Stamford Raffles, who has written his name for all time in
the book of great English Empire builders, was the son of the master of a West
Indiaman, and the boy was bom on board ship on 5 July, 1781. After a very brief
schooling Raffles, at the age of fourteen, became a clerk in the offices of the
East India Company in Leadenhall Street, and when only twenty-four he was sent
to join the Pinang establishment as an assistant secretary. Raffles began to
learn Malay on his voyage to the East, and from the moment he reached Pinang he
devoted all his leisure to the study of the language and people with whom his
lot was cast, and for whom he appears to have conceived a great sympathy and affection.
This characteristic not only won him the confidence of the Malays, but through
the instrumentality of Dr. Leyden, who met him in Pinang, it brought his name
prominently to the notice of Lord Minto, and laid the foundations of that
knowledge of Malay affairs which so soon carried him to the front and
established his fame as Lieutenant-Governor of Java, and later as the founder
of Singapore.
Page 62
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 63
About 1807 Raffles visited Calcutta, where he was received
with great kindness by the Governor-General, and returned to the Straits with
the title of Governor-General's Agent in the Eastern Seas. This appointment
gave him a position of semi-independence, and enabled him to collect alt the
information necessary to determine the Government to dispatch an expedition for
the capture of Java. We have seen how the force, six thousand British and six
thousand Indian troops, in ninety vessels, rendezvoused at Malacca, from whence
they sailed on 11 June, 1811, under the personal direction of Lord Minto with
Raffles as his chief Intelligence Officer. The army landed near Batavia on 4
August, occupied that place on the 9th, and on the 25th fought the decisive
Battle of Cornelis, where we lost five hundred men, and the enemy, under
General Janssens, four thousand, while five thousand were taken prisoners.
Six weeks later Lord Minto returned, leaving Raffles as
Lieutenant-Governor of the newly conquered, populous and fertile island with
all its dependencies. It is certainly remarkable that Raffles, with no family
or other influence, and little education except what was due to his own
industry, should, at the age of thirty, after only six years in the East, have
found himself in a position of such honour and responsibility. The fact is
immensely creditable to Raffles, and not less so to the discernment and sound
judgement of the Governor-General.
It cannot but be interesting to have a description of such a
personality at such a moment ; and the interest is all the deeper when the
picture is drawn by one who was daily and hourly studying his subject with the
alert intelligence of a bright Malay boy. Reference has been made to Abdullah's
history, and this is Raffles, in 1811, drawn by Abdullah's pen. I have only put
the writer's words into English : —
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| Singapore River |
Page 64 BRITISH MALAYA
" Now as to the appearance of Mr. Raffles, I noticed
that he was of medium height, neither tall nor short, neither stout nor thin.
His forehead was wide, a sign of great power of organization, and the front of
his head was large, a sign of ability. His hair was light, a sign of courage ;
his ears were broad, to enable him to hear everything; his eyebrows were
strongly marked ; he had a cast in his left eye ; his nose was thin, the sign
of a clever talker : his tongue was persuasive, his mouth large, and his neck
of a good length. His complexion was not excessively fair ; be bad a broad
chest, a small waist, and feet of medium size. When be walked, it was with a
slight stoop. As to his manner, he seemed generally to be absorbed in thought
He was extraordinarily courteous, with a pleasant face and word for every one,
of every station, and a wide sympathy for all men. He was generous to the poor.
He was very clever in repartee, and whenever he spoke it was always with a
smile. He had a great power of getting out the details of long past events, and
he never let a matter go till he bad got to the bottom of it He preferred quiet
places, and he was for ever writing or reading books. Whenever he was studying
or talking, it did not matter who came to his house, he would not see them till
he had finished. I also observed that he did everything with method ; taking
each in its turn, and never jumbling up one with another. I noticed also that
in the evening, when he had had his tea with his friends, there were always
ready, on a large table, pens, ink and paper, and two lighted candles. And when
he was tired of walking up and down the room, be would lean right down on the
table and shut his eyes like one weary and asleep. Two or three times I thought
he was asleep, when suddenly he would start up and write, and then return to
his former attitude. He would go on like that till eleven or twelve o'clock
when he went to bed. That was his daily custom, except when he had friends.
