewhat similar to the deposits in the West of Scotland. Oil has been distilled from them, and specimens of the results are to be seen at the coal field. Experiments are being undertaken to ascertain the value of the oil, but results have not yet been received. The proportion of oil in the shale is, perhaps, somewhat too small to enable it to be distilled at a profit with the methods of extraction at present in vogue, although the enormous size of the deposits of oil shale, containing in aggregate millions of gallons of oil, their proximity to the surface and to a supply of cheap fuel invest them with great interest. Should some more economical way of getting oil from the shale be discovered, it is possible that the Rawang shales might be exploited, and, considering the limited area of the known oil fields within the British Empire and the extent to which oil is replacing coal in the British Navy, the future my see them endowed with a significance they do not now possess. The concessionaires now propose boring their property to greater depths in the hope of discovering free oil, and oil rights have been obtained from Government over the whole concession. Above both strata of shales lies sandy clay which has been found by practical tests to be suitable for making bricks and tiles, besides the coarser kind of pottery, so that, whether the shales possess an economic value or not, there is no doubt that a brickyard and potteries could, if thought advisable, be run as an adjunct to a colliery.

The Straits Times 10 March 1913 page 8 With reference to what has become known as the “Ipoh Land Deal” which, as being probably the largest transaction of its kind yet on record in the F.M.S., and in connection with which so many names have been mentioned and so many rumours afloat, The Malay Mail has ascertained that negotiations have now definitely been concluded, and the transfer deeds signed. The purchaser is Mr. J. A. Russell of KL. In this connection it is interesting to note that Mr. J. A. Russell is already the largest individual European shop house property owner in the towns of KL and Seremban, and will now be so in Ipoh.

The Straits Times, 31 March 1913, Page 10 0. NEW SERENDAH RUBBER. Considerable Reduction in Cost of Production, The third annual meeting of the New Serendah Rubber Company, Ltd., was held at the offices of Messrs. Boustead, Hampshire and Co., Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday, Dr. E. A. O.Travers presiding, and there being also present Messrs. J. H. M.Robson, J A Russell, R F Grey, FG Harvey, H N Ferrers, D H Hampshire and MD Fallon. (Summary: The article describes the directors report, profits $65,945.10, dividends of 12 %, output for the year 58,015 lbs, Mr. F. G. Harvey is the visiting agent, Mr. M. D. Fallon the superintendent, Mr. L.W. Weddige the assistant, The labour force is 402 Tamils, there is no shortage of labour, wages are unaltered except regular tappers are encouraged by a sliding scale of pay. List of acres planted, 300 acres felled, estimated crops, 41,357 trees tapped for year on 379 acres, the curing machinery worked well, a scrap washer has been installed, Lalang weeds dug out, roads and drains in good order, liming and forking old fields, control of pets and diseases, expenditure on new clearings, extensions of 200 acres planned in virgin jungle bordering on Sungei Choh Estate boundary, buildings built for workforce and assistants bungalow. Chairman’s speech covers health of coolies, weeds, crop, reduced production costs, 1,00 acres now in cultivation, company popular, 90,387 shares changed hands despite not being on London Stock exchange. Report and accounts agreed. Mr. J. A. Russell retired from board by order of rotation and chairman leaving country in May. Suggests Mr. Ferrers as his successor and also proposed Messrs. Russell and Ferrers be elected as directors. Seconded by Mr. Robson and carried. Votes of thanks, Mr. Russell proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Travers for his work as chairman of company. Mr. Ferrers: crop returns exceeded estimates, company had good record compared to others “ They in Kuala Lumpur were entitled to take every credit for the way in which they managed local affairs and did local business, compared with the way in which similar things were done in Singapore”(1816 words)

The Malayan Tin and Rubber Journal. Vol II, No. 11 9th May 1913. Selangor Miners’ Association How the Tin is Really Won. The first meeting of the new Committee of the Selangor Miners’ Association was held a few days ago, Mr. J. A. Russell, the newly elected president, presiding. Several proposals and ideas of an eminently practical nature were suggested. Most of them would seem to have been of a decidedly useful and helpful character; as, for instance, the decision to translate into Chinese, and circulate amongst the Chinese members of the Association, all matters appearing in the Government Gazette affecting either miners in general or individual members in particular. When it is considered that according to the lately published annual Report for 1912 of the Senior Warden of Mines, eighty per cent of the tin won for that year in the F.M.S. was produced from Chinese mines, and when we remember how few these Chinese ever see the Government Gazette, or could read it if they did, the practical and commonsense usefulness of such a measure upon the part of the Selangor Miners’ Association will be instantly appreciated. Of course it is not quite business- like to accept without reservation the apparent inference lying on the face of the Senior Warden’s figures. The 20 per cent of the total production of tin ore which the Senior Warden ascribes to non-Chinese sources is really meant to refer, we imagine, only to the production of those European limited liability companies who furnish returns. But there must be several Europeans and others not Chinese who work by what may perhaps be described as the Chinese system; that is to say, where the land owner, or it may be the sub-lessee, erects bangsals, cuts taliayers, makes advances against ore, etc. and generally finances a lesser Towkay or “kepala” working on a sixth month or yearly agreement, and in whose name the mine nominally is. Over half the mines in the country are probably worked on this system, and there must be several Europeans and others besides Chinese, who operate on this method. It is, it should be explained, not merely a collecting of tribute; the landowner or sub lessee has to take a great interest in the workings as has the tenant-towkay or kepala. He has to have his own staff of overseers visiting and supervising his various mines and advising as to their management. The Chinese have found this system to be, on the whole, the most suitable for the average class of ordinary mining land- but few blocks of staniferous ground being Tronohs in embryo- and, naturally, those Europeans whose knowledge of the country and of the people enable them to work on a similar basis, do so. After all, the principal thing for the ultimate good of the country is to make the average class of mining property, not too rich and somewhat patchy, payable, and the Chinese’s co-operative method would seem, if not particularly showy in outward appearance, still, by giving all concerned an interest in the profits, to achieve this happy result. We believe the late Mr. Yzelman, one of the largest miners in Selangor, worked almost entirely on these lines, and we understand there are several others, including the present President of the Selangor Miners’ Association, who almost exclusively employ the same method. Ore from such mines as these, however, especially the smaller ones, would probably be credited to Chinese and non-European or other non-Chinese sources. Still there is no getting way from the fact that the bulk of the ore produced in the F.M.S. is won from Chinese owned mines, and from the great total of smaller and not the few bigger mines.

Letter: From the District Officer of Ulu Selangor, Kuala Kubu to the Secretary to the Resident Selangor. 13th May 1913 Application by Mr. D. O. Russell for a P/L over 900 acres of land in the Mukims of Ulu Yam and Bantang Kali. Sir, I have the honour to submit for the Resident’s favourable consideration an application from Mr. D. O. Russell for a Prospecting Licence over 900 acres of land at the Mukims of Ulu Yam and Bantang Kali, as shown edged in pink on the attached tracing. 2. The land is available and lies in the valley of the Selangor River along the portion which is now being opened up for mining. The Mines Department has no objection to a Prospecting Licence over this area. 3. There is one direct application (marked U.S.L. 1554/12 on plan) prior to this application. This would be excluded. There are also two subsequent applications (marked 114/13 and 115/13) from Towkay Tan Chia. I would enquire whether the Resident considers that these two should be excised. 4. Mr. Russell owns in his own name 136 acres with 448 coolies. 5. I recommend this application for approval at a fee of $25 for a period of six months with the right to select 200 acres in not more than 4 blocks, the period under Section 53 (vi) to be 3 months. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ? T C hennery District officer, Ulu Selangor. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 2645/13

