One Hundred Years of Singapore v. 2

Table of contents :
Contents (v)......Page 5
List of Illustrations (viii)......Page 8
The Tanjong Pagar Dock Company (1)......Page 11
Sir John Nicholson (19)......Page 33
Commerce and Currency (22)......Page 37
Opium, Liquor, Farms, and the Monopoly (55)......Page 71
The Opium Commission (58)......Page 75
Botanic Gardens and Economic Notes (63)......Page 80
Mr. Henry Nicholas Ridley (78)......Page 96
Planting in Singapore (79)......Page 98
Growth of the Rubber Trade (84)......Page 103
Rubber and Rubber Planting (88)......Page 107
Early Planting Days (91)
......Page 110
The Mineral Oil Trade (97)......Page 116
14. The Post Office and Its History (102)......Page 121
15. The Machinery of Commerce (166)......Page 188
The Telegraph Co. (167)......Page 189
Oriental Telephone and Electric Co. (170)......Page 192
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. (171)......Page 193
Banking (174)......Page 196
The Commercial Firms (180)......Page 202
Churches and Missions (236)......Page 264
The Church of England in Singapore (238)......Page 267
1. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd (243)......Page 274
2. The Chinese Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Queen Street (247)......Page 278
3. The Chinese Church of the Sacred Heart, Tank Road (248)......Page 279
1. The Chinese Parish of Bukit Timah, St. Joseph's Church (249)......Page 280
2. The Chinese Parish of Seranggong, Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (250)......Page 281
St. Joseph's Institution (251)......Page 282
Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (253)......Page 284
The Portuguese Mission (255)......Page 286
The Armenian Church (259)......Page 292
I—The Church (261)......Page 294
II—The Mission (264)......Page 297
The Methodist Episcopal Church and Mission (267)......Page 300
Bethesda (271)......Page 305
The Jewish Synagogue (274)......Page 309
The Chinese Gospel House (275)......Page 310
The Chinese Gospel Hall, Upper Serangoon Road (276)......Page 311
The Press (278)......Page 313
Literature (286)......Page 322
Journalism (289)......Page 325
"Straits Produce" (292)......Page 329
The Press of the Domiciled Community (294)......Page 332
The Stratis Settlements Association (297)......Page 336
The Straits Philosophical Society (301)......Page 340
St. Andrew's Society (303)......Page 343
The British and Foreign Bible Society (305)......Page 345
The Boustead Institute (307)......Page 347
Young Men's Christian Association (308)......Page 348
Young Women's Christian Association (310)......Page 350
Association of Engineers (312)......Page 352
The Merchant Service Guild (316)......Page 356
Miscellaneous Associations (317)......Page 357
Singapore Yacht Clubs (318)......Page 358
Photographic Society (319)......Page 359
Introduction (320)......Page 360
Cricket (325)......Page 366
Lawn Tennis (331)......Page 375
Association Football (333)......Page 378
Hockey (334)......Page 379
Polo (335)......Page 381
The Ladies' Lawn Tennis Club (337)......Page 384
The Singapore Golf Club (338)......Page 385
Racing (348)......Page 396
Daddy Abrams's Last Race (359)......Page 408
Automobilism (361)......Page 411
The Singapore Recreation Club (365)......Page 416
Shikar (367)......Page 418
Amateur Theatricals (381)......Page 433
Music (406)......Page 465
The Reads: C. R., W. H. M., and R. B. (416)......Page 476
The Braddell Family (423)......Page 484
The Maxwells (431)......Page 493
The Cranes (442)......Page 505
The Dunmans (443)......Page 506
The d'Almeidas (446)......Page 510
The Shelfords (447)......Page 512
The Kers and the Kerrs (449)......Page 514
Sir John Anderson (451)......Page 516
Charles Burton Buckley (453)......Page 519
John Fraser, "Our Jolly Old Octopus" (457)......Page 524
Charles Phillips (459)......Page 527
Miss Sophia Cooke (460)......Page 528
Sir Henry McCallum (461)......Page 530
Manasseh Meyer (463)......Page 533
K. B. S. Robertson (464)......Page 534
The Good Old Days (465)......Page 535
Personal Recollections (525)......Page 608
Awakening Old Memories (538)......Page 621
A Mid-Century Diary (542)......Page 625
22. Singapore's Future (560)......Page 644
23. The Centenerary Day and Its Celebration (570)......Page 654
Chronology (587)......Page 670
Index (611)......Page 693

Citation preview

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SINGAPORE

SIR ARTHUR YOUNG UNVEIUNG THE ll!EilORIAT, TABT,ET ON" SIR STAMFORD RAl'l'LllS'S STATUil, CENTilNARY DAY, r9r9, IT, Frontispiece]

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SINGAPORE

BEING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE CAPITAL OF THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS FROM ITS FOUNDATI�N \,\ l I BY SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES ON THE ,6TH FEBRUARY 1819 TO THE 6TH FEBRUARY 1919

GENERAL EDITORS WALTER

MAK E PEACE, F.J.I.

EDITOR OF THE II SI NGA.PORE FREE PRESS"

I

DR. GILBERT E. BROOKE, M.A. PORT HEALTH OFl-"ICl!:R AT SINGAPORE

ROLAND ST. ADVOCATE

AND

J.