When he woke in the morning, he would read what he had
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 65
written the night before, walking backwards and forwards all
the time; Out of ten pages which he read, he would give three or four to a
clerk to copy into a book ; the rest he would tear up and throw away."
This is not the place to speak of the remarkable work done
by Raffles during his five years in Java ; but when he left the island in 1816,
it was to go to England for a much-needed rest In 1817 he was appointed
Lieutenant- Governor of Bencoolen, in Sumatra, a miserable out-of-the-way
place, to which he was sent by those who feared his restless energy. Raffles
reached Bencoolen in March, 1818, and in April he was already insisting upon
the necessity of finding a suitable spot on which to establish a British
Settlement, to counteract the aggressive and exclusive policy of the Dutch.
The spot selected was the island of Singapore, at the
southern extremity of the Straits of Malacca, and there a preliminary treaty
was concluded with the local Malay chief, the Dato Temenggong of Johore, on 30
January, 1819, and a more formal document was drawn up on 6 February, 1819,
between Sir Stamford Raffles, on behalf of the Honourable East India Company,
and Sultan Husein of Johore and the Dato Temenggong. How Singapore came to be
chosen for the British Settlement and the steps which actually led up to the
making of the treaties are questions which have been greatly argued. The
interest which now attaches to these matters has grown out of the succession of
controversies raised by different writers on the subject The generally accepted
version is that Raffles, having been to Calcutta and persuaded the Supreme
Government that his view of the situation was correct, returned to Bencoolen
with authority to select and occupy, at the southern end of the Malacca
Straits, a position which would act as a barrier to Dutch influence and open
the door to the extension of British trade in the Malay Archipelago. At this
very
Page 66 BRITISH MALAYA
time Colonel Farquhar, the Resident of Malacca, was about to
return to England, as Malacca was on the point of being handed back to the
Dutch under the terms of the Treaty of Vienna. Whilst in Malacca Colonel
Farquhar had been under the Government of Pinang, and, by their instructions,
he had attempted to secure a suitable position for a British Settlement on the
island of Bentan, in the neighbourhood of Singapore. This attempt had failed
(owing to the action of the Dutch, who had seized Rhio), and the Pinang
Government abandoned the scheme as hopeless. Colonel Farquhar had, however,
discharged his duties to the satisfaction of the authorities in Calcutta, and
they, thinking that his experience and services would be very useful to
Raffles, wrote to Colonel Farquhar directing him to postpone his departure, and
to place himself at the disposal of Raffles for the selection of a new station
which, when occupied, would be placed under his charge.
Raffles was also entrusted with a mission to Achin, and his
instructions were to deal first with that question and then proceed to the
selection of the new Settlement. Raffles, apparently at the instance of the
Government of Pinang, determined to let the Achin matter wait and immediately
sailed down the Straits, picking up Colonel Farquhar somewhere — certainly not
at Malacca — on the way. Raffles and Farquhar then visited and abandoned in
turn Siak, on the east coast of Sumatra, and the Karimun Islands. Disappointed
with these places, they sailed for Johore and, either by accident or design,
landed at Singapore. Finding this place almost uninhabited and with great
natural advantages. Raffles immediately determined to acquire it, and to that
end made a preliminary arrangement with the local chief This Malay chief was
the Dato Temenggong of Johore, a high officer of the Sultan of Johore, who
asserted that he had certain special rights over Singapore, though by his
action, and by his other
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 67
statements to the English officers, it was clear that any
arrangement made by him must be subject to the approval and confirmation of the
Sultan of Johore.
