The Democratic advocate., 1878-12-14
Ghe Grareller.
LETTERS FROM THE ORIENT.
Correspondence of the Nec York Observer
BY HON. N. F. GRAVES.


Sinqapore-Ths Coast Of MatdocG- Islands
and NdtiUes-Bdnks and Commerce
ples, Schools and Hotels.
We came to Singapore on the fine steam.
er Mirzapore, one of the Peninsular and
Oriental Company's steamers. from Hong
Kong, distance of l, ,437 miles, in six
days. The seas were smooth and the wind
favorable The great steamer was well
filed, but not crowded. Our captain had
been an officer in the British Navy, and
knows how to handle his ship and COM
mand his crews. The ship was not only
neat and clean, but bright.
On our way we were near the coast OF
MaIacca, which is high and picturesque.
At the distance it seemed mountain
range, with abundance of wood, beautiful
with verdure. We saw the great rock
that lifts its huge form from the water
and stands as sentinel in the sea. 1t is
called the shoe, but looks like dogs
head. We passed the Parcels Islands,
where many vessel has been lost. We
were near the mouth of the Si-Kiang, the
great river of South China. 1t is eight
miles broad, but enters the sea through II a
narrow defle of rocky hills, which are
strongly fortified. The scenery is grand,
varied and beautiful. Singapore is an is
land 27 miles long and 10 broad. 1t is
surrounded upon all sides by small islands,
numbering more than fifty, and most of
them are without inhabitants. The strait
for long distance is only quarter of a
mile broad, through which channel the
water rushes with great rapidity, when the
tide rises or falls.
Some of these small islands are inkabit'
ed by wild tribes, and it seems strange that
their manners and customs are very little
known. They subsist principally by hunt
ing and fishing, and are the lower order
of human beings, leading very indolent
lives, wearing no clothing. We are neal
the equator, and the sun is over our heads
When the sun is down it is dark, for there
is no twilight to prolong the departing day.
The heat is not excessive, being tempered
by these immense seas, as well as by fire.
uuent showers. In the shade the ther-
mometer ranges from 10 to 890, but much
higher in the sun. There is but little
variation in the temperature, and it is con-
sidered very healthy, II rains often, but
always moderately, about one hundred in
ches of water falling each year. There is
no summer or winter in the year, the eli
mate being the most uniform in the world.
Singapore is the great highway of the
nations. Its name signifies a stopping
place. These narrow straits are the gate
way that opens to the vast seas beyond.
1t is free port and an important place
for the exchange of merchandise and re-
shipment Nearly every vessel that navi-
gates the straits stops here. There are a
large number of ocean steamers soon to
depart. Passengers may here take pas
sage for Australia, Malacca, Samarang,
Sourabaya, Penang, Maoassar, Batavia,
Burmah, Ceylon, Calcutta, Bombay, Hong
Kong, and many other places. The usual
time to Batavia is FIVE days, to Hong
Kong, six to eight deys, and about the
same to Ceylon. There seems no lack of
capital to transact the business that is done
here, The banks are the Mercantile Bank
of India, London and China; Oriental
Banking Corporation; Hong Kong and
Shanghai Company; Bank of Rotterdam;
English Bank of Rio. The lack of small
change was serious Inconvenience, as
nothing but Spanish dollars circulated
here, though they were cut up into ten
parts, and often a greater division was
made. Gold dust passed by weight.
This Island, with Penang and Malacca
at the southeastern extremity of the straits
was transferred to the English by the In
dia government in 1867, and they are now
known as the Straits Settlement, with a
Governor and Council. The natives have
little to do in making laws, but they are
compelled to obey them. The English
now have mint, and small silver coins
are abundant, especially ten-cent pieces.
There is population of over 100, 900, and
the town is still on the increase. Nearly
all the nations of the earth are represented
in this city of the sun. While the Eng
lish are not numerous, they are very
strong, and hold the city and Island with
a firm hand.
The Chinese are far more numerous
than any other race. They have forty
thousand, with twenty men to one woman.
They are located on the west bank of the
river, which is called the Chinese quarter
They do not consider themselves as per
manent residents, but seem to come and
go. They are laborers, agriculturalists
shopkeepers, citizens and brokers. They
are proud of their nationality and are very
Industrious They have erected temple
and call it Telloh Aver. 1t is very splen.
did, highly decorated with carving ol
many curious figures in wood and stone
and inscriptions so mysterious that did
not learn what they meant.
The Hindoos are numerous, and are
ready for most any work that does moi
entrench on their idea of caste. There il
mosque for the Mchammedans. Tn,
Malays fish aud hunt, cut timber anC
gather seaweed. We visited the schools
Of the Malays, and found that EnglisI
was being taught very generally, and that
most of the English books we're printed ii
New York. We saw many young chill
dren who spoke English. They hav
Portuguese, Armenians, Arabs, Chuliahs
Killings and Bugis, Jayanese aud Eiamese
Kafirs, who are the descendants of slave
and Eurasions, Jews and Parsees, an
others. The Chinese wear carmen