BRADDELL, B.A.

SOLICITOR OF THE SUPREME STRAJTS SETTLEMENTS

COURTJ

VO L. II

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.

fi ,

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

CONTENTS VOL. II

CHAPTER XII SINGAPORE HARBOUR THE TANJONG 'PAGAR DOCK COMPANY, by Sir JOHN RUMNEY NICHOLSON, KT., C.M.G., formerly Chairman SIR JOHN NICHOLSON, KT., C.M.G.

PAGB 1 19

CHAPTER XIII , THE COMMERCE OF SINGAPORE

c. w.

COMMERCE AND CURRENCY, by DARBISHIRE, formerly Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Member of the Legislative Council OPIUM, LIQUOR, FARMS, AND THE l\foNOPOLY, by the late J. R.BROOKE THE OPIUM COMMISSION BOTANIC GARDENS AND ECONOMIC NOTES, by Dr. GILBERT E. BROOKE MR. HENRY NICHOLAS RIDLEY, C.M.G., F.R.S. PLANTING IN SINGAPORE, by H. PRICE GROWTH OF THE RUBBER TRADE, by H. PRICE RUBBER AND RUBBER PLANTING, by H. PRICE EARLY PLANTING DAYS, by WALTER Fox, formerly Superintendent Forests and Gardens, Penang THE MINERAL OIL TRADE

22

55

58 63 78 79 84 88 91 97

CHAPTER XIV THE POST OFFICE AND ITS HISTORY By T. A. MELVILLE, of the Straits Settlements Post Office

102

CHAPTER XV THE MACHINERY OF COMMERCE BY WALTER MAKEPEACE THE TELEGRAPH Co.-ORIENTAL TELEPHONE AND ELECTRIC Co.-THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION Co., LTD,-BANKING-THE COMMERCIAL FIRMS V

• 166

vi

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XVI RELIGIOUS SINGAPORE BY THE REV.

w.

MURRAY, M.A.

YAOE

CHURCHES AND MISSIONS-THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN SINGAPORE-THE CATHOLIC CHURCH-THE FRENCH Mis­ SION-THEPoRTUGUESE MISSION-THE ARMENIAN CHURCH -PRESBYTERIANISM IN SINGAPORE-THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND MISSION-BETHESDA-THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE-THE CHINESE GOSPEL HOUSE 235

CHAPTER XVII INSTITUTIONS AND CLUBS BY \VALTER MAKEPEACE THE

PRESS-LITERATURE-JOURNALISM-" STRAITS PRO­ DUCE "-THE PRESS OF THE DOMICILED COMMUNITY­ THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS ASSOCIATION-THE STRAITS PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY-ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY-THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY-THE BOUSTEAD INSTITUTE-THE Y.M.C.A.-THE Y.W.C.A.-THE SINGA­ PORE CLUB-THE ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERS-THE MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD-MISCELLANEOUS ASSOCIA­ TIONS-THE SWIMMING CLUB-SINGAPORE YACHT CLUBS -PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

278

CHAPTER XVIII A CENTURY OF SPORT INTRODUCTION - CRICKET - LAWN TENNIS -RUGBY FOOT­ BALL - ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL - HOCKEY - LAWN BOWLS-POLO-THE LADIES' LAWN TENNIS CLUB-THE SINGAPORE GOLF CLUB-RACING-DADDY ABRAMs's LAST RACE-AUTOMOBILISM-THE SINGAPORE RECREATION CLUB-SHIKAR (by G. P. OWEN)

CHAPTER XIX AMATEUR THEATRICALS AND MUSIC

320

vii

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XX CONCERNING KNOWN PERSONS BY \VALTER MAKEPEACE THEREADS-THE BRADDELL FAMILY-THE MAXWELLS-THE CRANES-THE DUNMANS-THE D'ALMEIDAS-THE SHEL­ FORDS-THE KERS AND THE KERRS-THE GEORGESTHE SCRYMGEOURS-THE ORMISTONS-SIR JOHN ANDER­ SON-CHARLES BURTON BUCKLEY-JOHN FRASER­ CHARLES PHILLIPS-MISS SOPHIA COOKE-SIR HENRY MCCALLUM-MANASSEH MEYER-K. B. S. ROBERTSON .

PAGE

416

CHAPTER XXI THE MERRY PAST

465

525

THE GOOD OLD DAYS, by ROLAND ST. J. BRADDELL PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS, by HENRY BARNABY LEICESTER AWAKENING OLD MEMORIES, by J. H. DRYSDALE

538 542

A Mm-CENTURY DIARY, by Mrs. G. P. OWEN

CHAPTER XXII SINGAPORE'S FUTURE By ALEXANDER W. STILL, F.J.I., Editor of.the Straits Times

.