At this time, owing to intrigues and a variety of
circumstances needless to relate, the younger of two brothers had, on the death
of their father and during the temporary absence of the elder and rightful
heir, been persuaded to allow himself to be proclaimed Sultan of Johore. It was
also known that this younger brother was under the influence of designing
people with Dutch sympathies. Raffles, therefore, sent at once to Rhio for the
elder brother, Tunku Husein, otherwise called Tunku Long, and on his arrival in
Singapore he was duly proclaimed Sultan of Johore, His title and authority were
formally recognized by Raffles, on behalf of the East India Company, and a new
treaty was made on 6 February, 1819, between Raffles on the one hand and the
Sultan Husein and the Temenggong on the other, by which the Malays granted to
the British Government the right to settle on the island.
A further arrangement, dealing with administrative
questions, was entered into on 26 June, 1819 ; yet another agreement was made
in June, 1S23 ; and the final treaty, by which Singapore is now held, is dated
19 November, 1824.
All this seems plain and simple enough, but seeing the
immense success of Singapore under English rule, its rapid rise, its great
natural advantages, its unique position and immense importance to the Imperial
Government, the interest of many intelligent men who had a hand in its advancement
was, years ago, aroused to ascertain and record the exact facts of its
occupation as a British Settlement. In the course of the inquiries which began
then and have continued spasmodically ever since, some claim has been made to
give Colonel Farquhar at least a part of the credit for choosing Singapore as
the new English
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| Smelting Works at Singapore Keppel Harbour |
Page 68 BRITISH MALAYA
station. That claim was asserted by Colonel Farquhar in his
lifetime, but it found few supporters, and the theory generally accepted is the
one just stated. To support it there are a number of official documents, a few
statements in letters from Raffles — not very definite or positive statements —
added to the general belief that Raffles alone was responsible for the
selection of Singapore, as well as for the far-seeing and broad-minded policy
on which the place was nurtured into greatness. A stronger proof than anything
before advanced is probably to be found in the original Malay treaty, lately
unearthed by the diligent inquiries of Mr. C. B. Buckley, a photographic copy
of which is to be found in his interesting book. An Anecdotal History of Singapore. This is the treaty of 30
January, 1819, between Sir Stamford Raffles and the Dato Temenggong of Johore,
signed by Raffles and sealed by both the parties.
To those who have no special interest in the Straits the
question may seem to be of small importance, but it is impossible to leave it
without drawing attention to the fact that Abdullah, who in his History gives
several most carefully written chapters to the search for a place on which to
found a new British Settlement, and to the actual occupation of Singapore, not
only does not mention that Raffles was present when the expedition landed at
Singapore, but distinctly and several times says he was not there.
Some of these chapters were translated and published many
years ago, and those writers who have referred to them, in connexion with this
question, were satisfied to dismiss Abdullah's record with the statement that
he admits he only went to Singapore four months after its occupation, and
therefore that his account is all hearsay. A careful examination of the
original Hikaiat Abdullah leaves the
reader in doubt on this point, for several reasons which need not be gone into
here. It might be argued
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 69
that the visit paid to the Settlement, when it was four
months old, was not the first; but if it was, then Abdullah, long before
mentioning that fact, has recounted several personal adventures of his own in
Singapore which must of necessity have occurred subsequent to his arrival, and
should have so appeared in his book. If there were no evidence available beyond
Abdullah's History, it would be difficult to believe that Sir Stamford Raffles
was present when Colonel Farquhar landed at Singapore. The preliminary treaty
of 30 January, i8i9,with the Temenggong, the treaty of 6 February, 1819, with
the Sultan and Temenggong, both signed by Raffles, and the instructions which
Sir Stamford addressed to Colonel Farquhar on 6 February, 1819, settle this
question absolutely in a contrary sense.
