the british settlement in singapore

3 REASONS FOR A THIRD BRITISH PORT

Why did the British need a third post?Why did the British need a third post?

1.1. China TradeChina Trade

2.2. Failure of Penang and BencoolenFailure of Penang and Bencoolen

3.3. Check Dutch powerCheck Dutch power

1. THE CHINA TRADE

• Need for a port of call to serve the lucrative China trade

• Chief items : Tea and opium• Why tea? Why opium?• Tea imports : 1761 £2.5m to 1800 £23m• Importance of opium :

Balance Britain’s lop-sided trade with China

THE EIC

Importance of China trade :• Profits used to finance the EIC’s administrative

expenses in India

Importance of trade with Malay Archipelago • Trade was flourishing

Importance of trade with Europe : • Huge demand for Straits produce• For all these reasons, the EIC needed a port better

located than Penang to control this trade

2. FAILURE OF PENANG & BENCOOLEN

PENANGPENANG• Too far north up the S/M to control trade in

SEA• Health hazard : Malaria• Piracy; could not protect its own ships

BENCOOLENBENCOOLEN• Too far south on the west coast of Sumatra

away from the main trade routes in S/M

3. CHECK DUTCH POWER

“It is clear that the object of the Dutch is to control all trade in the Archipelago. By controlling the only passes to the Archipelago, namely the Straits of Malacca and the Sunda Straits, they have also in their power at all times to disrupt our China trade.”

Raffles


• 1811-1816 : British-occupied Java

• Batavia - centre of trade

• After Napoleonic Wars in 1816, Indonesia was returned to the Dutch

• Dutch continued trade monopoly

• Imposed high tariffs on British ships

• British ships allowed to trade only with Batavia, not other Dutch ports


• This badly affected British trade

• Thus the need for a base to check Dutch influence and control of trade in SEA

• Attract traders from around the main trading in the Archipelago to trade in the British port

3 REASONS FOR A THIRD BRITISH PORT

1.1. China TradeChina Trade

2.2. Failure of Penang and Failure of Penang and BencoolenBencoolen

3.3. Check Dutch powerCheck Dutch power

RAFFLES : THE MAN AND HIS VISION


• Vision of a British Empire in the East Indies

• Counter Dutch influence in the Malay Archipelago

• Saw the potential of a base south of the Malay Peninsular– Acheh– Rhio Islands


• Dutch : Occupied Rhio and claimed control over Lingga and Johore

• Carimon Islands - Suitable?Unsuitable?

• Then came Then came SingaporeSingapore to the rescue!!!!! to the rescue!!!!!

RAFFLES : what he wrote………….

At Singapore, I found advantages far superior to what the other islands had to offer. It is located at the southern entrance of the Straits of Malacca, thus, in a commanding position to protect our ships as they sail from India to China.

It has also been my good fortune to discover one of the safest harbours in the area. Singapore is everything we could desire. It will soon rise in importance and break the Dutch monopoly of trade in the Archipelago.

WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT SINGAPORE initially?

• Geographical LocationGeographical Location• Natural HarbourNatural Harbour• Good supply of drinking waterGood supply of drinking water• No Dutch flagNo Dutch flag

TREATY OF 6 FEB 1819

1. Permission for EIC to estb a settlement

2. Annual payment of Rp$5000 to Sultan and Rp$3000 to Temenggong

3. EIC - protection and support to S and T who will protect the Bri settlement

from attacks

4. S & T - No treaties with other powers

TREATY OF 6 FEB 1819

5. EIC : Administer and pay for the cost of the port of S’pore

6. S & T entitled to half of any duties collected from native ships

DEVELOPMENT OF SINGAPORE UP TO 1824

• Rapid Growth

• Trade

• Town Planning

• Justice

• Social Progress

• Why the rapid growth?Why the rapid growth?


• Rapid Growth

– Jun 1819 : Population 5,000– 1824 : First census 10,683– After 1836 , Chinese outnumbered Malays


• Trade

– 1823, Annual trade > Sp$ 13,000,000– Free from government monopoly– Entrepot trade


• Town Planning• Raffles returned 4 months later and gave Farquhar

instructions on town planning• When Raffles came back in Oct 1822, he was

unhappy with the way Farquhar had planned and governed Singapore


• Town Planning

• Made John Crawfurd the 2nd Resident of Singapore

• Much of Raffles’ Town Plan still remain today


• Administration of Justice• Temporary Code of Law drawn up by

Raffles• A local headman or kapitan was appointed

for each of the major Asian communities• 12 European merchants appointed as

magistrates, assisted by headmen.• Dealt with minor cases


• Major cases dealt by Resident

• A police force was organised to maintain law and order


• Social Progress

• Slave trade slowly abolished

• Land registration was introduced

• Singapore’s first Botanical Gardens was opened

• Roads and drainage works

• Reservoirs, bridges

FACTORS FOR THE RISE OF SINGAPORE’S TRADE

1. Geographical Position

2. Excellent harbour

3. Free Port

4. Free Trade


1. Geographical Position– favourably located on the trade route to China– convenient port-of-call for European traders

sailing through the S/M– stop at S’pore for trade, supplies and information– meeting place between East & West– Important coaling station when steamships were

introduced


2. Excellent Harbour– accommodate all ships large or small– especially important when bigger ships were

built


3. Free Port– traders did not have to pay import or export duties– only opium and liquor were taxed– for the first 10 years, S’pore was the only free port

in the Malay Archipelago– other free ports established later were unable to

challenge S’pore• unique geographical advantages

• foreign investment in infrastructure


4. Free Trade– trade did not come under control of British

government– ships of any nationality could trade freely in

Singapore without restrictions

the british settlement in singapore

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