The Straits Times, 26 May 1913, Page 9 0. “Malayan Collieries. . RAWANG COALFIELDS AND THEIR PROSPECTS. 0. A Two Million -Dollar Company. To the present established industries of this fecund Peninsula is shortly to be added another, and an important one, by the opening up and development of the Rawang coalfields. The existence of coal in the Ulu and Kuala Selangor districts was proved by the Government of the F.M.S. a number of years ago, and the results of prospecting carried out over a considerable period by the Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate Ltd. of London, have established beyond doubt that the deposits are extensive and accessible. Their development is to be undertaken by a concern named Malayan Collieries, Ltd. with headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. 0. The capital is to be £2,000,000, of which it is proposed to issue three fourths at present. The shares are of the $10 denomination. The vendors who are represented by Mr. J. A. Russell, get one million dollars- $610,000 in shares and the remainder in cash – which leaves on the primary issue a sum of $500,000 for working capital, therefore, 89,000 shares are being offered to the public, but the prospectus states that applications have already been received for 60,000, upon which the directors will proceed to allotment.” Results of Prospecting. Prospecting operations have been conducted for the past two years by Messrs. Osborne and Chappell on the concession for which the Syndicate had acquired a prospecting licence. As a result of these operations an application for a lease of 1,200 acres of the richest land has been made by the Syndicate, and they are at liberty to select and apply for other areas up to a limit of 18,000 acres before the end of July. On the area already applied for the prospectors have located a main seam extending over 345 acres with an average coal thickness of 30 feet. After making allowances for slack and small coal, they estimate a visible supply of over nine million tons of marketable fuel. Nor do the resources of the field end there. According to the report, other seams have been discovered, but these have not been thoroughly prospected, the Syndicate wisely pursuing the policy of delineating the one main measure which, in itself, have proved rich enough to justify their faith. The coal is of a lignite or woody, character, such as is successfully mined in many countries. Compared with coals of a similar nature mined in South Africa, India, Australia and Siberia, the evaporative power of Rawang is a low one, but a good impression of its practical value may be gathered from the statement of Mr. Benedict Kitto, the eminent analyst of St. Swithin's Lane, London, who tested a number of samples, that its heating power is equal to about three-quarters of that of good Welsh steam coal. Very exhaustive practical tests, in fact, have been carried out both locally and in England, in the latter country under the direct supervision of Professor W. A. Bone, D.Sc. F.R.S., professor of chemical technology (fuel) at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. Commenting on a test with Rawang coal on a Bettington boiler, Professor Bone writing on March 13 last said that “ having regard to the lignite character of the coal, these results may be considered as eminently satisfactory, and there is no doubt but that the coal can be used economically for steam raising in this type of boiler”. Gratifying reports are also made of tests carried out on the F.M.S. Government railways, at the Batu Caves Portland Cement works, and elsewhere. The Market for Coal. These facts are extracted from the mass of evidence contained in the prospectus and are sufficient to show that Rawang coal may compete on favourable terms with other steam raising fuels in the market at present. As to establishing itself in competition with existing supplies, the promoters are sanguine of success. It is estimated by Messrs. Osborne and Chappell that the company will be able to produce coal at a cost nearer $2 per ton than $3. To arrive at a selling price for the product, they took into careful consideration the value of Rawang coal compared with firewood and other brands of coal actually in use in Malaya and came to the conclusion that it could compete favourably with existing fuels at a selling price of $5.25 per ton at the pit-head. As a matter of fact, one of the tests, carried out on a 12 N.H.P. portable boiler at Ampang- a type of boiler very largely used in the F.M.S.- seems to show that in order to compete with firewood the coal can command $10.75 at the pit head, but Messrs. Osborne and Chappell have adopted for the purposes of calculation their own conservative figure of $5.25. All things considered, there would appear to be little doubt that Rawang coal will find a ready market among the tin-mines, rubber plantations, railways, local steamships and other coal-consuming industries. The Government of the F.M.S. regards the enterprise with a favourable eye, in token whereof provision has already been made for laying of a branch line of the railway to the pit-head; while to guard its interests, the Government will nominate one of its own officers to sit on the Board of Directors. Messrs. Osborne and Chappell in their general remarks say: “We are of the opinion that the commercial potentialities of the concession have been proved to be of great value. All estimates have been made on a conservative basis. The opening out of this coal field- resulting in cheap fuel being put on the local market- should act as a stimulus to the tin-mining industry, which is faced at the present time with the serious menace of increasing coal costs.” Every colliery venture looks to make a considerable enhancement of profits from its by products. Rawang coal is stated to be very rich in easily recoverable tar, a commodity for which there is a good local demand, and ammonium sulphate is another product for which a ready market should be found in an agricultural country like this. A thick layer of oil-bearing shales exists in the field and, although the yield of oil from them, on testing, is lower than is usually looked for from workable shales, the proximity of the bed to the surface and its thickness lead to the hope that it may prove to be well worth exploiting. These are factors, however, which may be shelved for later consideration when the actual mining has been put on a proper footing, and in their outlook the promoters do not lay much stress on their existence. (1142 words)

The Malay Mail, Wednesday 28th May 1913, page 5. Malayan Coalfields A New Company Capital Two Million Dollars. The Rawang coalfields, regarding which excellent reports have been made, are to be developed by Malayan Collieries Ltd. and if all that is said of their capabilities is borne out by later results, the F.M.S. will shortly have another and important paying industry, whose value to the country will be very great indeed. Prospecting has already proved a large area of deposits, which can be easily worked. Malayan Collieries Ltd. is to develop them and from the prospectus, which was recently issued, and which is now available for reference, we see that the capital will be $2,000,000, and the present issue three-fourths, shares at $10. Mr. J. A. Russell represents the vendors, who receive $610,000 in shares and the remainder in cash. On the first issue $500,000 is left for working capital, enough on experts’ estimates to place the concern on a profit-earning basis. Eight-nine thousand shares are offered to the public. In the prospectus however it is stated that application has already been made for 60,000, and upon this the directors will proceed to allotment. The Area. The area covered by prospecting license comprises all State land within the radius of three miles from the adit of the coalfield near the 26th mile on the Rawang Selangor road and all the State land outside the radius and within the Ulu Selangor district, and also such state land within the Kuala Selangor district and outside that radius as lies within 80 chains of the district boundary. Total area, about 18,000 acres, not taking into account the additional areas outside the radius. Prospecting Operations. Prospecting operations have been conducted for the past two years by Messrs. Osborne and Chappell on the concession for which the Syndicate had acquired a prospecting license. As a result of these operations an application for a lease of 1,200 acres of the richest land has been made by the Syndicate, and they are at liberty to select and apply for other areas up to a limit of 18,000 acres before the end of July. On the area already applied for the prospectors have located a main seam extending over 345 acres with an average coal thickness of 30 feet. After making allowances for slack and small coal, they estimate a visible supply of over nine million tons of marketable fuel. According to the report, other seams have been discovered, but these have not been thoroughly prospected. The High Commissioner on Nov 14th 1912 stated “ Prospecting carried out at Rawang Coalfield has proved the existence of a large quantity of marketable coal and it has been decided to connect the field with the Railway system. Nature of the Coal. As to the nature of the coal, Mr. Benedict Kitto, the well-known London analyst, gives a good report, in which he gives the evaporative value as 11.4lbs. Of a later assay, Messrs. D. G. Robertson state: “You will note that the coal is high in volatile matter and very low in ash. We have had a lot of over 40 tons sent to the Batu Caves Portland Cement Works and we find it compares very favourably indeed with Indian coal, which we have been using. The low percentage of ash in Rawang coal keeps the fire grate clean and is a distinct saving as compared with other coals” The evaporative value as determined by Mr. Mungo Park by calorimeter varies from 10.0-11.5 lbs of water lb. of coal. Trials “Numerous trails have been made of the steam raising qualities of the coal. Of a trail made at Ampang in February, 1912 by Mr. Cheong Yoke Choy, on a 12 N.H.P. portable boiler Mr. Chong Yoke Choy reported that it gave ‘very satisfactory results’ and that he found a ton of it equivalent in value to 2 and half ‘pasongs’ of firewood for which he was then paying at the rate of $5.30 a ‘pasong’”. In reply to an inquiry Mr. A. L. Armstrong in a letter dated February 25, 1913, stated that the price of the same Indian coal was, so he understood, then $13.25 per ton delivered in Ipoh. On the basis of his test, states the prospectus, this shows that in order to compete with Indian coal the price of Rawang coal per ton, after paying all charges for freight and royalty, can be $12.42 in Ipoh, the chief mining centre of the F.M.S. or $10 per ton at pit head. Other reports of later trials are exceedingly favourable and indicate that Rawang coal will find a big sale for mines and estates, to say nothing of steamers, and the railways would doubtless be big consumers. It may be added that in a report made for the Government Mr. Mungo Park during 1908 upon the potentialities of the then newly- discovered Rawang coalfields, he stated: - “I may add that in 1906, I made a very large number of tests upon Transvaal coal and that the average results obtained by me showed a lower evaporative value than the sample obtained in Rawang. During the year 1906 about 3 million tons of this Transvaal coal were raised and sold at the pits mouth” No exactly similar coal to Rawang coal is to be found in England, but on the continent of Europe such coals are largely mined and used, the last edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica giving Continental production at over 80,000 tons per annum, a figure which is steadily increasing. The continental lignite is never better than Rawang coal, whilst its average calorific value is on the whole distinctly lower.

Malayan Collieries, Ltd. [Letters] 0. The Straits Times, 29 May 1913, Page 10 . (Letter From J A Russell to Editor) Malayan Collieries, Ltd. To the Editor of the Straits Times. 0. Sir, With regard to the article in your issue of the 26th on the subject of the forthcoming flotation of the Malayan Collieries, Ltd., I should like to be permitted to point out that you may therein perhaps have conveyed to those who have not seen an advance copy of the prospectus a somewhat wrong impression regarding the evaporative power of Rawang Coal. Contrasted with the best Welsh steam coal it may be, it is true, of low evaporative value; but the various tests made, showing it to have a gross evaporative value of from 10 to 11.5 lbs., prove it to be considerably higher than those coals of a similar nature that are so largely mined in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, America and on the Continent. It is in this connection interesting to note that the Continental production of lignitic coal, which is never better than Rawang coal, whilst its average calorific value is on the whole distinctly lower – is over eighty- million tons per annum. This Continental lignite is largely used for all purposes of factories, railways, shipping and gas and tar making, besides for domestic consumption. 0. It is unfortunate, however, that in a trial made by Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, and which is apparently the one by which you are going, they only obtained a net evaporative power of 5lbs.; this is probably to be explained by the fact that the furnaces of the ordinary boilers on which the trail in question was made were, like the railway locomotive fireboxes, constructed for burning local clinkering fuels, and therefore unsuitable without some slight alteration, for the non clinkering, ashless coal. A far more thorough and scientific trial than the one mentioned was carried out, from coal sent to him by Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, by Professor Bone in England. Professor Bone by practical trial obtained a net evaporative power of 6.9lbs on the wet and 8.05lbs on the dry coal. 0. However, the economic value of any particular coal as fuel does not depend solely on its evaporative power. In the trials at the Kledang mine, for instance, the difference in consumption between Indian and Rawang coal was only 6 and a quarter per cent., while as against this slight increase in the quantity used of Rawang coal the latter was found to keep up steam better, and to leave less slag than the Indian, thus making firing much easier. The 40-ton trial made at the Batu Caves Portland Cement Works was another one of the tests that proved the coal to be more economically valuable as a fuel than the Indian coal which they are at present using. 0. It should not be forgotten, moreover, that all these tests and trials have been made upon the unscreened coal obtained during prospecting operations, while the majority of them were also carried out, although upon coal supplied by Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, yet subsequent to that firm’s report of August 23, 1912, so that the data obtainable therefore could not be included in that report. -Yours, etc. J. A. Russell. 0. Kuala Lumpur, May 28th, 1913. (525 words)

Malay Mail Daily, 30th May 1913.p.6 The rapid growth of Klang during the last few years and the demand for still more shop houses had induced Towkay Loke Yew to adopt modern methods of rapid construction. The Federated Engineering Company has contracted to erect twenty-five shop houses in ten months on Jalan Raja. These buildings will be of reinforced concrete and steel, which, we are told, works out cheaper than ordinary brick work in Klang at the present time.

