The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-22


fortress engineers and company OF Malay
submarine miners. The police force has
1883 men and thlrty-cight officers, In ad-
dillon to a battery Of volunteer artillery.
About 100000 have been expended on for
A Free Port, but Out Of Debt.
We charge customs duties on about every
thing that comes to the Philippines, and
our policy there is protection OF the high
est order Here everything ls free trade.
There are no customs duties Whatever anu
Notwithstanding this the colony has u /
which Is paid out in salaries. The revenue |
comes from land taxes, stamps, licenses, |
postage and port ana harbnr dues. IL ID |
collected by the English officials without
trouble and the government always comes
out ahead at the end of The year
A Business City.
am surprised at the business done down |
here on the edge Of the equator Singapore |
hns exports and imports TO the amount Of !
handles 100000 pieces OF mail annually. |
u has ships from every part Of &c word !
going In and out OF its harbor, ana the |
scenes upon Its streets are as lively as
those of New York. lhe town In some re- !
spects makes me think Of Havana, for IT'S |
buildings arc Of the brightest colors with |
the exception OF the great stone structures
OF the banks and government offices.
Singapore is the business center OK this !
part of the Pacific, having connections with
and China, and doing business with all OF
them. u you want 10 90 anywhere In this
part OF he world you come to singapore p o
start. Two days and $50 Will take you to
Java: fuur days ana about the same money
10 slam. 100 viii carry You to Calcutta;
$40 to Hong Kong ana 500 10 London.
There are ships almost daily to Europe.
via the SueZ canal, and every week or so
there Is a boat direct for the Philippines.
There are altogether several miles of docks,
which are lighted by American electric
LIGHTS. and tho dock pOnuHUy Is OF the
best paying institutions OF the place.
Rich Chinese,
The most OF the business, however, Is
managed by the Chinese. They are the
shrewdest merchants and best dnanciers Of
the far East. There are about 10000 Of
them on this little island. They own stock
In nearly everything, and the English tell
me that they can beat an European in al
most every business deal.
Thee Chinese are far different from our
laundrymen in the United States They are
better dressed aud more airy than the ma
hobs OF Pekin, They spend money as well
as make it,. | see them driving about In
carriages with coacbmen and footmen in
livery. They wear silk gowns and felt hats
aud lie back on the cushions smoking their
cigars rs their Servants Of other nations
drive them. Some have their wives, who
are respondent IN diamonds and pearls and
. bracelets Of gold. The Chinese here have
y
/ yacht men. / see them In the BILLIARD
/ rooms and pass them flying over the roads
on American bicycles their gorgeous Silks
flirting In the breeze. They are the cash
icrs mud acCountan OF this region. If you
20 into one OF the big banks 1t Is a Chinese
who figures out the exchange and hands
over your money Some Of the hest stores
are owned by Chinese and In most business
houses the credit Of q Chinese merchant Is
ns good us that OF an English ono. The
Chinese have fine homes here. Some have
, , large cs ates outside Singapore, and on the
whole they are an important element OF
the community.
, the goycrnor's council. This Is so, but
ncyerthccgs, the Chinese are not the casl
est governed Of me, Asl9ues, They hay'
e. secret societies, which take the law Int
= their own hands. and which IN times pas
> have worked against the government, No
9 long ago one of these organizations ho'
e alone while there were 10000 members o
+ tie same society In tho nearby city o
l. Ther5 are poor Chinese rs well as rich
{. They manage the boats in he harbor
y pay Chinese 2'a cents rae MS ne TAX,
O. / have at the hotel.
a Hindoos and sikhs.
Il Next 10 the Chinese, outside tho Malnys
ID the East indians form the most importan
J., az the Asiatlcs Of Singapore. There ar
I, 10000 OF them embracing the chief husi
IA ness tribes or HindoOstau. When | andc
d IT. was Hindoo who forced himself upo
II me rs n guide He spoke English as wei
IA MS do, and insisted 30 hard that necde
It him TINT l had to take him. lie goes wit
= me everywhere and | believe he gets
le commission on everything buy.
n There are large number OF Kings her
~ engaged In banking and money changlns
~ They also come from HindooStnn. the
A.. Of IpA M
20 black as the ace Of spades and so ahou
VA clad In little more than II sheet, but inc
are The thriftlcst Insurers of the FAR East
They lend money to the Malays and othe
4, natives and consider l per cent month
- low rate. There are n large number :
~ Armenlans here selling lcwelryi embrolde
al ic,s and silk goods. There are 1000 Hamt
~ and $500 people from Bengal
~ Among the bankers are the Pnrsees wh
IL represent lnrge hoMSes at Bcm6Ny, CnlcutI
ly aud elsewhere. There are 500 Arabs an
d. | quite a number OF merchants from Ccylo
or Some of the finest looking East Indians al
or tvs Slkhs, who are employed upon the p
ur very tal straight, brown men. who we.
nd turhans and drcss IN an Indian miiltaI
IS. uniform, which makes them quite impos n
In a Spectacular Extravaganza.
IN The streets Of Singapore are, In fact,
- spectacular extravaganza. You see que
~. costumes and people AT every turn. Con
'o ont on the sidewalk and look There Is
~, ycllow Chinese jlnrksha man clad In she
~ blue drawers. lie ia bare to the wni
ls md hts conical straw hat sits side vi
IT. on his topknot Next 20 him swaggcrs
M brown Malay, wearing velvet cap and :
~ ! gown, and behind comes n black Xii
1rrna from Hindoostan In white sheet and O.
lIe ban,
on let rs walk down the street. We pa
.lu MCh0mmedans IN red fc2 caps and 10
arc gov ms, looking as though they had COZ
- from an Egyptian bazaar We 90 by {
slANs, wearing lntDa4s OF nlaeh' yen