35 
ANNUAL REMITTANCES BY CHINESE IMMIGRANTS IN SINGA¬ 
PORE TO THEIR FAMILIES IN CHINA. 
The attachment of the Chinese to their parents and families 
is one of the most interesting features of their character, and it is 
interesting to watch the modes in which it developes itself amongst 
those who have emigrated to the Archipelago, and remain for 
many years, and often for life, cut off from all direct intercourse 
with their homes. , 
During the past month, some of the Streets in the business 
quarter of Singapore were occasionally densely crowded by Chi¬ 
nese. These were principally coolies from the Gambier and 
Pepper plantations, who had come into town for the purpose 
of sending their annual letters and remittances to their families 
in China by the Junks which were leaving on their return voy¬ 
age. These letters and monies are either entrusted to a com¬ 
rade from the same part of China, who, fortunate enough to have 
accumulated a small competency, is about to revisit his native land ; 
or they are delivered to a passenger with whom the remitter may 
be acquainted; or, lastly, they are confided to one of those men, 
to be found in almost every Junk, who make it a regular busi¬ 
ness to take charge of such remittances. Such persons are de¬ 
signated Seu Pe Ke, and come from all the different places of 
any importance from which emigrants are in the habit of repair¬ 
ing to the Straits. The remitter entrusts his money to the agent 
from his own part of the country, who for his trouble, either re¬ 
ceives a commission of 10 per cent., if the money is to be car¬ 
ried in specie, or is allowed to invest it in goods, the profit or 
loss on which is his, as he must pay over in China the exact sum 
that has been delivered to him. These persons frequently for years 
exclusively pursue this business : not the least remarkable of the 
thousand-and-one modes by which the ingenuity of the Chinese 
in making money developes itself: until they have realized suffi¬ 
cient. to enable them to embark in more extensive pursuits. 
Remittances are made by all classes of the immigrants. While the 
merchant sends his hundreds of dollars, the poor coolie sends his 
units or tens. The amount remitted each year varies considerably, 