The Straits Times, 2 June 1913, Page 9 The first meeting of the new Committee of the Selangor Miner’s Association was held a few days ago, Mr. J. A. Russell, the newly elected president, presiding. Several proposals and ideas of an eminently practical nature were suggested. Most of them would seem to be decidedly useful and helpful character, states the Malay Mail; as for instance the decision to translate into Chinese, and circulate among the Chinese members of the Association all matters appearing in the Government Gazette affecting either miners in general or individual members in particular. When it is considered that according to the lately published annual report for 1912 of the Senior Warden of Mines, eighty per cent of the tin won for that year in the F.M.S. was produced from Chinese mines, and when we remember how few of those Chinese ever see the Government Gazette, or could read it if they did, the practical and commonsense usefulness of such a measure upon the part of the Selangor Miners Association will be instantly appreciated.

The Straits Times, 18 June 1913, Page 8  Malayan Collieries. The directorate of the Malayan Collieries, Ltd., which is to be floated shortly, has now been filled up, with the exception of the member to be nominated by the Government of the F.M.S. in consideration of their interest in the enterprise. The directors are Messrs. A. D. Allan, Singapore; R.P. Brash, manager of the Menglembu Lode Syndicate, Ltd., Ipoh; Foo Choo Choon, proprietory miner, Ipoh, Adolf A. Henggeler, managing director of Wolfram (Selangor), Ltd., Kuala Lumpur; Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur, John Archibald Russell, Kuala Lumpur; Tan Chay Yan, Singapore. It will be observed that the representation of the tin-mining industry is strong, which is an indication of the direction which the promoters of the company hope in the first instance to place the produce of the coalfields.

The Times of Malaya and Planters and Miners Gazette, 21st June 1913, p. 9 Coal In Malaya The Rantau Panjang Find To be Floated Locally How the Tin Mining Industry Will Benefit. (Special to the “Times of Malaya”) It has been general knowledge for some time past that the find of coal at Rantau Panjang, in Selanagor, is a valuable one and we now learn from the prospectus which has been sent to us that this coalfield- best known as the Rawang coalfield- is to be floated locally under the title of “Malayan Collieries Ltd.” with a capital of $2,000,000 out of which the vendors get $390,000 in cash and $610,000 in fully paid up shares of $10 each. Position of the Field As very little has yet been made public about this most interesting and valuable find of coal in Malaya we have obtained the following details for the information of the readers of the “Times of Malaya”. The property, we learn, is situated in the district of Ulu Selangor and lies about eight miles from the station of Kuang on the main railway line between Prai and Singapore. The F.M.S. Government are naturally pleased at this valuable find of coal for many reasons, the principal of which is that it will save the Malay Peninsula from ultimate deforestation owing to the present great demand for firewood for the mines, and they have promised to run a branch line right up to the coal field, while, in view of the large amount of capital to be sunk by the Government in affording access to the mine, and in providing rolling stock for the use of the mine, and also in view of the importance to the country that its coal deposits should be efficiently and economically worked to their best advantage, the company have agreed at the request of the F.M.S. Government to nominate one of their officers to a seat on the Company’s Board of Directors- a point, we think, that will go a considerable way towards inducing local people to put their money into the new coal company. How the Coal is Found. From the data a representative of the “Times of Malaya” has seen, we learn that the country surrounding the actual coal area consists of quartzite’s, phyllites and clay slates which, it is most interesting to note, are older than the granite of the Peninsula, which is believed t be mesozoic. The coal rests on these old rocks and from fossils found and recognised may be classed as of tertiary origin. The coal measures consist of oil-bearing shales with seams of coal of varying thickness and sandstone and silicious clay. They are, we learn, covered in parts with a recent drift which almost completely hides the outcrop of the seams and the formation above and below them. Prospecting was first confined to proving the extension of the outcrop of the seam of coal, which original was tentatively prospected by the F.M.S. Government, but, subsequently, operations were directed to proving the extensions of the seam at depth. It was during these later prospecting operations that Messrs. Osborne and Chappell, who have charge of the work, proved the existence of a second seam north of the main seam. Four Miles of Outcrop. Later the outcrop of the main seam was delineated for a distance of nearly four miles, or to be exact, three and half miles, and for the greater part of this distance the existence of the seam has been proved on the dip to a depth of 150 feet. The average thickness of the seam is said to be approximately 44 feet, of which there is an approximate coal thickness of 30 feet. It has been proved that the seam extends over an area of several hundred acres and it is estimated that the total marketable coal in situ amounts to twenty- seven- million- nine- hundred- thousand tons- a quantity that it will take the tin mines of Malaya some fairly considerable time to consume. Indeed, already practically some ten million tons of marketable coal have been proved. What sort of coal it is. The coal, we learn, from our enquiries, has been classed as a long flame lignite low in ash. It is black and lustrous and does not soil the fingers, has a concoidal fracture and decrepitates on exposure to the sun for any length of time. The percentage of moisture is somewhat high and consequently, the heating power is correspondingly low and the result of an evaporative test to the gross evaporative power (lbs. of water at 212 degrees F evaporated by 1 lb of coal) was 9.6. The average of several tests gave the coal as producing 9,409 British thermal units. The coal, it is interesting to add, does not fuse on strong ignition and has no tendency to clinker. Messrs Osborne and Chappel estimate the over-all working costs at from $2 to $3 a ton of marketable coal. Chinese labour is accustomed to and skilled in working underground; many of the Kain-chu Hakkas, it is worthy of note, having been coal miners, in their native country. Although plantation labour may be difficult to obtain, there is no scarcity of mining labour in the F.M.S. The Selling Price. What the coal will be sold at pit head is however, a point of the utmost moment to Malayan tin- miners, who have so much trouble over the question of fuel, and we read that Messrs. Osborne and Chappel in their last prospecting report dated 23rd August, 1912, placed the pit –head selling of Rawang coal at $5.83 a ton. From this price they then, in order to allow of Rawang coal successfully under selling its firewood and imported coal competitors, made a 10 per cent deduction which brought their pit-head selling price per ton down to $5.25. It will, however, already have been noticed that this is a far lower price than may, from the evidence of all other tests and trails, confidently be expected. The Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate, Ltd., for instance, have already had a request from one Kuala Lumpur firm to supply them with 2,000 tons a month at $8 a ton, which, less royalty, freight and terminal charges would mean $7.01 at pit-head (the covering letter of the order saying: “ To get into this business, I consider you should sell at a reasonably low rate and this in my opinion should be $8 dollars a ton in Kuala Lumpur”), while many of the tests and trails would seem to show that the pit-head value of the coal to be more in the neighbourhood of $10 rather than Messrs. Osborne and Chappel’s $5.25 per ton. So although it may be true that a pit-head selling price of $5.25 per ton would give the Company a very good profit, still it would appear more reasonable from all the evidence obtainable to say that the present true average selling price of coal is in the neighborhood of $7 per ton at pit-head. In conclusion, we would emphasise the point that the opening out of this coal field- resulting in cheap fuel being put on the local market- should act as a stimulus to the tin-mining industry, which is faced at the present time with the serious menace of increasingly fuel costs.

The Straits Times, 23 June 1913, Page 9  As advertised on another page of this issue, the subscription list for Malayan Collieries, Limited, opens to-day and remains open until next Monday, the 30th, at four o'clock. (28 words)

The Malay Daily Chronicle 23 June 1913 page 6 Large Advert for Malayan Colliery shares.