Raffles' knowledge of Malay history, or tradition, would
have made him acquainted with the fact that, six hundred years earlier, ages
before Portuguese or Dutch had been heard of in the Far East, Singapore had
been a thriving, populous city, the foremost in the Archipelago. Yet we know
that Raffles' first idea was to found a station in the Straits of Sunda, and he
actually did attempt to create such a place, but it was a failure. When he
sailed down the Straits of Malacca in January, 1819, and met Colonel Farquhar,
it is probable that Raffles may have had Singapore in his mind as a suitable
spot for his settlement, if be found nothing better. Colonel Farquhar, who had
been some years at Malacca, where he had made friends with Tunku Husein, and
probably discussed with him the possibility of finding a good station in the
vicinity of Johore, ought to have known the neighbourhood much better than
Raffles. Moreover, Colonel Farquhar had already visited Rhio at least once, and
that journey must have taken him past the Johore side of Singapore, both going
and returning. Siak was useless, and the Karimun Islands, which seem to have
been the suggestion of Colonel
Page 70 BRITISH MALAYA
Farquhar, were also unsuitable. Raffles' instructions from
the Supreme Government were, that he was to negotiate for a firm position at
Achin, in Sumatra, and endeavour to establish "a station beyond
Malacca." The port of Rhio was specifically named, and failing that place,
on account of its being previously occupied by the Dutch, Raffles was directed
"to endeavour to establish a connexion with the Sultan of Johore," his
instructions adding : "The position of Johore renders it nearly, or
perhaps entirely, as convenient a post for our purposes as Rhio." It is
therefore probable that the expedition was cruising along without a definite
destination when, passing Singapore, the explorers decided to put in there and
consult the Dato Temenggong, who had made Singapore his headquarters since
1811. The splendid roadstead and other natural advantages once seen, there
would be no further doubt, and Raffles lost no time in coming to terms with the
Malay chief whom he found on the spot ; though he realized at once that, to
secure his title, he must have the consent of the Sultan of Johore. Tunku
Husein's presence was a necessity; he was summoned from Rhio, proclaimed Sultan
of Johore (a title to which he had an absolute right), and the more formal
treaty of 6 February was then concluded. Raffles immediately sailed for Pinang
and Sumatra to carry out his mission to Achin, and report to the
Governor-General, the Marquis of Hastings; white Colonel Farquhar was left in
charge of the infant Settlement. The exact facts are not of real importance ;
but it is more than probable that Raffles, by good luck and without assistance
from others, selected Singapore as the site of his avowedly anti-Dutch
pro-British Station. The idea of such a post was Raffles' own ; for it is
probable that his instructions were drafted on information supplied by himself,
and in that case it is noticeable that Rhio and Johore are indicated as likely
places, but not Singapore; he went South with the
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 71
express object of carrying out his favourite scheme before
his masters could have time to change their minds, or his rivals to anticipate
his design. Colonel Farquhar was only there to help his senior, and it is
certain that, if there had been no Raffles in 1819, there would have been no
British Singapore to-day.
The recognition of the value of Singapore island to meet all
the requirements of the situation, and its acquisition from those entitled to
dispose of it, were very simple matters compared with the difficulty of
retaining a hold upon it and of convincing the Governor-General, the Board of
the East India Company, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the British
Government, and the British people, that the island must on no account be given
up. The Marquis of Hastings, under whose directions Raffles started with the
special intention of occupying a position in Johore, wrote to the Governor of
Pinang, less than two months later, to say that Raffles was not justified in
sending Major Farquhar eastward in the face of a Dutch protest, and " if
the post has not yet been obtained he is to desist from any further attempt to
establish one " ! Fortunately the post had been obtained, and the weathercock-mind
of the Governor-General veered round once again. The members of the East India
Board were furious, and the ministers of the Crown were "excessively
angry." Indeed, had it not been for Raffles, his insistence, his
arguments, his labours to secure supporters for his scheme, it is certain that
Singapore would have been abandoned by the British, and equally certain that it
would now be a Dutch possession. Raffles made it, and Raffles saved it ; but
even he alone could not have kept the place if the interest of the English
mercantile community had not been aroused, and they had not exerted their
influence to retain Singapore. Raffles' genius and patriotism were rewarded by
endless worry, by the disapproval of his employers, and by public censure from
his country's ministers.
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| Cargo Boats in Singapore |
Page 72 BRITISH MALAYA
The jealousy of the Pinang Government (which had failed in
its own attempt to secure a Settlement at Rhio), even tried to wreck Raffles'
scheme; they refused to render assistance to Colonel Farquhar when he feared an
attack ; suggested that he ought to withdraw all his people rather than risk an
engagement, and advised the Calcutta authorities to abandon Singapore to the
Dutch !