560

CHAPTER XXIII THE CENTENARY DAY AND ITS CELEBRATION By Dr. GILBERT E. BROOKE

570

CHRONOLOGY OF SINGAPORE INDEX

611

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VOL. II SIR ARTHUR YOUNG UNVEILING THE MEMORIAL TABLET ON

SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES's STATUE, CENTENARY DAY, 1919

Ff'ontispiece

PACING PAGE STANLEY LANE, THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN, SINGAPORE HARBOUR BOARD 6 OLD TRANSPORT OF CARGO TO TOWN

10

PRESENT TRANSPORT OF CARGO TO TOWN

10

THE KING'S DOCK

14

SITE OF THE PRESENT EMPIRE DOCK

16

SIR JOHN _RUMNEY NICHOLSON, C.M.G.

20

HON, MR. C. W. DARBISHIRE

22

THE OPIUM COMMISSION

56

DR. NATHANIEL WALLICH, M,D., PH.D.

64

HENRY NICHOLAS RIDLEY, C.M.G., F.R.S. THE OLD PO�T OFFICE ACROSS THE RIVER THEIR MAJESTIES KING GEORGE V AND QUEEN MARY PASSING THE PRESENT POST OFFICE IN 1901

NOEL TROTTER

,

78 II4 124 . l 62

MESSRS, ADAMSON, GILFILLAN, AND WOOD

180

THOMAS SCOTT

196

,

ALEXANDER LAURIE JOHNSTON

200

WALTER MANSFIELD

206

GEORGE MANSFIELD

206

H. M. SIMONS

212

DEACON•CONVENER JACKSON MILLAR

214

HUGH SYME

228

R. KER

228

W. KER

228

J. GRAHAM

228

ST, ANDREW'S CATHEDRAL, SHOWING THE STATUE OF SIR STAM238 FORD RAFFLES ON ITS ORIGINAL SITE , J3ISHOP WILSON OF CALCUTTA

2

YP.-1

f/

ix

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS OLD PORTUGUESE CHURCH

FACING PAGE

256 256 258 268 272 272 1861-7 282

.

PRESENT PORTUGUESE CHURCH OF ST. JOSEPH BISHOP CASTRO OF MACAO REV. DR, SHELLABEAR OLD BETHESDA PRINSEP STREET CHURCH JOHN CAMERON, ALEXANDER

EDITOR

WILLIAM

OF

THE

STILL,

"STRAITS

PRESENT

TIMES"

EDITOR

OF

THE

"STRAITS TIMES " ARNOT REID

282 290

Caricature by R. W. Braddell. WILLIAM

GRAEME

PRESS"

ST.

1887-1916

CLAIR,

EDITOR

"SINGAPORE

FREE

SAMPLES OF GENUINE STRAITS PRODUCE (SONG ONG SIANG AND DR. LIM BOON KENG) • " I WON'T RESIGN

I!I"

(THOMAS SHELFORD, M.L.C.)

OUR JOLLY OLD OCTOPUS (JOHN FRASER) STRAITS PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY DINNER THE SECOND S.C.C. PAVILION THE THIRD S.C.C, PAVILION (SIR) E. W. BIRCH ; A. H. CAPPER

292 294 294 294 302 322 322 326

Caricatures by R. W. Braddell. THE S.C.C. CRICKET XI,

1902

THE S.C.C. LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT, R.

W.

BRADDELL

1893-6, 1901,

AND AND

F.

1904

M.

328 330

1894

ELLIOT,

PROFESSION

PAIRS,

Caricatures by R. W. Braddell.

THE FIRST S.C.C. TEAM TO WIN THE FOOTBALL SHIELD LADIES' LAWN TENNIS CLUB AS ORIGINALLY LAID OUT THE FOUNDER OF GOLF IN SINGAPORE (SIR JOHN GOLDNEY)

Caricature by R. W. Braddell. " MR. CURPEJEE" (J. PATON KER)

332 334 336 338 350

Caricature by R. W. Braddell.

360

H. ABRAMS MR. C. B. BUCKLEY IN HIS BENZ, THE FIRST CAR IMPORTED INTO SINGAPORE MRS. DARE (MRS. G. P. OWEN) WITH MR. DARE IN S.I G. P. OWEN WITH HIS FIRST TIGER J. C. D. JONES("PANJANG"), A. Y. GAHAGAN, J. M. FABRIS

Caricatures by R. W. Braddell.

MRS. SALZMANN

•

_M_R.,S. MELVILLE S_IMONS ,

364 364 368 386 388 g8 �

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

X

GROUP FROM '' IOLANTHE," 1889

PACING PAGE

"THREE LITTLE MAIDS FROM SCHOOL," "THE MIKADO," 1893

ROBERT DUNMAN G. T, BATTY

MR. AND MRS. G. P, OWEN IN " THE GRAND DUKE," 1889

W, DUNMAN AND E. E. SYKES

" THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD," 1903

THE STAGE OF THE VICTORIA THEATRE SET FOR THE FIRST ACT OF " HERE'S FUN "

EDWARD SALZMANN W. H. READ, C.M.G.

392 392

394 394 396 398 398

404 406 416

R. B. READ

416 424

FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE MAXWELL FAMILY

432

FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE BRADDELL FAMILY

THOMAS DUNMAN

444

SIR JOHN ANDERSON ,

JOHN FRASER

452 454 458

MANASSEH MEYER, J.P.

