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spirit； who is one of the foremost men in the colony。 Then on the Civil
Establishment there are a legion of departments； the Colonial
Secretary's office with a branch office and Chinese Protectorate； a
Land Office； Printing Office； Treasury； Audit Office； Post Office；
Public Works and Survey Department； Marine Department； Judicial
Department； Attorney…General's Department； Sheriff's Department； Police
Court and Police Department； and Ecclesiastical； Educational； Medical；
and Prison Staffs。
It is natural that when the mail has been worn threadbare and no
stirring incidents present themselves； such as the arrival of a new
ship of war or a touring foreign prince； and the receptions of Mr。
Whampoa and the Maharajah of Johore have grown insipid； that much of
local conversation should consist of speculations as to when or whether
Mr。 will get promotion； when Mr。 will go home； or how much he
has saved out of his salary； what influence has procured the
appointment of Mr。 to Selangor or Perak； instead of Mr。 ；
whose qualifications are higher； whether Mr。 's acting appointment
will be confirmed； whether Mr。 will get one or two years' leave；
whether some vacant appointment is to be filled up or abolished； and so
on ad infinitum。 Such talk girdles the colonial world as completely as
the telegraph； which has revolutionized European business here as
elsewhere。
The island is far less interesting than the city。 Its dense； dark
jungle is broken up mainly by pepper and gambier plantations； the
latter specially in new clearings。 The laborers on these are Chinese；
and so are the wood…cutters and sawyers； who frequent the round…topped
wooded undulations。 The climate is hotter and damper； to one's
sensations at least； than the hottest and dampest of the tropical
houses at Kew； and heat…loving insects riot。 The ants are a pest of the
second magnitude； mosquitoes being of the first； the palm…trees and the
piles of decaying leaves and bark being excellent nurseries for larvae。
The vegetation is luxuriant； and in the dim； green twilight which is
created by enormous forest trees there are endless varieties of ferns；
calladiums； and parasitic plants； but except where a road has been cut
and is kept open by continual labor； the climbing rattan palms make it
impossible to explore。
My short visit has been mainly occupied with the day at the Colonial
Secretary's Lodge； and in walking and driving through the streets。 The
city is ablaze with color and motley with costume。 The ruling race does
not show to advantage。 A pale…skinned man or woman； costumed in our
ugly； graceless clothes； reminds one not pleasingly； artistically at
least； of our dim； pale islands。 Every Oriental costume from the Levant
to China floats through the streetsrobes of silk； satin； brocade； and
white muslin； emphasized by the glitter of 〃barbaric gold；〃 and Parsees
in spotless white； Jews and Arabs in dark rich silks； Klings in Turkey
red and white； Bombay merchants in great white turbans； full trousers；
and draperies； all white； with crimson silk girdles； Malays in red
sarongs； Sikhs in pure white Madras muslin； their great height rendered
nearly colossal by the classic arrangement of their draperies； and
Chinamen of all classes； from the coolie in his blue or brown cotton；
to the wealthy merchant in his frothy silk crepe and rich brocade； make
up an irresistibly fascinating medley。
The English； though powerful as the ruling race； are numerically
nowhere； and certainly make no impression on the eye。 The Chinese； who
number eighty…six thousand out of a population of one hundred and
thirty…nine thousand； are not only numerous enough； but rich and
important enough to give Singapore the air of a Chinese town with a
foreign settlement。 Then there are the native Malays； who have crowded
into the island since we acquired it； till they number twenty…two
thousand； and who； besides being tolerably industrious as boatmen and
fishermen； form the main body of the police。 The Parsee merchants； who
like our rule； form a respectable class of merchants here； as in all
the great trading cities of the East。 The Javanese are numerous； and
make good servants and sailors。 Some of the small merchants and many of
the clerks are Portuguese immigrants from Malacca； and traders from
Borneo； Sumatra； Celebes； Bali； and other islands of the Malay
Archipelago are scattered among the throng。 The washermen and grooms
are nearly all Bengalees。 Jews and Arabs make money and keep it； and
are； as everywhere； shrewd and keen； and only meet their equals among
the Chinese。 Among the twelve thousand natives of India who have been
attracted to Singapore； and among all the mingled foreign
nationalities； the Klings from the Coromandel coast； besides being the
most numerous of all next to the Chinese； are the most attractive in
appearance； and as there is no check on the immigration of their women；
one sees the unveiled Kling beauties in great numbers。*
＇*The Singapore census returns for 1881 are by no means 〃dry reading；〃
and they give a very imposing idea of the importance of the island。 It
is interesting to note that of the 434 enumerators employed only seven
were Europeans！
The number of houses on the island is 20；462； the total population is
139；208 souls； viz。； 105；423 males and 33；785 females。 The total
increase in ten years is divided as follows：
Europeans and Americans 823
Eurasians 930
_Chinese_ 32；194
Malays and other natives of the Archipelago 6；954
Tamils and other natives of India 637
Other nationalities 559
Among these 〃other nationalities〃 the great increase has been among the
Arabs； who have nearly doubled their numbers。 Among the 〃Malays and
other natives of the Archipelago〃 are included； Achinese； Boyanese；
Bugis； Dyaks； Jawi…Pekans； and Manilamen。
The European resident population； exclusive of the soldiers； is only
1；283。 _The Chinese population is_ 86；766； the Malay； 22；114； the
Tamil； 10；475； the Javanese； 5；881； and the Eurasian； 3；091。 In the
very small European population 19 nationalities are included； the
Germans numerically following the British。 Of 15；368 domestic servants；
only 844 are women。＇
These Klings are active and industrious； but they lack fibre
apparently； and that quick…sightedness for opportunities which makes
the Chinese the most successful of all emigrants。 Not a Malay or a
Kling has raised himself either as a merchant or in any other capacity
to wealth or distinction in the colony。 The Klings make splendid
boatmen； they drive gharries； run as syces； lend small sums of money at
usurious interest； sell fruit； keep small shops； carry 〃chit books；〃
and make themselves as generally useful as their mediocre abilities
allow。 They are said to be a harmless people so far as deeds go。 They
neither fight； organize； nor get into police rows； but they quarrel
loudly and vociferously； and their vocabulary of abuse is said to be
inexhaustible。 The Kling men are very fine…looking； lithe and a