Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-26

The Straits OF Maiacca-S ing ap0re-A Chi.
nese Gentleman and Plsnter-yisit 40 .
Nutmeg Factory.
SINGAPORE, April %, 1855.
Singapore was taken POSSESSION OF by the Eng
sh ia 1919, under the lame apology that its in
habitants were pirates. Like their posses
sions in the straits OF Maaeca, and in some Other
parts of the globe, the act was an unjustifable
aggression towards the natives, because these
places were regarded as important If not .teces-
sary TO the extension of British power and British
commerce in the East. | will do this great com
mercial nation the justice to say, however, that
wherever they do plant colony they do It III
earnest and protect their acquisitions by tortica-
tions and arms creditable TO the highest civilian
ton Their works at Singapore, Penang, Cal
cutta, Madras, Bombay, and Alden, fully attest
this truth. They are elaborate and substantial
works Of art, and we'll calculated to inspire us
with respect for the enterprise, energy, and power
Of our potent cousins.
Besides these works Of defense and protection,
their guays market-honse, warehouses, and pri-
vate dwellings in the highest sense credtable
and have a humanizng and ciyilizing effect upon
the native population of the place to which |
have referred. | must confess to but little sym
pathy for that morbid philanthropy that would
protect the aborigines of country, at home or
abroad, in the possession OF a large domain which
is occupied simply as hunting ground, or to
rear crocodes and elephants for savages; and
idence, that they should DE compelled to yield it
by force of arms, if they will not do it by treaty
that their uncvzed waste may be subjected to
the power and use of civilized man, and governed
by more exalted intelligence. ! am, however,
DEPRESSING, and you may regard this moralzing
as merely cpsodcal to the main purpose of this
letter.
Singapore, from population of three or four
hundred, has, in the last thirty years, increased
to sixty thousand, and is one of the most beauti-
full places in the Indian Archipelago.
In the vicinity Of the town are several nutmeg
plantations in high and profitable state Of cult
walton, and the almost impenetrable jungle is ra-
pidly disappearing before the steady hand Of in
dustry. gt
II is. however, calculated that even now three
hundred and sixty-6ve Cinnamon, answering to
average of one per day, are carried OFT and
killed by the tigers. These wary and savage an
maIs are said to be often found within three or
four miles of the town, and little over year
ago, enc made its appearance i'll the streets of the
city The population are Malays and Chinese,
the latter, however, form much the larger portion
and constitute the laborers and artzans OF Snga-
pore.
The nutmeg plantation visited belongs to
Chnaman by the name of Wampoa, and is stu
ated some four miles from the city. 1t is one Of
the most beautiful and thoroughly tropical places
/ have ever seen. The place is surrounded by
hegc rows,of bamboo, neatly cut, and within are
large fields in which are planted cocoannt, beetle
nut, fnanposteen, and nutmeg. The latter field
embraces nearly fifty acres, and like the others,
the trees in regular rows, crossing each other
at right angles, and about thirty feet apart.
Some are of very large size, and not less than
thirty feet in height. Like coffee, the trees re-
quire great attention, and thorough manuring
and irrigation, and the ground must be kept free
from grass or weeds. They are removed from the
nursery the second year. and for two years after
must be kept covered from the burning sun by
mats, which spread over them by means OF
four supports set in the ground. The roots arc
also mnlched with coarse litter. They commence
bearing four to five years from the planting; but
the tree does not produce It's full crop until it is
eighteen years old. The produce Of tree is then
worth i've or six dollars year. One nutmeg per
day from each tree is regarded as profitable
yield.
Upon tho tree before the husk opens, the fruit
does not look unlike the hickory nut before the
shell drops. They are fit to pick when the outer
she'll opens, SO To disclose the mace which
covers the inner shell that encoses the fruit; and
the trees are examined every morning through
out the wear, to see ii any OF the fruit is fit to
pick When it is ready to gather, the mace is a
most brilliant crimson and exceedingly pretty.
After it is picked the outer she'll is thrown away,
then the mace is carefully taken off, fattened
with the hand, and spread wooden trays to
dry 1t is occasionally turned over, and the rain
kept from il until thoroughly dry, when II is put
in bags for market. The nut is also placed on
wooden or metal pans: and kept in the sun until
the nut within viii rattle about in the shell, when
the stem is broken off and the nut is ready to be
sacked and sent to market. If the she'll which
covers the nutmeg is broken before the fruit is
dry, il is ruined; and great care is exercised,
therefore, in the process Of drying. Besides the
nutmeg, my Chinese entertainer derives quite a
revenue from his cocoanut, beetlennt, and man
gosteen orchard.
The mangosteen is held in the highest repute
of any fruit in the tropics, and is grown in greater
perfection at Singapore and Pinang than else
where / must confess to what, in the opinion
Of my fellow -travellcrs, regarded as wanting
in a lust appreciation Of Inequalities, when de-
cared il quite inferior TO the better variety of
peaches--or indeed TO the Tekel or white Do
venue peach The house of my entertainer is
very large, elegantly and handsomely furnished,
and crammed with many rare and valuable curl
osities The grounds in the immediate vicinity
are tastefully laid out, and filled with great va
riety Of shrubs and flowers, gravel walks, and ar
tiicial fountains much above the ordinary Chi
nese style. Among other curious things was
shown an admirably constructed piggery-( the
Chinese are all famous for well kept bog-pens,) a
very rood stud of horses-among them milk
white Arabian dingy colored elephant, which
he called white, large aviary, with many kinds
of birds-an ostrich, pair of porcupines, kang-
aroo, and a half dozen fallow deer. He keeps fif-
teen coolies, whose quarters are inferior TO the
slave houses on one of our southern plantations;
but he told me that the fault entirely that Of
the Cinnamon themselves Besides tea and con-
dictionary, the entertainment was very good, and
on our departure, we were each presented with
large and handsome boquets Of flowers.
On our return, we passed the governors resi-
dence. on a pretty elevation overlooking the
town and harbor; and saw, for the first time, in
his grounds couple Of magnificent banyan trees
The country is prettily diversified with hill and
dale, and there are about the city many desirable
places for residence Although south OF the
sun at this season, did not think il uncomfort
ably warm, and our worthy consul here, MIR
Bradley, assured me that he thought the climate
at all seasons perfectly delightful and healthy
There was but little shipping in port, but among
them, American enterprise exhibited itself in two
Of our first-class clippers.
Yours, &c, B +. A.
FLouR CONC BEGGMG.--At Wellsburgh
Ohio, last week, lot Of -four was offered a
seven dollars barrel, for which the holder hat
refused ten dollars few weeks ago. The fleu
II. al. Ixlln 1n(