The Malay Daily Chronicle 23 June 1913 Ipoh, 23rd June 1913. (Editorial) BLACK DIAMONDS IN MALAYA The prospectus which we publish this morning marks a still further step in the development in the Federated Malay States. The chance discovery of a Malay, who believed that he recognised coal in a black lump which he picked up at Rantau Panjang, is likely to lead to a completely new industry in these States, of which the Rawang Coalfield will be the beginning. The Malayan Collieries Limited is being promoted by Mr. Russell of Kuala Lumpur, who will have associated with him on the Board among others Messrs. A.D. Allen, Foo Choo Choon, Loke Yew and Tan Chay Yan. These names alone are sufficient to establish confidence in the undertaking. It starts with a favouring wind, and makes its appeal to the public fortified by the promise of support to the extent of $600,000. The total nominal capital is $2,000,000 in shares of $10 each. The price to the vendors, who are the Rawang Coal Syndicate Ltd., and Mr. J. A. Russell is $1,000,000 divided into $390,000 in cash and $610,000 in shares. Mr. Russell, who is the immediate promoter, receives no profit in cash. This indicates his faith in the future prosperity of the enterprise, which he commends to the notice of the public. A sum of $500,000 is set aside for working capital, and there will be a reserve of a similar amount. It cannot be said that the venture has been launched with insufficient preparation. Nearly two years have been spent examining and prospecting, at a cost of $100,000 in cash; and the numerous Reports made upon the samples of lignite both in the F.M.S. and in Europe are evidence of the care with which attempts have been made thoroughly to test the nature of the deposit, which it is proposed to exploit. An area of 1,200 acres has been selected, and up to the 31st of July next the company has the right to select other areas under a prospecting licence that entitled the Rawang Coal Syndicate to prospect for coal and oil. The F.M.S. Government has taken a keen interest in the exploitation of the coal seam at Rantau Panjang. Since the Government has agreed to construct a railway, now in progress, to the mine the Company, at the request of the Government, has undertaken that the F.M.S. Government shall nominate one of its officers to a seat on the Board of Directors. In spite of the pessimism of previous officers, who were of the opinion that coal would never be discovered in the Peninsula, though deposits of lignite are by no means rare, Kinta will at length be able to use Malay coal in its mines, and thus reduce the cost of working. It is estimated that though the coal may be regarded as worth in value as much as Japanese or India coal per ton, and may, therefore be sold at $10 a ton at pit head, it can be produced and delivered to the public at a handsome profit at a price of only $5.25 at pit-head, thus competing with the firewood brought from the neighbouring jungle. The table of comparative fuel values proves conclusively that, as a result of a test made at Ampang with a 12 h.p. boiler and an 8 inch pump, Rawang coal can give a saving of $25.34 per day, $760.20 per month, and $9,922 per year. Such a striking economy will enable many a small miner to work his open cast mine with considerable profit. The report of Messrs. Osborne and Chappel is couched in the most optimistic language. The lignite coal measures are geologically speaking, recent, classed as of Tertiary origin, and are thus similar to those in Europe and North America. They have been proved over an area of approximately two square miles, to contain a seam of an average thickness of 44 ft. with a coal thickness of 30ft. The outcrop of the main seam was followed for a distance of three miles and a half and a bore struck the seam at 225ft. The coal is black not brown, the general colour of lignite, lustrous and burns with a long flame and with a small quantity of ash. The moisture percentage is high, as in the case of lignite everywhere. But this is counterbalanced by its want of tendency to clinker. The cost of mining will probably be low. It is proposed to work by shaft, and expert Chinese miners will be easily obtainable. Messrs. Osborne and Chappel estimate the mining costs at the outside, though they may be high in the beginning, not to exceed a charge of $2 to $3 per ton. Even if the latter figure be adopted, there will still be a handsome profit remaining at the selling price of $5.25 per ton, an extremely reasonable figure, as opposed to the present price which coal fetches in Kinta. The calculation that ten million tons of marketable coal may be considered proved in the main seam alone may be regarded form the data give in the Prospectus to be abundantly justified. An output of 200,000 tons yearly is mentioned. This is admitted to be unusually conservative. About 800,000 tons of coal are used in British Malaya annually. It is certain that the use will increase rather than diminish. It may, therefore, be anticipated that an output even after the first year at Rawang of 400,000 tons will be necessary to supply the public demand. The analysis made by experts in the British Isles as well as in Malaya will then be confirmed by experience. The coal trails made at Ampang and on the Bettington boiler at Erith will be sufficient for ordinary practical miners. When a man of the standing of Professor W. A. Bone F.R.S. of the Imperial College of Science, binds himself to the definite opinion that there is no doubt that this coal can be used economically for steam raising in the type of boiler which he employed, and when he reports in the most favourable terms upon the gas- making powers of the coal, one must field that further investigation is unnecessary. The language of Mr. Risk, well known as a careful Engineer in his criticism of the results obtained by the Railway Department during their trails which he supervised, is, from the point of view of the practical man, even more satisfactory. Passengers by rail will be delighted to know that there is almost an entire absence of smoke with Rawang coal, whist the steaming qualities of Japanese and Indian coals are equalled, without the inconvenience of the higher percentage of sulphur known to exist in these coals. Apart from the fact that by-products such as tar and sulphate of ammonium, may be obtained and that there are potentialities for oil in the presence of the shale overlying the coal seam, apart also from the presence of tin in the coal field, The Malayan Collieries Ltd. makes its appearance with the assurance of a well-trained debutante. It has a right to expect a favourable response from the investing public. Subscribers’ shares, upon which 6 per cent interest will be paid during the period of development, rank before those of the vendors. The figures already given prove, however, that dividends from 25 per cent upwards may be considered assured to all shareholders.

The Malay Daily Mail 23 June 1913 page 7 Cost of Fuel in the F.M.S. Some Interesting Experiments. The Committee of the Selangor Miner’s Association are circulating a very interesting report upon a series of trails and investigations carried out by Towkay Choo Kia Peng with the object of comparing the relative economic values of coal and firewood for fuel purposes on portable steam boilers. Mr. Choo Kia Peng’s tests were made at his mine at Sungei Choh. We have only space for his general conclusions: - “If coal were universally employed in the F.M.S. the saving to the mining industry per annum would be enormous. Taking the mukim or sub district of Ampang for instance, I find from figures kindly furnished me by the Mines Office that the total horsepower engaged thereon in mining is 973, which at 12 h.p. to a boiler equals 81 boilers. From this it can be proved that by burning Indian coal the miners of the mukim would save $38,880 per mensum and $466,560 per annum on their fuel bills, while by burning Rawang coal they would probably be able to save as much as from $54,432 to $ 61.579 per mensum, and from $639,984 to $738,912 per annum. Truly astonishing figures. What must be the saving the whole country could effect?

The Straits Times, 24 June 1913, Page 9  THE FUEL QUESTION. TESTS OF COAL V. FIREWOOD IN SELANGOR. Great Saving on Coal. The flotation of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., no doubt, is responsible for the great attention that is being paid at the moment to the question of fuel supply in the F.M.S.- particularly among the biggest consumers, the miners. The Selangor Miner’s Association recently instituted a series of tests as to the relative values of wood and coal and their respective economic standings, and to this end they asked one of the foremost miners in the State, Mr. Choo Kia Peng, to carry out tests at one of his mines. He did so, conducting the experiments with wood, Rawang coal and Indian Coal, over periods of 16 hours on a 12 h.p. boiler with an 8 inch pump. This is his report to the committee which accompanied his tabulated results: - At the request of your association I recently made upon my mine at Sungei Choh a series of practical tests comparing the relative fuel values of coal and firewood for the ordinary portable locomotive-type of steam-boiler as is in general use upon mines in the F.M.S. Attached to this report you will find in tabular form the result of my investigations. You will notice that it gives overwhelming proof of the economic advantages of replacing by coal our present almost entire use of firewood as fuel. The wood burned was the best bakau, and the coal the ordinary Indian fuel as is usually employed by those few miners who use coal. I have in my table made a third comparison with local Rawang coal. Unfortunately I was unable to procure a sufficient supply of Rawang coal with which to make a practical trial, the shaft on the coal fields having, I understand, been closed down pending the arrival of the machinery from Europe. From figures however given by Mr. Cheong Yoke Choy of a trial made by him of Rawang coal in February, 1912, on a 12 n.h.p. portable boiler, at Ampang, it would appear that one ton of Rawang coal is equal to three tons of firewood; which would show Rawang coal to be of practically the same power as Indian. Of another trial made on the Kledang Mine, Kinta, in January 1912, Mr. H. L. Armstrong found that one ton of Indian coal was equal to 1.06 of Rawang; but that against this slight difference Rawang coal kept up steam better and left no slag. However, in order to be on the safe side I have Rawang coal at the ratios of both 2 ½ to 1 and 3 to 1 on my table. Prices of Fuel. Regarding prices of coal and firewood, I have taken those obtained in the mining mukim of Ampang, rather than those for Sungei Choh, for the reason that the former is a more familiar centre to miners than is the latter; where, indeed, there are not more than about three mines all told. My carrying out the trials at Sungei Choh was merely due to the fact that my most suitable mine was situated there. In fixing the price of Rawang coal I estimate from such figures as I have been able to obtain that 40 cents a picul at Ampang should give the proposed company formed to work these fields a very fair profit; still for safety I have put the price at in my table at 55 cents per picul. My own boilers are run 16 hours a day, and although many no doubt are worked the whole 24 hours, still I have thought it better only to calculate the saving on a 16 hours-a-day run. Apart form the question of economy, coal is also greatly superior to wood in the matter of quickly getting up steam, a matter which in mining in a country subject to sudden floods is often of vital importance. With a large out-turn from the Rawang coalfields, coal is more likely to get cheaper than dearer, while firewood must undoubtedly continue to increase in price. It should not be forgotten, moreover, that the more wood the miners burn the more scarce and costly becomes their mining timber. All that is necessary to convert a boiler from wood to coal burning plant consists in raising and arranging more closely the fire bars, an alteration easily and cheaply affected. The prejudice still found against the use of coal arises entirely from the firemen and drivers in charge of the boilers. A fireman at present having thrown in 10 to 15 billets of wood has nothing further to do until those 10 to 15 billets are consumed. With Indian coal his time would be more fully occupied in stoking, trimming and raking out clinker. Rawang,however, in this respect would appear to be far better than the present coals we use, for I understand it leaves no slag. The aversion upon the part of the fireman to a little additional work I have found in practice is easily overcome by an extra dollar or two to his monthly wages. A good fireman at present in charge of a boiler gets from $14 to $18 a month; increase this to from $20 to $25 a month and all difficultly will vanish. An Enormous Saving If coal were universally employed in the F.M.S. the saving to the mining industry would be enormous. Taking the mukim or sub-district of Ampang, for instance, I find from figures kindly furnished me by the Mines Office that the total horsepower engaged therein in mining is 973 which at 12 h.p. to a boiler equals 81 boilers. From this it can be proved that by burning Indian coal the miners of the mukim would save $38,880 per mensum and $466,560 per annum fuel bills, while by burning Rawang coal they would probably be able to save as much as from $54,432 to $61,579 per mensum, and from $639,984 to $738,912 per annum. Truly astonishing figures. What must be the saving the whole country could effect? Mr. Choo Kia Peng’s statement of results shows that it took 80 piculs of firewood to feed the fire for 16 hours, which at 50 cents a picul, gave a cost of $40. Taking the consumption of firewood to Indian coal in the ratio of 3 to 1, 26 2/3 piculs of that coal were used. It cost 90 cents a picul or $24, thereby effecting a saving of $16 a day, or $5,760 a year (360 days). With the same ratio of Rawang coal, at 55 cents a picul, the cost per day was $14.66, the saving per day $25.34 and the saving per annum $9,122. With the lesser ratio of 2 ½ piculs of firewood to 1 picul of Rawang coal, at the price of 55 cents a picul, the cost worked out at $17.60, making a daily saving of $22.40 and yearly retrenchment of $8,064, as compared with firewood. (1184 words)