462

DR. JOSE D'ALMEIDA •

CHARLES BURTON BUCKLEY MISS SOPHIA COOKE

446

46o

GOVERNOR EUTTERWORTH

478 488

SINGAPORE IN THE 'FORTIES

490 496 500 502

WHITE HOUSE, DALVEY ROAD SINGAPORE IN THE 'FIFTIES

COLLYER QUAY IN THE 'EIGHTIES RAFFLES SQUARE

FLINT'S BUILDINGS

MESSRS. A, L. JOHNSTON'S PREMISES IN THE 'SEVENTIES

504 506 514 516

H,H. SULTAN ABUBAKAR OF JOHORE, G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I.

520 522

CAVENAGH BRIDGE

ORCHARD ROAD POLICE STATION, 1880

THE S.V.A. DRILL HALL, BACKS OF THE POST OFFICE, SINGAPORE CLUB, AND JOHNSTON'S PIER Vanity Fair Cartoon by R. W. Braddell.

THE ESPLANADE BEFORE THE RIVER RECLAMATION

SINGAPORE, 1846

BUGIS BOAT WITH LADDER MASTS

LARGE KOLEH ROUNDING FLAG BOAT, SINGAPORE REGATTA

524 543

550 550

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SINGAPORE CHAPTER XII SINGAPORE HARBOUR THE TANJONG PAGAR DOCK COMPANY By Sir John Rumney Nicholson, Kt., C.M.G., formerly Chairman

ON the 11th September 1863 a meeting was held in Singapore, at which the following were present : Messrs. M. F. Davidson, Chairman; C. H. Harrison, C. H. H. Wilsone, Tan Kim Ching, J. K. Smith, Thos. Scott, S. Gilfillan, Syed Abdullah, Pochajee Pestonjee, Wei Kow, G. H. Brown, C. Puttfarcken, G. Cramer, Th. Wagner, C. P. Lalla, J. Watson, Geo. Lyon, J. Cameron, R. Riley, J. Fisher, and Ong Kew Ho. On these gentlemen promising to take up shares in a company to provide facilities for ship-repairing, Mr. Thomas Scott proposed and Mr. S. Gilfillan seconded : "That the support the scheme has met with from the number of shares applied for warrants expense being incurred for plans and estimates for the undertaking." Plans and estimates were to be called for by adver­ tisement in the newspapers for a patent slip and graving dock at Tanjong Pagar. A Committee was appointed, with Mr. Thomas Scott as Secretary, to carry out the necessary arrangements and draw up a prospectus.

2

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

The Committee met on the 14th September, and resolved that the patent slip be not undertaken, but that a graving dock be constructed on Messrs. Guthrie's land of the following dimensions : 5 50 feet in length, 65 feet width of entrance, 23 feet depth of water on the sill. This was a very large dock in those days, and on the advice of Messrs. John Baxter, John Clunis, J. L. Kirby, and E. M. Smith the Committee reduced the width to 5 1 feet and the depth to 20 feet, and decided that the dock be built of wood, with a granite entrance, and be divided by gates in the middle. At a subsequent meeting of the Committee it was resolved that Mr. George Lyon be engaged to carry out the work at a remuneration of $200 per month, and Messrs. Baxter and Turnbull be asked to advise. · A proposal was put forward by Mr. Lyon that wharves be built so as to combine the business of ship-repairers and wharfingers. Friends in England were to be advised of what was being done, with a view to their taking an interest in the undertaking. Plans and estimates were to be sent to England, the Committee expressing the opinion that Mr. Lyon's judgment, checked by Messrs. Turnbull and Baxter, was quite equal to that of any person from England. We have here the expression of an opinion, which it is feared lasted to the end of the Company, that Singapore could learn nothing from England. A plan of a dock was received from London in June 1864 1 and submitted by Colonel Collyer. On the 29th September I 864 " The Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Limited," was registered, with a capital of $300,000. Work on the building of a retaining wall and of a piled wharf had been carried on for some time, but as the wall had fallen in and other troubles had arisen in the construction, it was decided to obtain an engineer from England. Mr. W. J. Du Port was engaged, and arrived in September 1865, Mr. Lyon resigning, as he declined to act under Mr. Du Port. New plans for a dock 450 feet long, 65 feet width of

VICTORIA DOCK

3

entrance, and 20 feet depth of water on the sill were got out and work commenced. This dock was formally opened, and named the "Victoria Dock," by His Excel­ lency the Governor, Sir Harry Ord, K.C. B., on the 17th October 1868, when the Colonial steamers Peiho and Rainbow were docked together. For some time previous to this ship-repairing had been carried out, the ship Moneka, in June 1865, being the first, and the bill for $200 was remitted. George Hayes, the first shipwright from England, arrived in March 1 866. About this time an endeavour to purchase or to come to an agreement of amalgamation with the Patent Slipway and Dock Company was made, but without success. At the end of 1866 a wharf 1,440 feet long had been almost completed, and during that year thirty-three steamers and twenty-eight sailing ships had been berthed alongside it. The growth of traffic to town had so increased that the Directors proposed to construct a road on the same site that Anson Road now runs on, and pave it with granite to carry steam traction engines, another proposal being to run a railway round Malay Point. Although the undertaking seemed on the fair way to success, there was considerable difficulty in raising the money to complete the dock. An issue of debentures at 10 per cent. in 1868 had not been readily taken up. Mr. E. M. Smith took charge of the Company's business as Manager and Secretary on the I st November 1867, retiring from the service on the 30th June 1881. In February 1870 we have the first mention of con­ gested godowns, and it is interesting to note the amount of traffic which passed over the wharves in that year : coal inward, 24,164 tons; coal outward, 37,667 tons; total, 61,831 tons. General cargo inward, 54,485 tons; general cargo outward, 28,485 tons; total, 82,970 tons. It was estimated that about 75,000 tons of cargo was for the town, and the balance for transhipment at the wharves.

4

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

In June 1 870 the Bon-Accord Dock was leased by the Company, in conj unction with the Patent Slip and Dock Company, from Messrs . Buyers and Robb . The competition of the Patent Slip & Dock Company and the Bon-Accord Dock appears to have been felt, as we find the Chairman stating, in his report in August 1 8 7 1 , " that the dock has not proved remunerative . There has been very little business offering as compared with former years, and your Directors are not sanguine of large returns from this part of the works. The employment of steamers in place of sailing vessels, or iron in lieu of wood, must render docking all over the East less profitable than in former years . " From the Directors ' minutes i t appears that a railway company was being promoted in Singapore, as an entry in May 1 8 7 1 states that a petition signed is to be sent in by the Directors praying the Legislative Council to give favourable consideration of the Railway Company's claim . The Directors seem to have recognised the value of a railway, as in the following year they decided to lay a railway, 4 feet 8½ inch gauge, behind the wharves . This r ailway was laid and worked by horses, but did not appear to be a success owing to sickness amongst the horses . In carrying out the new reconstruction works this old railway was come across . I n the following August, 1 8 72, however, the Chairman was able to announce a dividend at the rate of 1 2 per cent . per annum, which indicated the increasing pros­ perity of the undertaking. No doubt the opening of the Suez Canal was having a beneficial result to the Company . We have an entry in the minute book on the 26th October 1 87 3 , which sounds somewhat medireval : ' ' The wat chmen were to be increased, and armed at night with cutlasses and rattles . " We also note that it was considered dangerous to send goods to town by Chinese boats. " Watchmen were to be given an occasional half­ holiday for diligent and good service. " It is interesting to note prices then : Ballow timber, cut into planks ,

SERIOUS FIRE AT TANJONG PAGAR

S 38 cents per cubic foot, and coke from the gas- works, $6 per ton delivered. On the 3 0th June 1874 a serious accident to a vessel in the dock occurred. The ship England fell over, and was considerably damaged, so much so that she was purchased by the Company. She was afterwards repaired and sold. Business seems to have increased in the Dock Depart­ ment to such an extent that in July 1 874 the Board recommended the construction of another dock, and an engineer, Mr. Parkes, came out from England to deter­ mine its site and design, Mr. Jackson being engaged as the Resident Engineer. The funds of the Company now allowed the commencement of a policy which the Directors consistently carried out : the purchase of adjoining lands. Duxton and Spottiswoode estates were bought. Passenger traffic to town must have considerably increased, as in May 1875 the Directors agreed to allow a Mr. Kugelmann to erect a resting-room on the premises, and run a service of omnibuses to town every fifteen minutes. A notable event occurred on the 13th April 1877, when a fire broke out in the upper storey of the black­ smiths' lines, and rapidly spread through other coolie lines to the coal sheds, which were in a few minutes ablaze. The Government fire-engine and a large number of volunteers were soon on the spot, together with soldiers and sailors from the men-of-war in harbour. Their task seems to have been an arduous one, as the fire was not got under control until the 23rd April, when practically the whole of the coal not removed was burnt or damaged. Up to this time most of the coal sheds were attap-roofed, and it would be difficult to confine the fire within limits. There would be another difficulty in supplying the fire-engine boilers with fresh water, as up to this time the request of the Directors that the property should be connected to the town water supply had been refused. The fire pro-

SINGAPORE t!ARBOtrR 6 bably hastened a change of opinion in the City Fathers', as the connection was made a· few months afterwards. The Company's loss in buildings and expenses in extinguishing the fire amounted to $53,209. The Insurance Companies ' loss must have been a heavy one. The purchase of the Mount Palmer lands was com­ pleted in 1877, and in the following year the top of Mount Palmer was handed over to Government for a battery in consideration for which and the purchase by the Company of a right of way through Mr. Guthrie's property the Government · agreed to construct a road from Collyer Quay to the docks, now known as Robinson and Anson Roads. The number of men employed daily at the end of 1878 was 2,450. On the 1st May 1879 His Excellency the Adminis­ trator of the Government, Sir Archibald Edward Anson, R.A., K.C.M.G., before the Directors and a large number of guests, opened the New Dock, which had been com­ menced in September 1876, naming it the " Albert Dock," the Government yacht Pluto and the Company 's tug Sunda entering the dock. This dock, which is 496 feet long, 59 feet width of entrance, with 2 I feet depth of water on the sill, was not completed without trouble. - When the dam was removed it was found that a drain under the sill connecting the body of the dock with the pumping sump for the purpose of keeping the dock dry during construction had not been properly filled in, thus allowing the sea to flow into the dock. After various attempts to close it had proved failures, the dam had to be reconstructed, and the drain was then effectively closed. The question of lighting the wharves and docks had often been considered by the Board, and various methods proposed and experimented with. A limelight appara­ tus had been tried, afterwards purchased by Mr. C. B. Buckley. Electric light was first installed in the work­ shops in 1878 .

u. 61

STAJ\"LEY LANE The Present Chairman, Singapore Harbour Board.

RIVAL DOCK COMPANIES

7 Keen competition existed between the Tanj ong Pagar Dock Company and the New Harbour Dock Company as regards ship-repairing, although the com­ panies worked amicably together in many ways, being j oint owners of tugs and other interests. An agree­ ment, known as the " Joint Purse Agreement, " was made between the two companies, and came into operation on the 1 st J uly 1 8 8 1 , whereby the two com­ panies received a fixed percentage on the profits of their dock work. I n 1 8 8 1 the Directors considered the dredging out of the lagoon behind the wharves (site of Empire Dock) and making a canal to town, the existing coal-sheds to be used as go downs . I n 1 8 8 1 also a proposal was put forward by the large shareholders in England that they should be represented by a Board in London. This matured in 1 8 8 3 , when a number of gentlemen, who had when in Singapore been directors, were appointed as the " Lon­ don Consulting Committee . " With the view of develop­ ing the Company 's property, the Engineer-in-Chief to the Chinese Government, Mr. D . M. Henderson, was asked in I 8 8 2 to advise, but as he was unable to visit Singapore, it was decided to get a competent engineer from England to report . Mr. Du Port, who was asked, not being able to visit Singapore, Captain McCallum (now Sir Henry) made certain recommendations for a new dock and wharf extension to the eastward, also the deepening of the Victoria Dock. I n 1 884, the Municipality having raised the assessment on the Company's property , the matter was taken to the Courts, and settled by the Appeal Court upholding the Chief Justice 's decision in favour of the Company. I n December of that year application was made to the Board for the storage of Japanese coal at the wharves. This was at first refused, but afterwards granted somewhat tardily, and with many restrictions . The Board, believing Japanese coal to be very liable to spontaneous combustion, their cautious action can very I I-2

8

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

well be understood with the memory of the great fire before them. In April 1 885 the London Consulting · Committee advised the Board that the time had arrived when a large dock , capable of taking in modern warships, should be constructed with Government assistance. This is the first mention of what for many years was spoken of as the " Admiralty Dock Scheme," upon which Sir John Coode reported, proposing a site between J ardine 's wharf and St. James. The Borneo Company's wharf and property were pur­ chased by the Company, as from the 1 st July 1 885 1 for $ 1 ,000 1 000 1 and the Manager reported that the wharf connecting the two properties was completed in Novem­ ber of that year. On the 1 st July 1 886 the London Agency of the Board was established. We have the first mention of what was to be the Straits Trading Company on the 8th July r 88 7, when the Directors decided to lease part of the Bon-Accord property (purchased in r 882) to Messrs. Sword and Muhlinghaus. At the beginning of 1 889 the Tanjong Pagar octopus laid one of its tentacles on the Slipway Company at Tanjong Rhu by commencing to buy its shares, and shortly after another one on Prye Dock, Penang, by leasing that property in conjunction with the New Harbour Company. The Trustees of the late Mr. Edward Boustead having offered to build the " Boustead Institute, " the Directors not having a suitable site on their own property, pur­ chased the site on which the building now stands, and handed it over to the Trustees in April 1 89 1 . The Singapore Tramway Company, whose lines had been laid down in r 884 1 not having proved a success, the Directors were approached as to the purchase of its Collyer Quay to the Docks Section, which the Directors did not entertain ; but in December 1 889 they purchased the whole undertaking for $r 86 1 000 on joint account with the New Harbour Dock Company.

LIGHTERAGE DEPARTMENT

9 A proposal in 1 89 1 to form a Volunteer Company amongst the European employees of the Company for the defence of the Company's property did not mature, the men being of opinion that to be efficient too much of their rest time would be taken up, which after their arduous duties during the day in the sun was a ne­ cessity. The tramways proving unremunerative, it was decided to cease running the Rochore Section at the end of 1 89 2 . The competition of the rikishas proving keen, the expense of upkeep of rolling stock and permanent way being heavy, electrical traction had been considered, but not found to be sufficiently attractive to warrant further expenditure . The Collyer Quay and Keppel Harbour Section was kept running, as it was considered of some use in facilitating the transport of goods to town, until the 1 st June 1 894, when the whole service was discontinued, and the rolling stock and plant disposed of. In April 1 894 the Directors , being urged by several of their largest shippers, started a lighterage depart­ ment, which has ever since proved a very unremunera­ tive branch of the undertaking. It was handicapped at the start by several of the lighters being old, the repairs were heavy and have always absorbed any profits that the working accounts show � and a great deal more . The department has been continued by the present Board as an adj unct to the port 's facilities, but it is a very questionable policy. The electric light was extended to the wharf in 1 897, much to the benefit of working vessels . In September 1 897 plans and specifications were sub­ mitted by Mr. J . E. Tuik and Mr. Hartwig for a large new graving dock, estimated to cost £305 ,ooo . It was decided to ask the Admiralty to contribute 8 5 per cent. of the cost . The site proposed was to the west of the Victoria Dock, afterwards changed to the east of the Albert Dock. N egotiations were opened with the Admiralty, and continued until 1 899, when no agreement was

