The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-18
THE FAR EAST.
Government Rule, State OF Trade,
Condition Of Society and
american Progress.
Southeastern Asia and the Asiatic Archipelago
in Modern Review.

by mail from the East Indies to Europe, and
thence by transatlantic steamship, we have the fol-
lowing highly valuable and special correspondence
from the far East dated at Singapore on the 18TH OF
July. The communication will command an atten-
tive perusal forming, as 1t does valuable exhibit
OF the actual condition OF AFFAIRS in southeastern
Asia ana the Asiatic Archipelago taking Singapore
as q standpoint The description OF the initlafory
rites observed during the induction OF member 70
the native Chinese secret society Of Ghee-Hins 10
curious In the extreme With such Introduction we
subms the letters to our readers IN the following
order.
The Dutch Entertainments on Sumntra-Pro-
cIaunatlon OF the New King OF sium-Con.
fessious of Bupa Rama, the RingIcnder In
the Japanese RebeEion-FOnrth Of July In
Singapore.
SINGAPORE, July 10, 1869.
The Governor OF the Straits Settlements mas re-
turned to Singapore and the Batavia papers Just to
hand are full OF editorial specuatons TO the nego
tiations now pending between England and Holland
IN regard to the alleged violation by the latter Power
OF the treaty Of 1924 by which she pledged herself 10
make no new acquisitions Of territory IN the East
without the consent or Great Britain. The recent
encroachments ofthe Dutch In sumara notorious,
but the Dutch defend them on the ground that the
treaty Is q very old one, and that 1t Is therefore
about time IL was broken. THIS at least appears to
4
leaked cut that tue English Governor has received
very unsatisfactory promises from the Governor
General OF Java, and that the whole matter viii have
10 be settled by the home authorities or the TWO
peoples.
tion, dated June H. giving the names and new dig
mites OF his ministers. lie states that he has con-
ferred upon the Chow Phrya Kalahome the power Of
life ana death and supreme control In al affairs Of
State aud has also endowed him Win tAe dignity OF
From Batavia we hear that Bapa Rama the ring
"A. OIl-
fessed all the details OF his conspiracy. The disco.
sures he has made show that the Tears OF many OF
the residents were but too well founded, and
number OF new arrests have been made. PrlvaIe
advices say that Java is far from beng quiet, even
though Bapa Rama Is captured A spark would set
the whole island in an insurrectonary blaze. But
this Is not novel state of affairs in Java. For the
past nifty years the natives have constantly been on
the point OF revolt.
The Fourth Of July was duly celebrated on the two
or three American ships now lying in the harbor by
liberal display OF bunting from peak and truck and
yards and IN more substantial and spiritual man.
ner in the cabins There happen to be only four or
hve American residents in Singapore; SO, Of course
there was no very startling celebration ashore.
The Russian war steamer V. Sadwick has arrived
here, on her way out to the Amoor river
The American steamers Nautilus and Walrus have
sailed for China, where they are TO ply on the Yangse
river.
Present and Future Of Siagapare-Cosmopoli.
tan Character of Its Populntion--Co ndition
of Trade-The Malay Archipelago ms IA Field
for American MISREPRESENTATION Whaling
IN the Chfna SeaS--Kruf6c In "Ghtna CIri5''-
Policy of the Governments Towards the Ma
tives-Chinese "iIoeys,' or Secret Societies.
Singular Intintory Rites-Tisers.
SINGAPORE July "A, 1862
Singapore, the "Clly Of the T1ger,n the Garden
and the ~Queen City, OF the far East, Is known
throughout the civilized world as q place of i'm.
mense commerce. and as one OF the great entrep6ts
OF the trade OF the Orient. Commanding one OF the
main channels OF navigation between China and
Japan and Europe, and adopted as their coalng sta
tons by all the IndooChinese steamship lines il Is
the natural centre of the ira de and the OF the
lar East 1t ia the point where the passengers and
mails from England and Holland, and Spain and
France, which have been conveyed thus far IN one
commingled stream reassorted and tied up
neatly in homogeneous bundles and then scattered
90 their respective destinatons-the Dutchmen to
Java and Macassar, the Spanards to the Philippines
and the Engllshmen and Frenchmen everywhere
more especially to China and Cochin China TO SIAM
Japan and Borneo This is the sum OF what the mass OF
untravelled Americans Know about Singapore, and,
until recently 1t was not very important that they
should be better informed. But new era has now
opened, and American energy and enterprise have
entered into friendly competition with Europe for
the lions share the commerce OF Eastern Asia and
the Malay Archipelago. glance at the map WIN
show how Important our relations with Singapore
these altered circumstances.
Singapore, a city of about the population OF
Albany s the creation OF half century. In 1917 the
English government returned the Island OF Java.
which they had seized three years previously to the
Dutch. The treaty under which the cession was
made was ratified in great hurry, and when was
too late the British discovered that they had
made grand mistake and that they had handed
over to the Hoianders q very important and luera-
tive section OF the Eastern trade TO retrieve their
error Sir stamford RafIles was commissioned to es
tablish rival city TO Batavia and IN 1s1sthat gen.
teman acquired the island OF Singapore for the
purpose. He found 1t a jungle covered wilderness,
with some hundred and fifty inhabitants, who sub
sisted by fishing and piracy. In less than four years
the infant city had acquired population Of 5,000
and It has since steadily pro spered until it has be-
come in trade and influence. the third city OF the
East Indies. It's population is now about 100 600.
Its annual imports and exports SUN up 10
e5O0Oo oo 1t boasts Of possessing thirteen schools
seventy temples ana churches ana thirteen hotels:
and IL coniesses, not without shame to containing
144 houses licensed for opium smoking and ninety
eight licensed spirit and arrack shops.
From the harbor, 70 which it presents facade OF
between two and three miles IN length. Singapore
has singuariy picturesque and pleasing appear
ance. Almost ia the centre OF the city couple OF
blocks OF magnificent stores or godowBs, they
called here Dullt OF white stone and with row OF
coionnades covering the sidewalks, stretch along the
quay and proclaim suggestyely the wealth OF the
merchant princes who occupy them. To the right
one sees the government buildings, and then,
spreading along for nearly miie q line OF Euro.
pean bungalows. with white coldmned verandas
aud green Venetian blinds and red tile roofs lash
Ing through the foliage that surrounds and, In some
cases, well nigh coneeals them. Beyond are o row
OF native shops and In front OF them cluster OF
Rtap houses built over the water on piles and then
the land juts out at almost right angie from the
city, and forms pleasant "sdegroundr OF yellow
sand and green forest The other end OF the city is
almost wholly occupied by natives, and is bounded
by tongue OF land ana Two or three islands COW
cred with vegetation, behind which are the
new docks. On little eminence I'm the
background one sees the Flagstaff Of the
fort and the red roof or the barracks singapore has
no buildings however, which illll an imaginative
conception Of Oriental magnlQcence. Its pablo
edees are commodl0us aud substantial, but exhibit
nothing OF the spiendOr which we naturally associate
with our ideas OF Eastern architecture. The city Is
evidently one OF modern growth. 10 has gas works
and an ice works and Three dry dOcks but no paaces