Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-13

Philippines, Australia, Siam, Burmah,
and all the principal ports of India.
Sailing-ships are also numerous, and
Just now there is no lack Of British
men-of-war. Singapore, like other
English colonies in the Pacific and In
dian oceans, is having at this moment
the Russian scare, and feeling sure
that in case Of war it would be the
first point of Russian attack. The
stranger arriving from the far East
finds himself while on the steamers
deck still in contact with the Chinese.
Without doubt he will have had
many Of them as fellow-pas-
sengers. The immigration from
the Canton province, principally
from Swallow to the straits, continues
at the rate Of two or three thousand
monthly. The steamer on which
came brought no less than eight hun
dred. The immigrants are all of the
coolic class, and no matter how rapidly
they arrive they are quickly absorbed
into the labOring population Of the
city or find work on the pepper, coffee,
sugar, tea, or tobacco plantations, where.
if they escape the junglc-feyer, they
live thrifty, and having acquired a
little sum they return to spend it in
China. 1t is the old story Of these
leeches told everywhere where they
have been able to remain long enough
to fasten their drastic apparatus. OF
course they bring to the straits all their
social problems, their peculiar wees,
their monopolies Of labor AMI trade,
their government by guilds, and some
singular and abnormal developments Of
selfshness and pretence not observed
anywhere else. However. all this is
a DEPRESSION. The Chinese bOatmen
here are inclined to be more IN
dolcnt and exacting than in Hong
Kong or any Of the Chinese coat
cities; takes you ashore in a boat
slightly varied from the Canton pat
tern it inclines to the Malay type, and
with its sails spread is far from unat-
tractive. Once on shore, if you do not
care to be driven in a gharry by king
from the Madras coast, or drawn By a
Chinese coolie ia a ricksha, you take
your own devious course about Whist
you at once recognize as genuine tr0p-
ical city.
This is evident in the fruit markets
filed with bananas, pineapples, man
gosteens, oranges, lines. and durnans,
as we'll as in the flowers and foliage Of
the trees along the public thorough
fares. and in the private grounds and
places, where they have, when permit
ted, an uncxampled luxuriance. Trees,
bushes. or shrubbery left short time
to themselves become a jungle richly
overgrown with vines and conyOlyuluS.
PinedppleS grow wild on the hill
sides within the city limits. All na-
ture, with the exception Of few places
here and there neatly kept, is in tangle,
the tropical languor weighing heavily on
the people and forbidding all eXertion
hey ond that necessary for actual exist
ence. Hence an uninyiting cn'ourGGc
of the shops and prevailing sloyenly
aspect about the business quarter and
the residences so different from the
solid primnesS of British settlement,
in China. The European population
does not much exceed two thousand.
Of whom a little more than half are
English, the rest being principally GER
mans. There are not probably dozen
Americans in Singapore. The process Of
commercial determination by the Chi
nese does not proceed SO rapidly as in
Hong Kong, but it is bound to come. The
rich Chinese merchants are buying the
land in the business quarters Of the
city, are concentrating buildings and all
kinds Of property in their hands, and
even venture TO use some Of the lard
purchased by their cOuntrymen in the
heart Of the town for burial grounds.
They display their wealth with a yul-
gar oStentation not to be observed IN
any othe place where their people come
much into business contact with Euro
peans. Fine horses and carriages
are an especial weakness, and II
is 10 uncommon sight to see
Chnaman in 4 splendid turnout, with
goodman and foOtman. or Chinese
boy Of ten or twelve years lolling back
on the cushions Of an expensive vehicle
behind a pair Of blooied horses. II
brings to mind the old adase, " Put
becear on horseback and it Is only
Illustrative of what will in time be seen
wherever the Chinese are allowed TO
take root and prosper at the eNpenseof
even the existence Of the people with
whom they are associated.
So far the English have treated the
Chinese with the greatest consideration,
and without until recently realizing.
except family, the evils to which I'M
restricted immigration might expose
them. As In Hong Kong, they
are admitted to the Colonial Council,
though their advice can do little harm
as long as they are not given the suffrage.
Ii is entirely consistent with the liberal
policy followed BY the English in all
their colonies and, though an error, IS
crcditaLle 10 their heart il not their
head. 4 premontion Of the evil that
may follow this unrestricted influx u
vicious and selfish elements into pop
ulation Of which bat fraction Is Euro
pean. is beginning to be felt. The
Enelishman carries his church every
where. Ii is a sort of patriotic
instinct. So there is-behind a green
sacred to cricket and nwn-tenniS,
which has also as notable olna-
ments the pubic buildings Of the
colony and a creditable public library
and museum OF local curio,ities "a
petty church, where the bishop OIL
ciates. and which is called cathedral.
Strangers are entertained at several no.
tels, most Of which are in the same
ncighbolhood. They rank fairly among
Tie hotels of the Orient, few Of which
have anything either in accommodations,
service, or cuisine to recommend them.
The residents live principally in the VII
lsge or in the hills within two or three
miles Of the city comfortably, often
elegantly, and in the lotus-eAting fash
/ ion, which requires everything cXcept