PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O. 882
سات
2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
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visible, it would cause distrust and alarm among the natives, especially the Chinese, who possibly might have recourse to their usual plan of shutting their shops till their fears and distrust are re- moved.
3. I think if the measure be carried into effect, the Government of India must be prepared to give up the transportation of convicts to the Straits, especially to Singapore. The feeling against it is already strong in the place, and that feeling would be increased if these Settlements were discon- nected from India.
4. I beg to inclose a memorandum of the expense of the Convict body in the Straits during and I hesitate not to say that the past official year; the value of their labour, skilled and ordinary, taken at a fair market valuation, much exceeds the It is decidedly, expenses of their maintenance.
in my opinion, a mistake to say that the Convict body has hitherto proved a burden on the local revenue. I should say far otherwise, and that much has been done by Convicts that could not have been done at the time by free labour. It is true that the value of the Convict body is yearly decreasing, inasmuch as free labour is compara- of presence tively abundant, and consequently the such a body in the Straits will be protested against under a change of government.
5. I do not quite understand the nature of the information required at the close of par. 8, or indeed whether such information is at all expected from me. I beg to inclose a memorandum show- ing the present Convict establishments in the Straits, and which I presume will be retained should the transfer to the Colonial Office take place.
6. Inclosure No. 9 is a statement of the revenue and expenses of each station in the Straits. This statement is confined to the actual and excludes all disbursements not expenses, debitable to the Straits.
7. Inclosure No. 10 is a list of all persons covenanted and uncovenanted employed in admi- nistering these Settlements.
8. Inclosure No. 11 is a statement of the strength and description of the military force now garrisoning the several stations. The two Madras Native Infantry regiments now in the Straits are very sickly, and consequently much reduced in numbers, but if at their full strength, are sufficient
15
for the protection of the several stations. When the military works now in course of progress are completed, a very considerable increase of the force, especially in Europeans, will be found necessary.
9. The local naval force consists only of a small steamer and three small sailing gun-boats, one for each station. Steam gun-boats are very desirable for the protection of the trade from petty piracy, especially to the eastward of Singa- pore. A man-of-war is always stationed in the Straits, and lies generally at anchor at Singapore, where her presence is indispensable.
10. I have now, I trust, given all the informa- tion required by the Secretary of State for India, but I would recommend, in conclusion, as the only means of attaining a knowledge of the feelings of
the community on the subject, that this correspon dence be made public. As it is headed “Con- fidential," I of course cannot disclose the tenor of it.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
E. A. BLUNDELL.
Enclosure 7.
Memorandum of the Number and Expense of the Convict Body in the Straits' Settlements.
Number of Convicts on the 1st of May, 1859.
Malen. Females. Total.
Total par Annum,
Expense.
Individually
per month
Singapore. 2,100
A. P.
1. A
Penang.. 1,808
100 1,80
Malsore.. 641
541
•
130
79,781 0 0
33,639 0 0
2,829 1,24,815 0 0
6 0 0
520
48
0
Total 3,942
2:30
4,172 2,87,878 0 0 | Av. § 100
(grad)
G. EDWIN BORRADAILE,
Acting Beuretary to the Governor.
Singapore, June 13, 1859.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference
C.O.882
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
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COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO