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about； and a great deal of military as well as commercial importance；
and 〃the roll of the British drum〃 is a reassuring sound in the midst
of the unquiet Chinese population。 The Governor is assisted by
lieutenant…governors at Malacca and Pinang； and his actual rule extends
to the three 〃protected〃 States of the Malay PeninsulaSungei Ujong；
Selangor； and Perakthe affairs of which are administered by British
Residents； who are more or less responsible to him。
If I fail in making you realize Singapore it is partly because I do not
care to go into much detail about so well known a city； and partly
because my own notions of it are mainly of overpowering greenery； a
kaleidoscopic arrangement of colors； Chinese predominance； and
abounding hospitality。 I almost fail to realize that it is an island；
one of many； all； like itself； covered with vegetation down to the
water's edge； about twenty…seven miles long by fourteen broad； with the
city at its southern end。 It is only seventy miles from the equator；
but it is neither unhealthy nor overpoweringly hot！ It is low and
undulating； its highest point； Bukit Timor； or the Hill of Tin； being
only five hundred and twenty feet high。 The greatest curse here used to
be tigers； which carried off about three hundred people yearly。 They
were supposed to have been extirpated； but they have reappeared；
swimming across from the mainland State of Johore it is conjectured；
and as various lonely Chinese laborers have been victimized； there is
something of a 〃scare；〃 in the papers at least。 Turtles are so abundant
that turtle…soup is anything but a luxury； and turtle flesh is
ordinarily sold in the meat shops。
Rain is officially said to fall on two hundred days of the year； but
popularly every day！ The rainfall is only eighty…seven inches；
however； and the glorious vegetation owes its redundancy to the
dampness of the climate。 Of course Singapore has no seasons。 The
variety is only in the intensity of the heat； the mercury being
tolerably steady between 80 degrees and 84 degrees； the extreme range
of temperature being from 71 degrees to 92 degrees。 People sleep on
Malay mats spread over their mattresses for coolness； some dispense
with upper sheets； and others are fanned all night by punkahs。 The soft
and tepid land and sea breezes mitigate the heat to a slight extent；
but I should soon long for a blustering north…easter to break in upon
the oppressive and vapor…bath stillness。
As Singapore is a military station； and ships of war hang about
constantly； there is a great deal of fluctuating society； and the
officials of the Straits Settlements Government are numerous enough to
form a large society of their own。 Then there is the merchant class；
English； German； French； and American； and there is the usual round of
gayety； and of the amusements which make life intolerable。 I think that
in most of these tropical colonies the ladies exist only on the hope of
going 〃home！〃 It is a dreary； aimless life for themscarcely life；
only existence。 The greatest sign of vitality in Singapore Europeans
that I can see is the furious hurry in writing for the mail。 To all
sorts of claims and invitations； the reply is； 〃But it's mail day； you
know；〃 or； 〃I'm writing for the mail；〃 or； 〃I'm awfully behind hand
with my letters；〃 or； 〃I can't stir till the mail's gone！〃 The hurry is
desperate； and even the feeble Englishwomen exert themselves for
〃friends at home。〃 To judge from the flurry and excitement； and the
driving down to the post…office at the last moment； and the commotion
in the parboiled community； one would suppose the mail to be an
uncertain event occurring once in a year or two； rather than the most
regular of weekly fixtures！ The incoming mail is also a great event；
though its public and commercial news is anticipated by four weeks by
the telegraph。
The Americans boast of the rapid progress of San Francisco； with which
the Victorians boast that Melbourne is running a neck and neck race；
but； if boasting is allowable； Singapore may boast； for in 1818 the
island was covered with dense primeval forest； and only a few miserable
fishermen and pirates inhabited its creeks and rivers。 The prescience
of Sir Stamford Raffles marked it out in 1819 as the site of the first
free port in the Malayan Seas； but it was not till 1824 that it was
formally ceded to the East India Company by the Sultan of Johore； and
it only became a Crown colony in 1867； when it was erected into the
capital of the Straits Settlements； which include Malacca and Pinang。
Like Victoria； Singapore is a free port； and the vexatiousness of a
custom…house is unknown。 The only tax which shipping pays is 1…1/2 per
cent。 for the support of sundry lighthouses。 The list of its exports
suggests heat。 They are chiefly sugar； pepper； tin； nutmegs； mace；
sago； tapioca； rice； buffalo hides and horns； rattans； gutta； india
rubber； gambier； gums； coffee； dye…stuffs； and tobacco； but the island
itself； though its soil looks rich from its redness； only produces
pepper and gambier。 It is a great entrepot； a gigantic distributing
point。*
＇*The exports and imports of Singapore amounted in 1823 to 2；120；000
pounds； in 1859…60 to 10；371；000 pounds； and in 1880； to 23；050；000
pounds！ In the latter year； tonnage to the amount of three millions of
tons arrived in its harbor。 It must be observed that the imports； to a
very large extent； are exported to other places。＇
The problem of raising a revenue without customs duties is solved by a
stamp…tax； land…revenue； and （by far the most important）； the sale of
the monopolies of the preparation and retailing of opium for smoking；
and of spirits and other excisable commodities； these monopolies being
〃farmed〃 to private individuals； mostly Chinamen。 It is rather puzzling
to hear 〃farmers〃 spoken of so near the equator。 A revenue of nearly
half a million annually and a public debt of one hundred thousand
pounds is not bad for so young a colony。 The prosperity of the Straits
Settlements ports is a great triumph for free traders； and a traveler；
even if； like myself； he has nothing but a canvas roll and a 〃Gladstone
bag；〃 congratulates himself on being saved from the bother of
unstrapping and restrapping stiffened and refractory straps； and from
the tiresome delays of even the most courteous custom…house officers。
The official circle is large； as I before remarked。 A Crown colony
where the Government has it all its own way must be the paradise of
officials； and the high sense of honor and the righteous esprit de
corps which characterize our civil servants in the Far East； and a
conscientious sense of responsibilities for the good government and
well…being of the heterogeneous populations over which they rule； seem
as good a check as the general run of colonial parliaments。
The Governor； Sir William Robinson （now Sir F。 A。 Weld）； is assisted by
an Executive Council of eight members； and a Legislative Council
consisting of nine official and six non…official members； including Mr。
Whampoa； C。M。G。； a Chinaman of great wealth and enlightened public
spirit； who is one of the foremost men in the colony。 Then on the Civil
Esta