The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-18

u
save q cotton garment Of slender dimensions
and again as an abandoned opium drunkard, the
imprint OF misery and criminal Indulgence stamped
deep upon his seased on sns eage
The darker skinned Maiays make up the next ele.
menr OF importance In the crowd, and brighten Il
with intelligent and honest faces. They wear their
national dress-a sarong, or cotton cloth around the
ioins and perhaps also q jacket and hat or head
Madrassees in color as black as negroes and wear
ing huge turbans, and there may possibly also DO
nese and any known variety Of the white man. for
all tAese are constituent portions OF the population
singapore has risen to her present greatness. to
very large extent, because she has had greatness
thrust upon her. Just look at the map and note how
extensive and fertile the territories which this
city OF half a century's growth now taps. 1t Is no
DOUBT true that the opening OF the new treaty ports
In China and the rise OF Hong Kong have taken away
her warehouses The fleets OF Chinese junks that
used lew years ago TO come here and buy shlrtings
and hardware are seen no longer. But there Is still
left to her Siam and Sumatra and the whole OF the
Malayan Archipelago. And her old rival batavia.
ma l aSr the secret Of nor fact Of her
beng an absolutely free port. The Dutch
men and the Frenchmen persevere IN their
ping aud alien merchants, and nothing appar-
emily can convince them that in the East at any
rate free trade pays the best Just at present the
English residents are complaining loudly Of ''hard
tmes.r The island OF Singapore has been worked
out, and many OF the Chinese gambler and pepper
planters have migrated to the territories or the
Rajah OF Johore. on the mainland. And, worse
than this, keen competition has been introduced
into all branches OF trade by an eyer-inereasing
colony OF Germans who have settled here, and
profits are now reduced 10 the most pitaoly dlminu-
for I'VE minutes about the present commercial con-
ditiOns and prospects OF Singapore without being
forced TO listen to disma, inyeSuyes aganst
ism knives and everything British that sells
in these markets. The limitations are certainly
Ss prefer gis 10 'p buy them Then Mr. John Bull has
another dreadful grievance-the combinations
among the Chinese planters 70 keep up the price OF
used TO sell their pepper and rice and other crops at
any rate that paid them fair percentage above the
cost OF cultivation, but they have now grown smarter
and demand rates proportional to the state Of the
European markets.
But these are all petty troubles and affect but little
the prosperity OF the city. The future of Singapore
rests doubtful basis. She Is one OF the gates
through which the produce Of the Maayan Archi-
pelago viii always pass. She has acquired large
and very cosmopolitan population. she possesses q
government which, though far from perfect is still
Just and liberal, aud with all these advantages no.
thing short OF an earthquake, physical or political,
can very well prevent her becoming in commerce
and wealth one OF the most important cities Of the
Archipelago VIII prove TO be when they are fully
developed no one can Adequately estimate. Five
hundred years ago Sumatra and Java and Ceebe5
were mighty empires with vast populations and in
the hush splend0r OF Hindoo civilization. The re-
mains OF the temples erected by the Hindoo kings
Prove them TO have been fully equal to any buildings
Of the kind that exist in India. And the tradi-
lions and chronicles OF the natives affirm that all
these lands were then in state of extraordinary
prosperity and under stable and regular govern
ments Win the advent of the Mohammedan mis-
triumph came their ruin. Java has been
taken and governed by the Dutch and al
the country has enjoyed something like secure
ana settled government Part almost all or the
archipelago, has been delivered over to anarchy and
ruin. Pirates have roamed over the seas destroy
ing the native traders and devastating the coasts,
and, IN some cases, even making excursions into the
interior of the island in pursuit. Of plumber and cap
tives. At the present time the population OF many
OF the islands has dwndied away to,almost nothing,
from this cause. Even now, when English and
Dutch gunboats are constantly making cruises
around the archipelago, fleets OF BorneO and Co.
ram pirates frequently make predatory voyages
working their way, in about six months, all round
the Islands by leaving in the middle OF one mon
soon and returning during the next. From this
settled order what were once great empires are now
awless and povertystrtcken communities But this
cannot, OF course, last forever. Each decade sees
portion OF the Archipelago reclaimed by European
enterprise; and when 1t is brought once
more under an orderly rule it Will sus-
tain scores Of millions OF people, and VIII
carry on with America and perhaps probably-with
Europe also, through America, an immense COM
almost proverbia For spices ana many kinds OF
drugs and gutta percha and India rubber 1t Is even
now the main source OF supply for the civilized
world and Its mineral resources are said 10 DO very
great. The supply OF tin from B0rneo and Sumatra
is every year becoming larger and oil wells and gold
The only free port IN the neighborh0od OF all this
rapidly developing wealth, Singapore can scarcely
Maayan Archipelago and the United States becomes
large, as there ia every probability OF its dong,
American vessels VIII no doubt prefer some port at
the western side OF the islands, and such port Will
probably be established. But this Will by no means
ruin singapore which Will still remain the entrepot
OF the Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula aud probably
Of southeastern Borneo.
1t is something TO know that few true Americans
II
peago has been written by an American traveller,
aud only three or four months ago an American
into The interior OF Borneo. There are also three
four American whalers cruising about the archlpe-
ago. and they have last season been very successful
The Mary Smith came into Singapore the other day
full OF oil and has just started on another cruise
and has in that time taken oil to the value It is said
OF $4,000. She Is only little sailing bark Of 400
tons.
The government Of Singapore is. all things con.
sidered, reasonably good In city OF 100 900
people, only 500 OF whom are Europeans, represent
alive government would certainly be a failure. SO
the colony has TO be governed by what is practically
an absolute despotism. modified only by appeal
to tine English Parliament Tass All executive and
council OF some dozen members. The Governor
(as English colonial governors invariably are ali
over the worfdl Is very unpopular owing to his al
legged reckless expenditure on his personal con-
veniences OF the public funds. He Is building
magnificent Government House; he runs about the
Straits In government steamers unnecessarily, 1t Is
alleged, and he spends pubic money in many other
ways with what IS termed extravaganza For these
Official crimes great efforts are being made 10 in
duce the home government TO recall him.
the great principle d English Official policy to.
wards the natives here is to let them alone as much
as possible. Luckily, the MaIays and Chinaman have
great antipathy Tor each other, and so, when riots
break out, a. In Singapore fifteen years ago, or In
Penang last year. the authorities call out the one
race 10 put down the other. But so long as they
Keep the peace the government troubles Itself very
little about the natives IL has certainly put
down gambling but it still licenses opium
shops and does not interfere With polygamy. An
Arab or Chlna1nan Is allowed the luxury OF his
zenana harenl, unInelested, and lust as II he
were not living under a Christian government In
fact, women are bought and sold In singapore the
same as In China though not, perhaps, 30 openly
man, either white Celestial Arab, can order girl
from one or the regular traders In such articles and
In month or so Will be supplied with exactly the
creature ne desires with guarantee OF virginity IN
the bargain Tor nom sixty dollars TO $780, accord
ing to the state Of the market OF the poor
girl chose 10 claim the protection OF the law she
would be declared free; but she IL kept carefully
cluded from all chances OF obtaining the lnforma-