1^2 Voyage of the Novara. 



pure and brilliant, was for sale for £2000. The seller, a 

 Mahometan, himself wore on his finger a diamond-ring which 

 our companion estimated at £1000. In the stores of several 

 other merchants we saw the Malay servants sitting cross- 

 legged on the bare floor of the porch, with huge heaps of 

 Spanish dollars before them, which they were busy counting. 

 The Spanish or Mexican dollar is here almost the only 

 medium of exchange, payments being made all but exclu- 

 sively in that currency, whereas gold, even English, is but 

 sparingly used, and then with ill-concealed reluctance ! 

 The utter want of any other recognized medium of exchange 

 than silver makes all extensive money transactions exceed- 

 ingly onerous, owing to the expense of transmitting the 

 precious metals, in consequence of which any one wishing 

 to pay in a certain sum of a few thousand dollars in cash, 

 must employ a convoy for the purpose of transporting the 

 money !* 



Although, as already remarked, the chief business of the 

 island is purely commercial, and although, ordinarily speak- 

 ing, every branch of industry merges in that predominant 

 occupation, there is yet one manufacture in Singapore which 

 calls for most special notice. This consists in the preparation 



* A similar system prevails to this day throughout Hindostan, where the necessity 

 for convoy of specie forms one of the most important items of expense in the main- 

 tenance of local police, outlying military stations, &c. And unfortunately such a policy 

 reacts upon the respect of the natives for British rule, for seeing that even the 

 government requires such convoys, they natm-ally presume that government feels itself 

 insecure, and hence refuse to co-operate in the development of Indian resources. 



