The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-12-17

mentioned, IL Is officially stated that about
two hundred native born Hawaiians served
during the late war in the Union army of
America; hence il may be always said
that men of all races Will leave their homes,
and that sometimes man people will leave
a good one for one of inferior character.
And it is hardly consistent with the duty
and functions of a Commissioners Of Immi-
grafton, whose special and bounden duty it
Is to try and build up his country with new
people to assume and declare that any peo-
pie are not an emigrating race"
MALAY IMMIGRATION.
In respect to Malay Immigration. the
Commissioner states that "Singapore, at
the southern extremity of the Malay PENN
sular affords the best advantages for study
ing this branch of the subject" This is a
just observation, but not geographically
accurate, inasmuch a. Singapore is an IS
land situated near Tie southern extremity
OF the Malay Peninsula. Singapore indeed,
does afford the very best opportunity to
study the whole subject Of Malay immigra-
ton. And how has he studied it? Bear
in mind the great opportunities of the Com
missioner as he himself sets forth. 1.-THE
Official position which / held as a member
OF His Majesty's suite, gave me excellent
facilities in rapidly pursuing my investiga-
lions. 1t enabled me to obtain access to
records without delay" He did not need a
ong residence in a country to know al
about it. His opportunities were so excel
lent that he could rapidly gain the
knowledge, that under ordinary circum-
stances would require years to obtain. And
whatd did he learn at Singapore about pop
ulous Malaysia? He dismisses the whole
subject in a short paragraph, and he sums
up saying: 1.-THE Malay race have made
no mark in the colony" of Singapore. And
sit is idle for us to be looking to the Malay
States for laborers." And this is the result
of the Royal Commissioners unexception-
ally good opportunity for observation about
the Malays in a quasi Malay city of 40, 900
inhabitants, whose port is the entrepot OF
the whole Eastern Commerce and the rem
devious of populous Malaysia with over
thirty million souls!
In 1919, Sir Stamford Rallies laid the
foundation of the British settlement OF
Singapore upon the island of Singapore,
purchased from an ancestor of the
present Prince of Johore. The island
was then covered with a wild jungle,
and it is stated by Crawford, the his
torian of the Malay Archipelago, that the
only habitations upon it at the time, were
eleven Malay fishermen's huts. But as
soon as the British standard was hoisted
upon this desert, and protection was as
sured, the n~eighboring Malay people focked
to the newly planned town, and in the first
seven years of its existence, it had gained
1900 inhabitants in 1855, it had 80, OOO
inhabitants, and now it has a population OF
about 10000, largely composed of Achinese,
Bughinese, Dyaks, Linganese and other
Malay races of people, along with Chinese.
The Commissioner speaking of the
Malay population of Singapore, says
they edo some business as petty traders,
and make good servants in the care OF
horses; n as a rule give way to the Chi
nese in all occupations requiring thrifty
habits and steady industry" If the Com
missioner had looked into the marine reports
of Singapore he would have learned that in
1855, the number of prahus, or native Malay
vessels that entered the port of Singapore
was 2,513; and that in the past year, over
5000 native craft, many of which are
square rugged, and chiefly manned by
Malay seamen entered the port of Singa-
pore. He would have learned that the most
of this numerous feet, are built as well as
manned by people of this Malay race. Had
he enquired into the vast culture and ex-
port of the great Malay Archipelago; and
had he informed himself ever so little OF
the splendid courage and activity of the
Achinese, a Malay people near to Singa-
pore; also of the resolution and enterprise
of other Malay States; he never would
have ventured upon the emark that such
a race cannot establish itself Gas q social,
financial, or political force" What is the
political character of Johore, leaving out of
view British protection, and considering
its internal management, anything else
but Malay in its Government and admins
tration? Did not the Commissioner meet
an educated and courteous Malay Prince
and see only Malay officials and retainers
at the Palace of ASTHMA ? And was not The
menu of the banquet offered at the Palace
by the Prince of JohOre for the entertain
ment of his Sovereign and himself, in the
Malay language? The Malay People have
invented eleven different alphabetic charac-
tiers; or phonetic systems of writing, and
they have a literature of their own, of his
tory and poetry. The chaunts of their epic
Bratayuda; or of their romance of KIM
Tambatan might have entertained the
Royal Commissioners ear, had he studied
the habits of the Malay people ever SO little
at JohOre and Singapore and he never
would nave allowed his pen to cast any
doubling slur upon their "fitness for civil
lied society,"" The remarks of the Royal
Commissioner upon this subject, are, we
regret to say, like the expression of certain
fippant and irresponsible writers, recently
echoing the ignorant talk of ignorance and
prejudice, in saying that Hawaiians are
utterly lazy and "Only occupied as express
drivers - and yet Hawaiians supply over
three thousand laborers to our plantations
they chiefly man our inter-island fleet of
steam and sail; they did once help to man
the great whaling fleet they mtinly
handle our large export and import; they
teach the most of our schools; they very
largely print our newspapers; and they are
a decided. political force in the Hawaiian
Kingdom. The COMMISSIONS listening to
some of that class of Europeans who can