The Daily bulletin., 1889-10-26
(Co"tinHea from end Pugc.)


works, not compiled for the purpose
of giving information particularly on
the subject of Chinese.
"rhe Golden Chersonese," by
Miss Bird, 1888, being an account
OF visit to the Straits Settlements,
gives more detail concerning the
subject than any other work we
have found, and her works are the
more weighty, as she constantly
speaks in the friendlest terms of
the Chinese. On page ia she
says, "The English, though power
full as the ruling race, ae numer-
ically nowhere, and certainly make
no impression on the eye. The Chi
nese, who number $4,000 out of a
population of l99, 900, are not only
numerous enough, but rich and I'M
portant enough to give Singapore
the air of Chinese town with a
foreign settlement"
1.-The increase of population in 10
years prior TO 1881 was
european. ..'...' ozS
Chinese ....,..........,. ..32, 1874
The European resident population
exclusive of soldiers is only l,2S3,"
and this in spite of the fact that
Singapore is the official centre of all
the Straits Settlements, the resi-
dence of the Governor and all the
necessary English officials.
Miss Bird speaks of "the resist
less, overpowering, astonishing Chi
nese element, which is gradually
turning Singapore into a Chinese
city"
She thus describes the steamer
from Singapore to the mainland:
1.-The Steamer Rainbow is one of
the many tokens of eponderating
Chinese influence in the Straits Of
Malacca. The tickets are Chinese
as well as the ownership and crew.
The supsrcargo who took my ticket
is a sleek young Chinaman. The
cabin passengers are all Cinnamon.
The deck was packed with Chinese
coolies. l am the only European
passenger"
OF the neighboring town Of Ma
lacca she says: II must divulge the
singular fact that Malacca is to
most intents and purposes Chinese
city. The English, except in
so far as relates to the administra-
tion Of government, are nowhere.
- OF the population of the town
the majority are Chinese, and still
their crowded j1HLs are rolling
down on the northeast monsoon"
GAS remarked before, the coast
ing trade of the Straits of Malacoa,
is in their hands, and to such an ex-
tent have they absorbed the trade Of
this colony that / am told there is
not resident British merchant in
Malacca." The Chinese Gown
most of the plantations up the coun-
try, and have obtained the finest
site on the hill behind the tewn for
their. stately tombs. Every after
noon their carriages roll out into the
country, conveying them to their
substantial bungalows to smoke and
gamble. " They have fabulous
riches. " f" The upper class of
the Chinese merchants live in i'm
mense houses within walled gardens.
The wives of all are secluded, and
inhabit the back regions and have
no share in the remarkable good
time which the men seem to have.
SPY the census of 1881 the popu-
lation of Malacca was $3.50, OF
which there were Europeans 32
Aborigines of the Peninsula 3O8.
The decrease in the number of
resident Europeans is 3l.9 per cent,
in natives of India AZ per cent, and
in other nationalities 1879 per cent.
On the other hand the Chinese popu
lation has increased by 4G per cent
in ten years.
"In Georgetown, one OF the
Straits Settlements, the Chinese who
number $4,000 are becoming com
mercially the most important of The
immigrant races, as they have long
been numerically and industrially
In Georgetown, besides selling theil
own and oil sorts of foreign goods
at reasonable rates in small shops
they have large mercantile houses
and, as elsewhere, are gradual,
gaining considerable control owe
the trade if the place. They alsC
occupy positions of trust in foreign
houses, and of there were strik
among them all, business, not et
cepting that of the Post Office
would come to a standstill. l wen
into the Mercantile Bank and founC
only Chinese clerks into the Pos
Office and only saw the same, AM
when went to the p. & o. Ofllc
to take my berth for Ceylon, it wa
still Chinaman.
9th. A Commission of three Chi
nese officials was sent out by tn
Chinese Government in August 1888
TO enquire into and report upon tn
condition of Chinese abroad. The
spent l3 months in their investiga
tions, reporting in September 1887
A synopsis of their report wa
printed in the London Times, froI
which we quote as follows: Speak
ing of the Straits Settlements: "lIer
the Chinese number about 10000
and are the richest among the in