170 JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 



To return from this digression, Sir Stamford went dowu to 

 endeavour to find a place fitted for a station at the mouth of Lbe 

 straits of Malacca, if such could be got unoccupied by the Dutch. 

 Fortunately he found all that could be desired, at Singapore on 

 the Island of the same name, one of the most commanding posi- 

 tions in that quarter. The place was formerly the Capital of the 

 Malays, but had been deserted for many centuries, and its harbour 

 was unknown to Navigators. He also found there the eldest son 

 of the late Sultan of Johore, who had been kept out of h"s regular 

 succession by the numerous sub-ordinate chiefs, who had seized 

 the opportunity of his absence, at the time of his father's death, 

 to establish themselves independent at his expense. He was now 

 however acknowledged as the chief of Singapore, and with both 

 these authorities the necessary treaties were made by us. Sir 

 Stamford left Major Farquhar there as Resident, and the company 

 of Sepoys he had taken with him, and returned here. His first 

 care was to send a re-inforcement, to ensure the respectability of 

 the station, and applied for the troops which this Government had 

 promised to have in readiness whenever he should call for them. 

 Would you believe that they actually refused them, in defiance of 

 their own written promises, and the orders of the Governor General, 

 and why, because they disapproved of the measures that had been 

 taken, or in plain English, because it did not originate with them- 

 selves. There is good reason to believe that they have conveyed 

 intimation of their hostile sentiments to the Dutch, in the hope 

 of its exciting them to exert themselves against the settlement. 

 I should hardly obtain credit for all the extraordinary steps they 

 have taken to affect, if possible, the ruin of the finest settlement 

 in the British possession. 



Happily however, they and the Dutch together, will only be 

 able to create some petty obstructions, which a little time will 

 entirely obviate. I hope too, their conduct will sooner or later 

 meet with its due reward, and be exposed as it deserves, for it is 

 impossible to conceive anything more disgraceful from first to 

 last. 



On the Island there is but one opinion, both of the Governor 

 and the limb of Satan who guides him, and is the prime mover 

 of all the iniquity and mischief of the place. A government must 

 be bad indeed that cannot even command a voice among those most 

 nearly connected with it, and dependent on it. 



Enough however on such a subject; I am tired of it, and I 

 dare say so are you. 



March 25th. I have just seen some Bengal papers, in one of 

 which I find " Mr. Asst. Surg. — somebody appointed to Patna vice 

 Tytler 77 appointed to the Chumparan." Is it so? Then there is 



77. John Tytler wrote papers on the Mathematics of the Arabs — in 

 the Asiatick Researches. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



