PENANG, a.k.a. Georgetown,
is a seaport on Penang Island, 2.5 miles off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. The first British settlement in Malaya, it was acquired in 1786 by the British East India Company from the Sultan of Kedah and in 1867 became part of the Crown Colony of the Straits Settlements. A suburban steam tramway opened in 1880 and a city horse tramway in 1898. The electric tram system opened on Jan. 1, 1906, and eventually operated 24 trams over 11 miles of track. Rail service ended in 1936. However, an electric freight tramway served the docks until 1956. The postcard shows a car on the suburban line to Ayer Itam.