The Malay Mail June 24, 1913. and Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 24 June 1913, Page 5 ,Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 23 June 1913, Page 6 , Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 25 June 1913, Page 5  Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 26 June 1913, Page 5  0. 0. Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 27 June 1913, Page 5 , 0. Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 28 June 1913, Page 5  0. Large Advert for shares, which lists capital, directors, bankers etc. “ the company has been formed to acquire the Coalfield at Rawang, which has been proved by through prospecting over two years Registered Offices 14 and 15 Loke Buildings.

Page 7 Miscellaneous Column 1 [Miscellaneous] Weekly Sun, 28 June 1913, Page 7  Mr. Mungo Park A.R.S.M. is to be Colliery Manager for the Malayan Collieries Limited.

The Straits Echo Mail Edition, 27th June 1913, No 26, Vol.11 p.611 Tuesday 24th June, 1913 (Leading article.) MALAYAN COLLIERIES LIMITED. In our leading article of yesterday we emphasised the potential importance to this country of the floatation of the Malayan Collieries, Limited, and, having in the interval devoted some little time to a study of the prospectus- a “document of twenty-five closely printed pages- we are now in a position to examine it from the point of view of the investing public. The company proposes to commence operations with a capital of $1,500,000 and to hold $500,000 worth of shares for a possible future issue. The shares are of $10 each and, of the 150,000 which will figure on the initial register, 61,000 are to be allotted to the vendors, who also take $390,000 in cash, so that the present issue comprises 89,000 shares. Private applications, the prospectus states, have already been received for 60,000 shares and the company may go to allotment on these applications. The cash, nearly four hundred thousand dollars, taken by the vendors may appear to be heavy, but we are assured that the sum of over $100,000 has been sent in prospecting under the direction of Messrs. Osborne and Chapel during the past two years and also that Mr.J.A. Russell, the ultimate vendor, makes no cash profit. We gather, therefore, that the balance of the vendors cash goes to the Rawang Coal Syndicate, which furnished the funds for prospecting, and that Mr. Russell’s remuneration will consist in a portion of the block of shares allotted to the vendors, on which, during the period of development, no dividend is to be payable until those issued to the public have received interest at the rate of 6%. We have read the prospectus carefully and in a critical spirit, and we have come to the conclusion that the statement made in the “Summary of Contents” on page 3 are fair and reasonable deductions from the reports of experts. Investors in Malaya are acquainted with the status of, past experience and reputation of Messrs.Osborne & Chappel, who are responsible for the data as to the proved area of the main seam, the tonnage of marketable coal it contains, the over-all cost of production and the bed- rock selling price. Experiments as to the quality of the coal itself have been carried out both locally and in England by professional experts of good standing. It is not contended that the quality of this coal, which is lignite, is equal to that of anthracite, but it is stated that it is very suitable for power purposes and only slightly inferior to the Indian product, the comparative evaporative values being 1.06 and 1.00, while for the Rawang coal is claimed the advantage of less ash and sulphur percentage. The summary to which we have referred says” The prospecting of the Concession has been conducted for a period extending over two years by Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, who have now exhaustively proved, at least 10,000,000 tons of marketable coal, in part of one seam alone, besides discovering several other seams, indicating in all very large deposits, sufficient, in fact, to supply the needs of the country for many years to come. This prospecting has been most thoroughly and efficiently done at a cost, including fees of Home experts, etc., of over $100,000. The coal has been carefully analysed and tested on numerous and various occasions by some of the highest authorities on the subject in the British Isles, whilst a great number of trials on a practical scale have been made both locally and in England. These analyses, tests and trails, the chief of which are to be found in the body of the Prospectus, have proved the coal to compare very favourably with coals of a similar nature mined and used in other parts of the world, showing it to be of great economic value, and well able to compete with firewood and locally imported fuels. Rawang coal has by these tests been proved to be eminently suitable for portable engines, suction gas plants, the railway, cement works, smelting and shipping, as well as for many other purposes, while to supply about half the present mining requirements alone an initial local demand of some 200,000 tons per annum has been demonstrated, and it is solely on this latter source of consumption that the figures of this prospectus have originally been based. These local trails have also shown the coal to be worth as much as $10 a ton at pit head; but the Prospectus estimates and figures have in the first instance been calculated on a selling price of only $5.25 at pit-head. The depth of the seams, and other conditions of the coal measures, show that over-all costs of coal production should never exceed $3 a ton, and may be confidently calculated at $2; however in this Prospectus the higher figure has been taken. A working capital of $500,000 has been estimated to be more than ample for all purposes. A table of dividends on page 17 of the prospectus holds out prospects ranging from 26 and half per cent per annum- a figure based on Messrs. Osborne and Chappel’s estimates- to just over 118 and three quarters per cent which it is contended, could be obtained if the capital of the company was raised to $1,600,000 and four hundred thousand tons of coal produced annually at $2.25 (including government royalty) and sold at pit-head at about $7 per ton. We imagine that most investors would be quite content with the more modest return. To a certain degree the Prospectus bears the imprimatur of the F.M.S. Government and although this, of course, constitutes no guarantee that shareholders may not eventually be disappointed, it is reasonable to suppose that the Government would not claim the right to nominate a director to the board of a company unless it considered that its prospects were sound, or that provision would be made by in the F.M.S. estimates for construction, at a very considerable cost, of railway connection with the mine unless it were thought that the venture would prove a success and that both the output and demand for the coal would be sufficient to make its carriage a profitable business for the railways. We may note further that Sir Arthur Young, addressing the Federal Council in November last year, stated that “ prospecting carried out at the Rawang Coal Field had proved the existence of a very large quantity of coal and it had been decided to connect the field with the railway system.” While the Senior Warden of Mines in his Annual Report published last month said: “ The Rawang Coal Syndicate, Limited completed their prospecting operations and a quality of coal amply sufficient to justify working on large scale has been proved; the Government have decided to connect the field with the railway system, and the survey of a branch line from Kuang Station was in hand at the end of the year. There is, as we need hardly point out, an element of speculation about every mining proposition, and it would be excessive not to expect this element to be present when dividends of from twenty-six to a hundred and twenty per cent are foreshadowed. But in the case of Malayan Collieries, the prospecting seems to have been carefully and thoroughly done; the board is composed of sound business men who may be counted upon to advance and safeguard the interests of shareholders; the vendors have not made any of those exorbitant demands which are unfortunately too common in connection with local floatation’s; and the company starts with a reasonable prospect of justifying its prospectus and giving its members an adequate return.

The Straits Times, 28 June 1913, Page 8  0. SOCIAL AND PERSONAL. It is rumoured that the officer to be nominated a director of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., by the F.M.S. Government will probably be Mr. W.J.P. Hume, Commissioner of Trade and Customs.