Time, mercantile influence, and the ever-growing success of
the new station won the day. But fate seems to have been strangely malign, for
with the assurance of the certain prosperity of his Settlement came the end of
Raffles' career.
Raffles, the most assiduous worker, the most enthusiastic
collector of everything which could advance the cause of knowledge and of
science, sailed for England from Bencoolen in a small vessel called the Fame on 2 February, 1824. The same
evening the vessel caught fire, and those on board had barely time to get out
of the ship into small boats before she was nothing but a mass of flames. Sir
Stamford and Lady Raffles and the rest of those saved from the Fame got back to Bencoolen with no
little difficulty, but the fruits of many years' work in Sumatra and Singapore
— the notes, the maps, the books, the collections of every kind, including many
wild animals and birds — had gone utterly and for ever. Raffles himself was
already broken in health ; he had lost his first wife in Java and three
children in Bencoolen, and when, two mouths later, he finally left Sumatra and
the Far East, he had exhausted his energies in the service of the Company and
his country. Two years of further worry in England, of charges and claims by
his late employers, resulted in his death at the age of forty-five.
Comparatively few people in England know the name of Stamford Raffles or what
it stands for ; and yet to him we owe the possession of Singapore, the Gate of
the Farther East, a naval base of the highest importance, a great commercial
centre, and
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 73
the most prosperous of British Crown Colonies. Indirectly,
the foresight which secured Singapore for the British Empire led also to the
extension of British influence throughout the States of the Malay Peninsula, a
territory which, under British protection and guidance, has not only far
surpassed in rapid development the progress of Raffles' Settlement, but has
enormously contributed to the prosperity of both Pinang and Singapore, and
proved itself to be, in proportion to its area, one of the richest countries in
the world.
In all this, no British party and no British Government can
claim to have taken any part, except by grudgingly assenting to what had been
done, almost without their knowledge, entirely against their wishes. The man to
whom the credit belongs gave his talents and his life to achieve an end which
he believed to be necessary to the prestige, the power, and the trade of
England in the Far East He died on 5 July, 1826, and was buried in England, but
no one knows where to find his grave.
The single consolation vouchsafed to Raffles was the
knowledge that Singapore had succeeded beyond his fondest hopes, and that, in
the esteem and affection of all classes and nationalities there, he held a
place which he never could lose. When he left the island for the last time, in
June, 1823, the European and native merchants presented him with an address
which contains the following passage : —
" To your unwearied zeal, your vigilance, and your
comprehensive views, we owe at once the foundation and maintenance of a
Settlement unparallelled for the liberality of the principles on which it has
been established ; principles the operation of which has converted, in a period
short beyond all example, a haunt of pirates into the abode of enterprise,
security, and opulence.
" While we acknowledge our own peculiar obligations to
you, we reflect at the same time with pride and satisc-
Page 74 BRITISH MALAYA
tion upon the active and beneficent means by which you have
promoted and patronized the diffusion of intellectual and moral improvement,
and we anticipate with confidence their happy influence in advancing the cause
of humanity and civilization."
Raffles acknowledged this letter, and in the course of his
reply, wrote : —
" It has happily been consistent with the policy of
Great Britain, and accordant with the principles of the East India Company,
that Singapore should be established as a free port ; that no sinister, no
sordid view, no considerations either of political importance or pecuniary advantage,
should interfere with the broad and liberal principles on which the British
interests have been established. Monopoly and exclusive privileges, against
which public opinion has long raised its voice, are here unknown, and while the
Free Port of Singapore is allowed to continue and prosper, as it hitherto has
done, the policy and liberality of the East India Company, by whom the
Settlement was founded, and under whose protection and control it is still
administered, can never be disputed.
" That Singapore will long and always remain a free
port, and that no taxes on trade or industry will be established to check its
future rise and prosperity, I can have no doubt I am justified in saying thus
much, on the authority of the Supreme Government of India, and on the authority
of those who are most likely to have weight in the Councils of our nation at
home.
