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Trade of Singapore. 



SINGAPORE. 



Trade of Singapore. 



five feet. At the top of the stern is the poop- cabin, 

 with accommodations for the master, his clerk, and 

 the trader, in four small sleeping-rooms; under 

 these are other cabins, with an eating apartment, 

 and before this is a platform or small deck, from 

 which the vessel is steered. The rudder is an 

 extraordinary piece of wood, fully equal, in point 

 of size, to that of a line-of-battle ship. While in 

 port it is always unshipped, and drawn into the 

 vessel on a small inclined slip or way. The junks 

 have usually two large masts, with a jigger, and 

 there are no less than three windlasses, which are 

 used upon every occasion; without these the junks 

 would really be almost unmanageable. In order 

 to preserve the vessel dry, they have waistboards 

 of solid thick plank, which are unshipped in port; 

 these reach from the plank-sheer to the rail, and 

 from appearances effectually answer the purpose 

 for which they are intended. The cargo, however, 

 was more interesting to us than the vessel : this 

 consisted chiefly of teas and china-ware ; the 

 latter, to our surprise, we found neatly and care- 

 fully stowed in bulk in the hold. The lighter 

 articles of Chinese manufacture are arranged 

 about the vessel, and even hang over the poop 

 and sides. The wooden anchors, cables, grass 

 ropes, odd and curious paintings, the grotesque 

 mode of external ornament, with the large eye 

 on either bow in the colours of the rainbow, did 

 not fail to attract our attention. We were also 

 amused with the junk-like form of the tiny boat, 

 but these, as well as the Chinamen themselves, 

 are so well represented in Chinese pictures, that 

 no one can be at a loss to conceive their pecu- 

 liar form. Words fail to express the content 

 and pride with which the Chinaman sits and en- 

 joys his aquatic excursions ; and though ridiculous 

 in appearance, and ill fitted in every way to contend 

 with the elements, yet there is something about 

 the junks that commands a certain degree of re- 

 spect. 



The trade of Singapore, although it has but 

 lately grown up, has nevertheless reached the large 

 aggregate of 24,500,000 dollars. About one-sixth 

 of this amount goes to Great Britain, and 600,000 

 dollars to continental Europe. There are no duties 

 on imports or exports, and every vessel is left free 

 to come and go as they please ; all that is asked is 

 of what the cargo consists, its value, and the size 

 of the vessel. These particulars are published 

 weekly in the only paper. Every thing is sold for 

 cash, or on a very short credit, and all accounts 

 are kept in dollars and cents. Perhaps in 110 

 other port is business conducted in so prompt a 

 manner as at Singapore, and this has probably 

 grown out of the transient character of the visi- 

 tors of all nations, who come and go as they 

 please, which makes it necessary to receive pay- 

 ment for the goods as soon as they are delivered. 



From what has been already said, it will ap- 

 pear that very little of the importance of Singa- 

 pore is owing to its own productions ; yet there 

 are many things shipped here that are the pro- 

 duct of the Straits, or of the territory under the 

 Straits Government, as it is called. Among these 

 are pepper, cloves, sugar, nutmegs, coffee, and 

 gambeer, to which may be added the betel-nut. 

 These products are procured from Pinang and 

 Prince of Wales Island, and reach a large 

 amount. Tortoise-shell may also be included in 



this trade, for almost all that is taken in the 

 Eastern seas is now brought to Singapore for 

 sale ; and it may indeed be said to be the chief 

 mart of that article. Any attempt to give a 

 catalogue of the trade of Singapore would fall 

 short of the truth, for it may be considered as an 

 entrepot where all articles arrive and are distri- 

 buted. The expenses of doing business are esta- 

 blished and published in the gazettes, so that any 

 one may inform himself of the charges he is liable 

 to incur, and of the advantages it has in that re- 

 spect over the other ports in the Eastern seas. 

 What renders the traffic at Singapore still more 

 convenient is, that almost every thing is sold by 

 weight, probably because so large a proportion of 

 the population is from China, in which country this 

 method is habitual. In employing it, however, the 

 articles from different countries are sold by the 

 weight of the country whence they come. For 

 instance, gold-dust being for the most part brought 

 by the Malays, is sold by their weight, called a 

 " bunghal," which is about equal to two ounces ; 

 rice, &c., the produce of Bengal, is sold by the 

 bag, containing one hundred and sixty pounds, 

 which is termed a " maund." The foreign busi- 

 ness is generally in the hands of a few English 

 houses, but the greater part of the mercantile 

 class at Singapore are engaged as agents, or do a 

 commission business, for various houses in Europe, 

 Calcutta, &c. There is a branch of the India 

 Bank at Singapore, which, however, is limited in 

 its discounts and business ; and there are besides a 

 large number of insurance offices, in which policies 

 may be effected on almost any risk. The capital 

 of these companies is for the most part owned in 

 Calcutta. 



Although Singapore has fewer real advantages 

 for trade than many of the ports around, yet it has 

 now acquired the superiority, and holds intercourse 

 with the surrounding countries. 



Its trade with China has of late much increased, 

 in consequence of the difficulties between that 

 country and England, during which it was the only 

 port where the junks were allowed to trade free of 

 molestation. It in consequence became for the time 

 a place of transhipment for teas and other Chinese 

 articles to English vessels. For this reason, Singa- 

 pore may have appeared to us a more active place of 

 business than it would have done had the trade 

 with China been no more than ordinary. No large 

 commerce can well exist between China and Singa- 

 pore alone, for the supplies the latter furnishes to 

 that empire are confined to birds'-uests, biche-de- 

 mar, tortoise-shell, &c. 



Borneo probably furnishes the most valuable 

 products that are brought to Singapore, and there 

 are more than one hundred prahus engaged in the 

 trade. These are for the most part navigated by 

 Bugis from the island of Celebes, who may be 

 termed the carriers of this archipelago. This peo- 

 ple frequent all the ports on the south and south- 

 west side of that great island, and are frequently 

 employed by the rajahs or chiefs to conduct their 

 trade with the other ports. The restrictions they 

 are under in visiting the Dutch possessions, and 

 the restrictive policy of the later, which admits 

 them to but one or two ports, has driven them to 

 seek that of Singapore, though more distant. 

 These prahus are said when trade or employ- 

 ment fails, to turn their attention to piracy, if a 