The Malay Mail Weekly, July 3rd 1913 page 3. Malayan Collieries Report of Suction Gas Trials. By the last mail the Malayan Collieries Ltd., received the full report of the suction gas trials made in London on Rawang Coal. The test was continued for three days and was very satisfactory. We reprint below the final paragraph of the report: - “Conclusions – the coal is quite suitable for use in our bituminous gas producers. The sample tested contained a considerable quantity of fine coal, probably 15 per cent under 3/8th cube. This was probably due to it having been transported so far in bags. With less small coal rather better results would be expected. Owing to the coal being of a free burning nature it is much more easily worked than the majority of British coals. The ash is of a light grey colour and does not appear to fuse easily. From the above you will see that the tests were very satisfactory from a working point of view. The coal consumption is rather high but with a smaller percentage of the small coal we have no doubt that this would be reduced”

The Straits Times, 5 July 1913, Page 8  . With regard to the Malayan Collieries Company, Ltd., we are asked to state that it has been found difficult to arrange for all the directors of the company meeting until next Wednesday. It is hoped, however, that letters of allotment will be posted the same night. (46 words)

The Times of Malaya July 5 1913 Malayan Collieries Solicitors’ Letter to Singapore Paper The following letter from Messrs. Drew and Napier, Solicitors, Singapore, has been addressed to a Singapore paper on the question of the prospectus of the Malayan Collieries Ltd.: In your issue of this morning there appears a letter from “ Investor” dealing with the prospectus of the above Company. As Solicitors for the Company (which by the way is not registered at Somerset House, London, but in Kuala Lumpur) we consider it necessary to point out certain mis-statements contained in your correspondent’s letter. With reference to the general views expressed as to probable output and consumption of the Company’s coal and its suitability for certain requirements, we do not think it is necessary for us to make any reply to your correspondent. Your correspondent states: - “According to the prospectus (which is very indefinite) dividends have to be paid to the vendors during the period of development” Upon what basis does he come to this conclusion? The first page of the prospectus states that no dividend will be payable on vendors’ shares until those issued to the public receive interest at the rate of 6% per annum for the period of development. He continues: - “The prospectus does no say where the floatation expenses are to come from, so we presume these must be deducted form the working capital” On page 19 of the prospectus it is stated that the Company will pay all preliminary and incidental expenses to the formation of the Company and limits the amount to $5,000. He further states: - “Underwriting expenses, if any, will no doubt be taken from the same fund” If the Company had to pay these expenses the prospectus would have so stated. We are authorised to state that the Company will not pay these. The only other statement in the letter which we desire to draw attention to is that in which your correspondent says: - “ London has paid the expenses of prospecting, in all possibly $60,000” A reference to page 4 of the prospectus will show that the vendors have expended over $100,000 upon the proposition. As previously stated, we do not think it is necessary to refer to the other matter set forth by your correspondent, as investors are provided with an opportunity, by reading the prospectus, of forming their own conclusions as to the merits of the proposition.

Copy of Letter: To the District Officer, Ulu Selangor, from J.A. Russell, Federated Malay States, Kuala Lumpur , Selangor, 10th July 1913. Sir, I have the honour on behalf of the Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate of London and of the Malayan Collieries, Ltd., to apply for the whole of the still by them unselected area held under their Prospecting License dated 25th October, 1912, over the available area within the radius of three miles from the adit of Selangor Coal field near the 26th mile Rawang - K.Selangor Road, and also such part of the additional area as lies within the Ulu Selangor District, together with such part of the additional Kuala Selangor area as lies within 80 chains of the District boundary. Messrs. Osborne and Chappel who hold power of attorney from the Rawang F.M.S. Coal syndicate of London have already written to the British Resident informing him of my power to act, and the former selection of 1,200 odd acres made by me. I enclose a cheque for $6,550/- for survey fees; please let me know whether this is sufficient. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Sd: J. A Russell. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia US1 842/30 0.

The Straits Times, 11 July 1913, Page 10  Malayan Collieries, Ltd. The Malay Mail of Thursday, says: - We understand the Malayan Collieries, Ltd., held their first board meeting when the company duly went to allotment. We are informed by the agents and secretaries that the total amount of working capital was fully subscribed. We further understand that the board have decided to appoint Messrs. Foster Brown and Rees of Cardiff, to act as their consulting engineers. We hear that Towkay Loke Yew and Towkay Lee Kong Lam paid a visit to the concession of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., at Rawang, and on their return next day combined to underwrite 20,000 shares each. (110 words)

The Malay Daily Chronicle July 12, 1913, page 7 We hear that Towkay Loke Yew and Towkay Lee Kong Lam paid a visit to the concession of Malayan Collieries Ltd. at Rawang and on their return next day combined to underwrite 20,000 shares each.

Copy of letter to The District Officer, Ulu Selangor, from J.A. Russell, Federated Malay States, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, 11th July 1913. Sir, With reference to my letter to you of the 10th instant on the subject of applying for the whole of the still unselected area held by the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate of London, and to the conversation of myself and Mr. A.A. Henggeler with you of the same date, I have the honour to apply on behalf of the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate of London and on behalf of the Malayan Collieries, Ltd., of Kuala Lumpur for renewal for one year of the said prospecting licence. Should the Government agree to renew the licence, then the application of yesterday to take up the whole area would be withdrawn. In renewing the licence I would ask that there being no machinery for the transfer of prospecting licences, it be made out in the name of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., who have purchased the whole of the property and rights of the Rwang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate. I would mention that Malayan Collieries, Ltd., duly went to allotment on the 9th instant and that the total capital has been slightly oversubscribed. The Company has a present working capital of $500,000/- and an unissued reserve of another $500,000/-. For the last month or two the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate has done practically no prospecting, but the Malayan Collieries Ltd. intend, should the prospecting licence be renewed, to proceed vigorously with the prospecting work. The Malayan Collieries Ltd. have appointed Messrs. Forster Brown and Rees of Cardiff, perhaps the best known colliery engineers in Great Britain, to be their consulting engineers and to engage for them at Home a fully –qualified and experienced manager and staff. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Sd. J A Russell. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13

Letter to The Secretary to the Resident, Selangor from District Officer, Ulu Selangor, Kuala Kubu. 13 July, 1913. Sir, with reference to your (34) and (35) in 5376/11, I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of a letter signed by Mr. J. A. Russell and dated 11.7.13 applying for the renewal for one year of the Prospecting Licence issued to the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate which expires today, and asking that the new licence be made out in the name of Malayan Collieries Limited. 2. I know of no objection to the renewal of the licence but would point out to Government that as no prospecting has been done by the licensee in the “additional area” (I have reliable information that such is the case) mentioned in your (34) quote above, there can be no “claim” whatever for the renewal of the licence with regard to that area. I am not in a position to report as to what prospecting has been carried out inside the original prospecting area (none has been done outside the three mile radius) but have no doubt that the Warden of Mines will be able to supply that information. 3. I also enclose a copy of a letter dated 10.7.13 signed by Mr. Russell, and alluded to by him in para (1) of his letter of 11.7.13. my remarks in para (2) above, apply equally to the question of the issue of a lease in respect of any portion of the ‘additional area” 4. I put up copy of tracing supplied by Osborne & Chapel showing the original prospecting area (the three mile radius) and the “additional area”, and (approximately) the block of 1200 acres for which the issue of a lease has been approved (Correspondence 2459/12) now charted on the tracing in pencil by the Survey Office. The Survey Department have also shown on the tracing the corner of an agricultural block in the Kuala Selangor District not shown by Osborne and Chappel. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ?JE Kenny, District officer, Ulu Selangor. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13

Letter from Acting Secretary to the Resident to the Under Secretary F.M.S. Kuala Lumpur. 9 August 1913. Renewal of Prospecting Licence Rawang Coal Area. Sir, I am directed to report that application has been made for renewal, in the name of Malayan Collieries Limited, of Prospecting Licence for coal and oil which was issued last year to the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate Limited. 2. A copy of the licence, which expired on 12th July 1913 is attached. 3. The Resident, after consulting with the Senior Warden of Mines, recommends that a new licence be issued to the applicant company for a period of one year, at a fee if $25, with the rights of selecting over all or any part of the available area, the licence to be subject to the same conditions as the previous one, with an additional clause giving the Resident power to insert in any lease for land selected thereunder a condition to the effect that such area shall be worked to his satisfaction. 4. This condition is suggested with a view to preventing the company taking up land with the sole purpose of excluding possible rivals. The Resident does not consider it desirable that there should be rival undertaking in this area, but the prospect of possible competition should exercise a stimulating effect on the present lessees. 5. It will be seen that the former licence reserves the right to include special conditions in any subsequent lease, but it is nevertheless considered advisable that the special conditions now recommended should be brought to the notice of the licensees by being specially mentioned in the licence. 6. The area so far selected by the licensees under the old licence amounts, as already reported, to 1,200 acres. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, O.F.Stonor, Ag: Secretary to Resident, Selangor. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13 0.