" For the public and peculiar mark of respect which
you. Gentlemen, have been desirous of showing me on the occasion of my
departure from the Settlement, I beg that you will accept my most sincere
thanks. I know the feeling which dictated it, I acknowledge the delicacy with
which it has been conveyed, and I prize most highly the gratifying terms to me
personally in which it has been expressed."
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 75
Raffles' whole connexion with Singapore extended from
February, 1819, to June, 1823, just over four years, and in that time he only
visited the island three times ; but during those visits, by his personal
influence and direction and by the written instructions which he issued to the
Resident, he laid the foundations of that liberal and enlightened
administration which secured the immediate and lasting success of the
Settlement There is no need to detract from the credit due to others to
increase Raffles' fame. His personality and his services were big enough to
place him beyond the reach of comparison with men of his own time in eastern
administration, but in matters of detail his judgement was sometimes hasty, and
he did not like opposition. Singapore has to thank Farquhar and not Raffles for
the splendid esplanade, which is one of the most attractive features of the
island.
If we have no picturesque record of Raffles' first landing
on the shores of Singapore, Abdullah has left us a very pathetic account of his
own last hours with his master, and the tatter's final departure from the place
he had created and of which he was so justly proud. Abdullah writes : —
" On the day after all his things had been put on board
the ship, he sent for me and I went to the room where he used to write. He
said, ' Take this letter and keep it carefully, with the one I gave you at
Malacca. If hereafter any distinguished Englishman comes here, show him the
letters and he will befriend you. Moreover, should you get work in the Court,
show the letters to whoever is then at the head of affairs in Singapore, and
you will receive a higher salary than is usually paid to Malays. Do not grieve,
for if I live I will surely return to Singapore ; but should I die, then good
bye, and I charge you to diligently learn the English language until you know
it well. Here is another paper ; take it, and when I have gone give it to Mr.
Queiros, who will pay you two hundred dollars, which
Page 76 BRITISH MALAYA
I ask you to accept from me. If I ever return, I want to
write several books dealing with the countries in this neighbourhood ; in them
I will mention your name and the great help you have given me in all Malay
matters and everything that was within your knowledge, so that white men may
know you and trust you.' I could not speak, but I took the papers while the
tears streamed down my face without my being conscious of it That day, to part
with Sir Stamford Raffles was to me as the death of my parents.
My regret was not because of the benefits I had received, or
because of his greatness or attractions ; but because of his character and
attainments, because every word he said was sincere and reliable, because he
never exalted himself or depreciated others. All these things have remained in
my heart till now, and though I have seen many distinguished men, many who were
clever, who were rich, who were handsome — for character, for the power of
winning affection, and for talent and understanding, I have never seen the
equal of Sir Stamford Raffles. Though I die and live again, I shall never find
his peer. . . . When I had received the two letters, Sir Stamford and his lady
went down to the sea accompanied by an immense crowd of people of every
nationality, I also went with them, and when they reached the ship they went on
board. A moment later preparations were made to heave up the anchor, and Sir
Stamford sent for me. I went into his cabin, and saw that he was wiping the
tears from his eyes. He said, ' Go home ; you must not grieve, for if I live we
shall meet again.' Then Lady Raffles came in and gave me twenty-five dollars,
saying, ' This is for your children in Malacca.' When I heard that my heart was
more than ever fired by the thought of their kindness, I thanked her, and shook
them both by the hand ; but I could not restrain my tears, so I hurriedly got
into my boat and pulled away. When we had gone some distance I looked back and
saw Sir Stamford gazing from the port. I saluted him and he
SINGAPORE— EARLY HISTORY Page 77
waved his hand. After some moments the sails filled and the
ship moved slowly away."
The great administrator and his Malay protégé were not to
meet again, but the eastern did not forget his hero. Raffles' best epitaph is
written in Malay ; and had he been buried in the country he loved so well, we
should know where to find his grave.
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| Cocoanut Plantation in Singapore |
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