Comparative Economy of English and Chinese Labour. 149 



or Indeed any other European labourer, would have com- 

 pleted the same in 187 days, so that here also English or 

 European labour in general is more valuable than Chinese or 

 any other Asiatic labour in the proportion of 100 to 57. 



These results must not however be held to indicate that the 

 Chinese labourer possesses less physical strength than the 

 European, nor must we leave out of view this element in the 

 calculation, that the one executes his work in a temperate, the 

 other in an excessively hot climate, to which European 

 labom^ers speedily succumb, or at all events lose their powers 

 and their strength in a very marked degree. Indeed it seems 

 to decide the question in favour of the Chinese over the 

 European labourer, that the former can work without taking 

 any heed for his health in even the most variable tempera- 

 tures. These instructive comparisons seem to be in so far 

 especially valuable and useful, wherever it is projected to 

 carry out certain undertakings, the cost of which may be 

 estimated, due reference being had to the well-ascertained 

 expense of constructing similar works in Europe. 



Next to the Chinese, the Klings, or natives of the Coroman- 

 del coast, are in the greatest request as boatmen, coachmen, 

 pedlars, porters, and house-servants, by Eui'opeans as well as 

 by their own successful fellow-countrymen. From their 

 habits of extreme sobriety, they speedily save money, and 

 generally return home, although a certain number continue 

 permanent settlers in Singapore. The Armenians resident 

 here are the most like the European mercantile community ; 