IO

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

arrived at, the Company 's proposals not being accept­ able to the Admiralty. At the general meeting held on the 28 th February 1 899 a proposal was laid before the shareholders, that as the value of the Company's assets was greatly in excess of the nominal capital, a new Company, registered under the same name as the old Company , be formed to take over the property, at a price of $3 ,000,000 , as from the 1 st January 1 899. This was unanimously approved of and carried out, the shareholders of the old Company receiving two shares in the new Company in respect of every share held in the old Company. In 1 900 the Company completed the purchase of practically all the land known as the " East Reclama­ tion " from the liquidators of the Tanj ong Pagar Land Company, who had reclaimed this area by depositing the spoil from the land near Mount Palmer during the construction of Anson Road. Although the j oint purse arrangement between the Company and the New Harbour Dock Company had worked for years without trouble, it was decided to purchase the New Harbour Dock Company (it has been called an amalgamation, but purchase is a more correct definition of the arrangement), whereby the New Harbour Dock Company received 7,000 $ 1 00 paid-up shares of the Company and $ 1 ,o 50 ,000 5 per cent . five-year debentures ; also $50,000 for expenses . The purchase was as from the 1 st July 1 899. The Prye Dock property was purchased as from the 1 st January 1 899, there being an option in the lease allowing of this . During 1 899 the lack of facilities to deal with the increased trade of the port exercised the mind of the Directors, and schemes of extension were again con­ sidered ; the dredging of the lagoon behind the main wharf and building wharves there was considered pre­ ferable to an extension to the eastward . An engineer was asked for from London to report, and early in 1 900 Mr. Edward Manisty arrived in Singapore (in January),

VACILLATING POLICIES

II

and was asked to advise as to an extension of 8 ,000 feet of wharfage. The New Harbour Dock Company having previously commenced to excavate a dock on the site of " Clough­ ton's Hole " ( the old original mud dock), it was decided to complete it, the dock to be of the following dimen­ sions : length 500 feet, width of entrance 65 feet, and depth on the sill 3 5 feet H .W.O .S.T. This work was afterwards abandoned, and the excavation was filled in. The shipbuilding sheds now occupy the site. At the end of 1 900 the Board again decided to ask London to send out an engineer to advise as to mechani­ cal appliances for handling cargo . Mr. Thomas Scott resigned the Chairmanship of the Board on the 2nd May 1 90 1 , on retiring from Singapore ; unfortunately his time of leisure, after many years of strenuous work, was short , as he died at Brechin on the 2 8 th June 1 90 2 . I n December 1 90 1 the head offices were removed from Collyer Quay to the new building at Tanj ong Pagar. The first meeting of the Board was held in the new offices on the 2 7th Decemqer 1 90 1 . During the 'Nineties it became very evident that the shipping facilities at Tanj ong Pagar were totally inadequate to meet the growing requirements . From time to time various schemes were evolved to remedy matters . There existed a chronic state of congested godowns, consignees not being able to obtain delivery of their cargoes . A similar block of the roads existed behind the godowns, as all cargo to town or for tran­ shipment had to be moved by bullock-carts, often leading to perfect chaos . Proposals to extend to the east alternated with the idea of dredging behind the wharves like the pendulum of a clock. Mr. Manisty's eastern scheme was replaced by the Dock Manager 's proposals, for which a dredger was ordered, but before its delivery the scheme had changed to an eastern one again, on which the dredger was put to work in material for which it had not been built and was totally unfitted to

12

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

deal with. For this vacillating policy the difference of opinion between the Singapore and the London Con­ sulting Committee may have been somewhat responsible ; the former wanted relief as soon as possible, the latter required a definite scheme which would allow of gradual extension and of a permanent construction. Mr. Manisty recommended a scheme of wharves to the east­ ward providing for 10,500 linear feet of wharfage at an estimated cost of £1,017,000. He also recommended the construction of a large graving dock. After the retirement of Mr. Scott it was decided to appoint a Managing Director. Mr. George Rutherford arrived in Singapore on the I 3th February 1902 to take up the appointment. His time was all too short to make his high qualities and ability felt, as he was murdered by burglars in his residence on the I oth April 1902. Mr. Nicholson arrived on the I 1th January 1903 as Managing Director. His principal instructions received from the London Committee were to draw up a scheme of extension which would be the basis of development. In order to become familiar with the requirements of the port he did not issue his report until January 1904. The scheme advocated in the report was the construc­ tion of a dock in the lagoon behind the wharves, the reconstruction of the wharves, and the construction of a graving dock, involving an estimated expenditure of $12,078,153. This report brought the differences between the Board of Directors and the London Com­ mittee to a head. The scheme being adopted by the Board, the Chairman advocated the issue of the report to the shareholders immediately; but the London Committee were of opinion that as it involved a very large expenditure, it should not be issued unless accom­ panied by a scheme showing how the money was to be raised. On this difference of opinion the Chairman resigned. The Government had been approached for a loan, and the outcome of . this was that before taking any further action the Colonial Office referred the scheme

