52 VERNACULAR PRESS IX THE STRAITS. 



5. These Papers had for some time a sister in Penang — the 

 " Jawi Standard " — but it fared the same fate, and is no longer 

 issued. 



Strange to say, though the Tamil population in Penang is 

 larger than that in Singapore, no Tamil Paper has as yet appeared. 



6. The project has often been discussed of starting a Chinese 

 newspaper, but it has never got any further. The Chinese of 

 Singapore would not appear to have had sufficient interest in the 

 matter, or. perhaps sufficient knowledge of the Chinese language to 

 induce the projectors to carry out their scheme. 



7. The " Jawi Peranakkan " claims to be the first Malay 

 newspaper ever published. It has now a circulation of so me 250 

 copies, and appears to fulfill the useful function of a " highest 

 reader " in all the vernacular schools. 



The price charged for it is 30 cents per copy, or $5 per annum : 

 it appears every Monday, and is ably and punctually edited, having, 

 with only one exception, been issued consistently on the day on 

 which it professes to come out. 



8. For the first year the proprietors adhered to the favourite 

 manuscript writing and lithograph, but Malay type. having been 

 obtained from England, the Paper has, for the last two years, been 

 printed, and the style is clear and easy. 



9. Its object is to give to its readers the latest news, both 

 local and foreign, thought likely to prove interesting ; and it is 

 amusing to mark how closely it follows the English Press in placing 

 all procurable war news before the public. 



10. In matters political it would seem to express opinions of 

 its own, endeavouring at the same time to form those of its readers. 



11. Towards Government its tone is not hostile, nor even 

 critical ; indeed in only one instance was anything like a burst of 

 feeling given vent to : it was in the case of the recent " Holidays 

 Ordinance," when not unnatural indignation was expressed at no 

 holiday being alloted to the great Mahomedan festivals of " Bamzan 

 Eed" or"HajiEed." 