The Straits Times 16 October 1913 page 8 It is stated that Mr P. P. Spradberry, formerly of Messrs Derrick and Co. Singapore, has joined Messrs. J. A. Russell and Co. Kuala Lumpur

Letter from District Officer, District Office, Kuala Kubu, Ulu Selangor to The Secretary to the Resident Kuala Lumpur. 4th November 1913 USL 904/13 Mining Lease to the Malayan Collieries Ltd. Sir, With reference to your correspondence 2459/12 I have the honour to forward for perusal the Mining Lease (in duplicate) which is to be granted to the Malayan Collieries Ltd. This Mining Lease is to take the place of the Mining Certificate lately issued to the Rawang F.M.S. Coal Syndicate and subsequently transferred to the Malayan Collieries Ltd: and includes part of the Rantau Panjang Forest Reserve revoked vide your correspondence No 4001. 2. I would ask authority to issue this Mining Lease to the Malayan Collieries Ltd: I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, T C ?Henry/Hemmings District Officer, Ulu Selangor. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 5644/13

Document: U. S. 544/10, No. 5239, Government of Selangor P.L. No. 15/12 Schedule 0. Under Section 46 of “The Mining Enactment, 1904” Prospecting Licence This licence authorises the Rawang, F.M.S. Coal Syndicate Ltd. of London (a) To prospect for the following metal or mineral- namely Coal and oil for the period of 18 months commencing from the 13th day of January 1912, within the area hereunder described, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in part III of the “Mining Enactment, 1904” (b) To select and receive a lease for the whole or any part of State Land within the area hereunder described on proof to the satisfaction of the Resident that the licensee has done a sufficient amount of prospecting work to entitle him to such a lease. Note. - This licence is liable to cancellation by the Resident if the licensee shall cease altogether to work within the area hereunder described for a period of 6 months. Description of Prospecting Area. The available area within a radius of 3 miles from the adit of the Selangor Coal Field near the 26th mile Rawang- Kuala Selangor Road and also such part of the additional area as lies within the Ulu Selangor district together with such part of the additional area as lies within 80 chains of the District boundary. Dated this 25th day of October, 1912. Fee paid $25/- Sd. Re E. Gordon- Walker, Collector. Rt. 6441/12 Special Conditions (Endorsed on back of License) The licensees shall prospect on the express understanding that no lease will be granted without a proviso to the effect that the Government shall always have the right of entering upon the land for the purpose of mining and taking mineral oil for the ships of H.B.M.’s Navy or for other purposes of H.B.M.’s Admiralty and further subject to such other conditions as may be settled hereafter. The issue of the lease will also be subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for the colonies. Sd. R. E. Gordon- Walker, Collector of land Revenue, Ulu Selangor. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13 0.

OIL IN MALAYA. [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 13 November 1913, Page 2 0.  OIL IN MALAYA. With reference to the editorial in our issue of Tuesday on the subject of the possibility of finding oil in the Tertiary rocks of the Rantau Panjang measures, more commonly known as the Rawang Coalfields, we are informed by the secretaries to Malayan Collieries, Ltd., the proprietors of these measures, that Mr. Mungo Park, A.R.S.M., who prospected them, gave what he described as “ a very approximate estimate” of the quantity of petroleum contained in the upper shales alone at twelve hundred million gallons of crude oil. The secretaries further inform us that it is the policy and intention of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., as soon as they have finished preliminary development work on their main coal shaft, to prospect for that deep deposit of natural free petroleum which the F.M.S. Geologist and others think may very possibly from surface and other indications be found at depth upon the Company’s extensive concession. (M.M.)

Oil in the Peninsula. [Letters] The Straits Times, 15 November 1913, Page 10 Oil in the Peninsula. To the Editor of the Straits Times. Sir,- In your leader of the 6th inst. under the above caption dealing with the F.M.S. Government Geologist's pamphlet on the prospect of mineral oil being found in the Federated Malay States, you say: "The author thinks most, apparently, of prospects in the rich coast districts, as in Province Wellesley, Kuala Selangor and some other places.” We would beg to point out that in this you are not quite correct. The Government Geologist distinctly states that the two brightest spots are not these coastal deposits but the two occurrences of tertiary rocks found, the one on the Singgora border, and the other forming the Rantau Panjang – more commonly known as the Rawang – Coalfield, now the property of Malayan Collieries, Ltd. In the pamphlet under review the Government Geologist says he thinks that the deeper portions of these two widely- separated outcrops of Tertiary rocks may quite possibly contain oil in payable quantities, and lays it down that to prospect these two outcrops thoroughly should be the aim of those looking for oil. With regard to the one forming the Rawang coalfield, Mr. Mungo Park A.R.S.M., who prospected these measures, gave a rough estimate of the oil contained in the top shales of the upper portion of the same at about twelve thousand million gallons. Unfortunately, the oil in this upper portion is so disseminated through the shale that, although representing a potential asset of considerable value, with the present methods of extraction would not pay to work. Oil rights, however, have been obtained by the company from the Government, and so soon as development work on the main coal shafts has been completed, the company will probably put down in the middle of the outcrop in search of free mineral oil in the lower portion of the measures that bore to depth the hitherto non- sinking of which the Government Geologist regrets.- Yours etc. J. A. Russell and Co. Kuala Lumpur, November 12, 1913. (339 words)

The Federal Council. [Articles] The Straits Times, 26 November 1913, Page 9 The Federal Council. HIGH COMMISSIONERS OPENING ADDRESS. A Year of Substantial Progress. The Federal Council was opened at Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, fine weather allowing the customary brilliance of the ceremony to be witnessed in comfort. There were present, (Summary: prosperity, record expenditure, construction, railway, roads, rubber, chandu, mines “ the floatation of Malayan Collieries, Ltd. for which a manager has been engaged in England” planting, locusts, fall in price of rubber, labour, health, crime, housing, sanatorium, Siam railway. (1876 words)

MEETING AT KUALA LUMPOR. [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 27 November 1913, Page 350  0. MEETING AT KUALA LUMPOR. Progress and Prospects. (From Our Own Correspondent Kuala Lumpur. Nov. 25. 0. His Excellency the High Commissioner opened the Federal Council this afternoon. In his annual address he referred to the record revenue of 1913 and said that the estimated revenue for 1914 was 39 3/4 million dollars. Extract Mines: “the floatation of Malayan Collieries”

The Straits Times, 3 December 1913, Page 8  and Untitled [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 6 December 1913, Page 8  and Saturday, Dec 6, 1913. [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 11 December 1913, Page 375  Saturday, Dec 6, 1913. 0. SOCIAL AND PERSONAL. Mr. McCall, the technical expert being sent out from home to Malayan Collieries, Ltd., by Messrs. Foster, Brown and Rees, the well known colliery consulting engineers of Cardiff, in order that he may open up the Rawang coalfields, is among the passengers arriving out by the next P. and O. mail. (372 words)

Letter from D. O. Russell, Malayan Collieries Ltd., J. A. Russell and Co. Federated Malay States, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor 4th December, 1913 to Collector of Land Revenue, Ulu Selangor. Sir, We have the hour to inform you that we have now placed before our Board of Directors Prospecting Licence No 5314 (17/13), received from you last week, of date 17th November, 1913, and have been instructed by them to draw your attention to the fact that an extra Clause has been inserted in the Prospecting Licence as follows: -“ The Resident shall have the power to insert in any lease of land selected under this licence a condition to the effect that such an area shall be worked to his satisfaction”. In our letter of the 13th October, and that of Mr. J. A. Russell on behalf of the Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate, Ltd., of the like date it was stipulated that the new Prospecting Licence issued to us should be identical as regards terms with that one previously issued to the Syndicate and under which it was then undertaken in return for the new one to make no further selection of land. The terms of Clause 3 are vague and the powers conferred on the Resident alarming; we should seem by it to be deprived of absolutely any protection or benefits of the Mining Enactment, 1904, and yet be subject to all its pains and penalties. Before, therefore accepting this Prospecting Licence, we would beg of you kindly to give us some interpretation of the meaning of this Clause. While on the point, we would also ask for an interpretation of Clause No 2. Is it not the form of the lease which it is meant is to be subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies? We have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Malayan Collieries Ltd., J. A. Russell and Co. Sd. D. O. Russell. Manager. (This letter has pencilled notes in the margin: “stipulated” is underlined and the note added: “ Neither M.C. nor the Syndicate was in a position to dictate terms.” Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13