EXPROPRIATION

13

to their Consulting Engineers, Messrs. Coode, Son and Matthews. This reference resulted in Mr. Nicholson proceeding to England, and in conjunction with Messrs. Coode, Son and Matthews a joint report was issued in October 1 904, embracing the first report in its main features. The estimated expenditure for the work was : wet dock , £790,000 ; reconstruction of wharves, £740,000 ; total, £ 1 , 5 30,000. A separate estimate was made for the graving dock, the time of completion being fifteen years. On the 1 st October 1 904 a conference took place in London between officials of the Colonial Office and members of the London Committee on the question of carrying out the works proposed in the above report, and at their meeting we had the first mention of the word I I expropriation, " should the Company not take definite steps to provide increased facilities. Matters now moved rapidly. On the 2 1 st December 1 904 a telegram was received in Singapore from the London Committee stating that they had been notified by the Colonial Office that Government had decided to expropriate the Company's property, and that failing a settlement the value would be decided by arbitration. On the 1 7th January 1 90 5 an interview took place between His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Ander­ son, K.C.M.G., and three of the Directors, Messrs. Waddell, Shelford, and Nicholson, when His Excellency proposed $240 per share as a fair price. The Directors suggested $700 per share as nearer the value . The shares then stood in the market about $230. The Ordinance to expropriate passed the Legislative Council on the 7th April 1 90 5 . As no satisfactory agreement was arrived at as to the value, arbitrators were appointed : Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, P.C., M.P., Umpire ; Sir Edward Boyle, Bart; , K.C., Arbitrator for the Company ; James Charles Inglis, Esq., Arbitrator for the Government. Lord Robert Cecil, K.C., was the leading Counsel for the Company, and Mr. Balfour Browne, K.C., the leading Counsel for Government.

1:4

SINGAPORE HARBOUR

The Court sat in Singapore from the 1 6th to the 26th October 1 90 5 . The Umpire issued his award on the 4th July 1 906, giving a sum which, after all liquidation expenses were paid, amounted to $76 1 .76 per share . A contract was made on the 1 0th February 1 90 8 with Messrs . John Aird and Co ., of London, to construct the wet dock and reconstruct the main wharves, as re­ commended in the report referred to, for the sum of £99 8,700. The wet dock was to be completed within two years and the wharf in four years , the Engineers ' (Messrs . Coode, Son and Matthews) and Mr J . R . Nichol­ son 's estimate for the work being £ 1 , 5 1 8 1000 . This dock, 8 79 feet long, ' was opened by His Excellency the Governor, Sir Arthur Young, K.C.M .G., and named the King 's Dock, on the 26th August 1 9 1 3 . Another con­ tract was made, on the 1 st January 1 909, with Messrs . Topham, Jones and Railton, for the construction of a large graving dock for the sum of £342 ,794, to be com­ pleted in three years. Towards the end of 1 909 the contractors for the wet dock, Messrs . John Aird and Co ., raised difficulties as to their contract, alleging that it was a physical impossibility to carry out some of the walls in trenches, and consequently stopped work on them . After prolonged negotiation, endeavouring to get the Contractors to proceed with the work, a demand for arbitration under the contract was served by the Board on the Contractors in October 1 9 1 0 . An action was brought in London by the Contractors, and com­ menced on the 30th January 1 9 1 1 , to stay arbitration proceedings, during which they charged the Engineers with misrepresentation in the drawings, and it became evident that they did not intend to proceed with the contract, and thereupon the Board determined it, and the action was directed to stand over. The hearing was reopened on the 2 8 th October, and lasted to the 20th December 1 9 1 2 . The Interlocutory Judgment was delivered by Mr. Justice Parker on the 20th December 1 9 1 2 , and corn-

• � .:-: I

..

.__., ..'. - ·� I ,.,>•· i'·> 9. . . l ,'+111· ·· · ._ u · _ _ j .�· •l f-1...J� '-"-· I ,.1..... '--?_,., -

-·

I o>'. �

. -

-

� •"f"

11. 14]

,I

•.\

._.;, �- . 'C -

!Ii F'

i; I\ I S G ' ; JI. •o O

�....- ,j

f1,...I 1-f .

�•

� . •·-• uu u ,

. --- �. -=-- .

�

��.��'"l'I ,

; ,,. :.� ��-;_;:;,i,;:= - ?::-�. ;- _. ·__ ·_ -�•.

'

f-"

'W:'if:'f

'd,�a�M.1-"-

..

1 ·,

---:--

t""'

-I

1-

tE - '�

;£ ........, �

/. / /

THE KING'S DOCK,

. ,�"; > . -

•,�ii fl1 Jt, ··t· · hii ..

� ••.,-�,..,•J ------..._..� ,

.i ·- ��-'.

,,