Mining Lease. (copy) Government of Selangor. (Schedule D. Section 9 (i.) of “The Mining Enactment 1904”) Lease for Mining Land. District of Ulu Selangor. No. 2549 Vol. XXXVI Fol.49. This lease is issued by the Resident of Selangor, on behalf of His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, to Malayan Collieries Limited and those claiming under him, to occupy for the term of 21 years from the date hereof that portion of land in the mukim of Rawang Portion 1285 estimated to contain 1282 acres, (as shown on annexed plan and bounded as follows, that is to say:-) Subject as hereinafter provided: - For the purpose of working all metals and minerals found on or beneath the said land other than mineral oil. Excepting and reserving unto His said Highness all mineral oils on or beneath the said land with full liberty for His said Highness or persons authorised by him or by the said Resident on his behalf to search for, work and dispose of the same. Subject to the payment therefore of the annual rent of one thousand two hundred and eighty two dollars and to the employment thereon of not less than one thousand two hundred and eighty two coolies, and to the provisions and conditions set out in “The Mining Enactment 1904.” And to the special conditions and obligations endorsed hereon. In witness whereof the said Resident has hereto set his hand and caused the public seal of the State to be affixed at Kuala Lumpur this 6th day of December 1913, Sd. E. Burnside, Acting British Resident, Selangor. in the presence of Sd. T.S.T. Row. Signed by the said Lessees this 25th day of November 1913 for Malayan Collieries, Ltd: Sd. J. A. Russell Director. J. A. Russell and Co. Sd. D.O. Russell, Manager, Agents and Secretaries. in the presence of Sd. Henry E. Swan Collector. Registered at Kuala Kubu Land Office, this 23rd day of January 1914. No. of former Title Mining Certificate 988. Sd. R. E. Gordon-Walker, Collector. Ulu Selangor. SPECIAL CONDITIONS 1. The lessee shall on the written request from time to time of the said Resident place and thereafter keep at the disposal of the Government all such portions of the land hereby leased as the Government may require for the construction and maintenance of the Railway connecting the land hereby leased or any part thereof with the main line of the Federated Malay States Railways between Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Kubu and for the construction and maintenance of sidings connected with such railway and with other works appurtenant thereto ad shall so construct the mining operations hereby authorised as not to interfere with or obstruct the construction, maintenance or use of any such railway or sidings or other works as aforesaid or to endanger the good order or stability thereof. Provided that the said Resident in selecting all such portions of land as aforesaid shall first consult the lessee as to the position thereof. 2. . The lessee shall not after the expiration of the nine months from the date upon which the Railway connecting the said land with the F.M.S. Railway system may be available for traffic cease at any time for a period of 12 consecutive months from doing work upon the said land necessary for and incidental to winning coal from the said land. 3. All coal raised from the land hereby leased shall be subject to a royalty to be paid by the lessee to the Government at the rate of 25 cents for every ton of coal removed or transported beyond the boundaries of the said land, payment of the royalty to be made in such manner as may be directed by the Resident. 4. The lessee shall furnish to the said Resident on or before the15th January, April, July and October in every year a return showing for the three months immediately preceding the month in which the return is required to be furnished, (a) the amount of coal raised, (b) the amount of coal sold, (c) The stock of coal in stacks, trucks, and bins on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the return is required to be furnished, (d) the price or prices at which the coal has been sold and the amount paid to the Government as royalty. 5. The lessee shall from time to time on demand produce for the inspection of the Commissioner of Trade and Customs and the Senior Warden of Mines and of any officer authorised by either of them all books and accounts kept in pursuance of the obligation imposed by Section 16 (x) of “The Mining Enactment 1904” and shall at all times permit and on demand afford all reasonable facilities for the checking by the said Commissioner or Senior Warden or any other officer authorised as aforesaid of the amount of coal in stock. Provided that the lessee shall not be required to remove any such books from the place or places where they are for the time being kept. 6. The lessee on application made from time to time by or on behalf of the said Resident or the Chief Secretary to Government, Federated Malay States, supply for the use of the Government such quantities of coal as may be applied for at a price not exceeding the lowest price at which coal of the quality required is supplied by the lessee to any other person. Provided that should the Government at any time require a supply of coal in excess of 200 tons but not exceeding 2000 tons per mensum three months notice of such requirement shall be given to the lessee and should the Government at any time require a supply of coal in excess of 2000 but not exceeding 5000 tons per mensum six months notice of such requirement shall be given the lessee and should the Government at any time require a supply of coal in excess of 5000 tons per mensum 12 months notice of such requirement shall be given the lessee. 7. All Government Officers authorised in that behalf by the said Resident in writing shall at all times have free access to the land hereto leased with all necessary workmen and apparatus for the purpose of winning, and taking therefrom mineral oil for the ships of His Britannic Majesty’s Navy and for other purposes of His Britannic Majesty’s Admiralty and the lessee shall in no way obstruct or interfere with any such entry or operations. Provided that for any loss or damage caused to the lessee by the exercise of the rights conferred by this condition reasonable compensation shall on complaint being made within twelve months by the lessee to the said Resident be payable by the Government to the lessee; and provided further that, if and so often as the Government and the lessee shall differ as to the merits of any claim for such compensation as aforesaid or as to the amount of compensation to be paid such difference shall be submitted to the arbitration of two arbitrators, one to be appointed by the said Resident and the other by the lessee and such arbitrators shall appoint an umpire or third arbitrator. Such arbitration shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of “The Arbitration Enactment 1912” or any enacted modification thereof. 8. The lease shall be liable to forfeiture for breach of any of the obligations set forth. 9. No export duty shall be charged on any coal won from the land. 10. If the lessee shall within the two years immediately preceding the expiration of the said term of 21 years apply in writing to the said Resident for a lease of the said lands for a further term of 21 years from the expiration of the term hereby grated and if the conditions and obligations expressed and implied herein shall in the opinion of the said Resident have consistently observed and performed then the lessee shall be entitled to receive a lease of all the said lands upon all the terms and conditions herein contained excluding only this condition. Sd. E. Burnside Acting British Resident, Selangor. Documents in the National Archives of Malaysia

MALAYAN COLLIERIES. [Articles] 0. The Straits Times 23 December 1913 page 9 and MALAYAN COLLIERIES. [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 23 December 1913, Page 7  and MALAYAN COLLIERIES. [Articles] The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 24 December 1913, Page 416 MALAYAN COLLIERIES FOOC KL Dec 22 The statutory meeting of Malayan Collieries was held today, Mr. J. A. Russell presiding. He stated that the company had been slightly oversubscribed. He was unable at present, owing to the arrival of new manager, to give information of the working prospects of the coalfields but promised to issue particulars by circular to shareholders in a month’s time. He stated that matters were progressing steadily and the earth works of the railway line to the coal- field were now well in hand.

The Malay Daily Chronicle, Tuesday December 30, 1913 and MALAYAN COLLIERIES, LTD. [Articles] The Straits Times, 26 December 1913, Page 10  The Statutory Meeting. Mr. J.A Russell’s speech. The statutory meeting of Malayan Collieries Ltd., was held on 22nd inst. at the registered offices of the Company, 14 and 15 Loke Yew Buildings, Kuala Lumpur, Mr. J. A. Russell, (the chairman) presiding. Mr. D. O. Russell (on behalf of Messrs. J. A. Russell and Co. the agents and secretaries) having read the notice convening the meeting, the Chairman said: - Gentlemen, - this meeting, as you all know, is called but in order to comply with the provisions of the Companies Enactment, 1897, it being what is known as a statutory meeting. The object in calling a statutory meeting is not to present an audited balance sheet and report on the working of the Company, but to afford an opportunity to shareholders of learning how the floatation of the company has been effected. I have therefore first to inform you that the total number of shares allotted is 150,000 of which 61,000 are allotted fully paid up to the extent of $10/- a share in part consideration of the acquirement of the property and rights in the Federated Malay States of the Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate Ltd. From this you will perceive that our Company has gone to allotment fully subscribed; it was in fact slightly over subscribed, and all very small applications were rejected. The total amount of money that has been received to date is $527,328. There is a sum of $6,750 still due from shareholders on account allotment, but the whole of this sum has been independently guaranteed. The total amount of disbursements made to date is $407,755.14 of which $390,000 was the cash consideration paid to the vendors. The amount of cash with the Company’s bankers is $112,572.86. The present directors, auditors, bankers and the agents and secretaries are those whose names were originally given on the front page of the prospectus, no changes or resignations having been made. But your directors have since the formation of the Company engaged the services of Messrs. Forster Brown and Rees, the eminent colliery consulting engineers of Cardiff, to design your plant, and to advise on equipping and working, while the latter have selected and engaged on your behalf Mr Thomas Lockhart McCall to act as your mines- manager at Rawang. Mr. McCall until he joined your Company was manager at the Ormiston Colliery, Great Britain, and holds, besides other certificates and diplomas a first class colliery manager’s certificate. Mr. McCall was unfortunately unable at once to sever his former connection, and therefore to arrive out here before about a week ago. The property and rights of the Rawang (F.M.S.) Coal Syndicate, Ltd., have been fully transferred to your Company and you are now sole registered owners of the Rawang Coalfields. Your directors, I must explain, had hoped to be able to avail themselves of the opportunity of today’s formal meeting to give you the information about the proposed method of working and the prospects of you Coalfield, which I am sure you are eager to have; but in view of the fact that Mr. McCall has but just arrived from Home, and has, therefore, not yet had sufficient time or opportunity in which thoroughly to investigate the field and seams, and to arrive at what is the best method of working, we have thought it better to say nothing now, but to promise that within one month’s time from today we will issue to all shareholders a circular giving the fullest possible particulars of the proposed method of working and of the prospects of your property. I shall, therefore, add nothing further at this meeting except in conclusion to mention that you must not think there has been any delay on the part of your directors, for matters have been progressing steadily and could not have been further expedited without taking grave risks; that the earthwork line being built by the F.M.S. Government to your coalfield is now well in hand; that all your directors have seen and heard since the formation of the Company has but the more convinced them of the great value of your property; and finally to thank you for you attendance here to-day.

Letter to the Secretary to the Resident, Selangor, from Drew and Napier, Advocates and Solicitors, Kuala Lumpur Federated Malay States. 31st December 1913. Malayan Collieries Ltd. Sir, The directors of the above Company wish to discuss with the British Resident the terms of the prospecting licence which has recently been issued with regard in particular to the last special condition thereof. That condition is designed to prevent a monopoly of mining for coal in the Rawang coal area, and the directors are quite willing to accede to any condition upon that point, but they feel that the condition as worded does not properly meet the case and is far too wide in expression and is likely to embarrass them in working the Mine in the future. It is on the above points that the Directors desire to consult with the Resident with a view to redrafting of the condition. We should be much obliged if the Resident would be kind enough to grant an appointment, when we and the Directors can attend before him and discuss the matter. We have the Honour to be Sir, Your obedient servants, Drew and Napier. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia 3943/13

F.M.S. Annual Departmental Report .1913, page 6. Coal. Rawang Coal Area. 21. The Rawang Collieries Company, Limited, was floated locally in July, with a capital of $2,000,000, and the manager who had been engaged in England arrived at the end of the year. A commencement was made on railway connection, and good progress is expected. The coal was successfully tried in a Dowson double action suction producer; but no experiments have been made with regard to briquetting. A considerable amount of preliminary work is under consideration by the company and they should be in a position to produce coal shortly after the completion of the railway connection. Further prospecting operations were also in hand at the end of the year. Document in the National Archives of Malaysia. ( Reproduced in The Malay Daily Chronicle, Wednesday June, 10, 1914 page 7.