CO882-(1-2) — Page 411

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O.882

Reference :-

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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7. The Accountant-General, however, in for- warding his statements, remarks, "Pensions of old Officers paid at home, and every other charge incurred on account of the Straits' Settlements, are shown as far as the materials exist in the office; but it is not possible to show any thing more than advances to the Military Department, for want of information, and these of course are not the full charges, which can be obtained only from Madras, as also information respecting dead weight, such as Military Pensions, &c." (vide Statement A).

8. The accompanying Statements of the Accountant-General show the financial position of

the Eastern Settlements, thus:-

-

9. The net apparent excess charge of the Straits Settlements for the 10 years from `1846-47 to 1855-56, after taking into account the military charges and the cost of the Indian Convicts, both of which have not hitherto been debited against them, amounts to Rs. 40,17,004, or a net apparent average annual excess charge of Rs. 4,01,700 (vide Statement C). If from Rs. 40,17,004, the cost of Indian Convicts during the said 10 years (Rs. 7,78,823) be deducted, as this charge is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, properly debit- able to the Government of India and not the Straits' Settlements, the net excess charge in that period amounts to Rs. 32,38,181, or an average unnual excess charge of Rs. 3,23,818.

10. Also, from the abstract given in the margin* of the Revenues and charges of these Settlements for 1856-57 and 1867-58; inclusive of Convict receipts and charges, and of Military and Naval charges, the deficit appears to have been increasing

...

1858-67.

1857-58.

Revenues.

Charges.

Bevenues. Charges.

Ra

• Bingapore

Penang

Malacos

Ra

Ra.

Ra.

6,86,431 10,74,838 8,01,470 12,18,760

3,08,734 8,98,909

4,55,978 3,36,150

1,80,701 1,46,597 1,78,089 1,96,080

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every year, it having amounted in 1856-57 to Rs. 4,38,999, and in 1857-58 to Rs. 6,68,483 (vide Statements A and B). If, from these results the net excess charge on account of Convicts from India, Ceylon, and Hong Kong, in the above two years, Rs. 1,14,287* and 1,25,888* respectively be deducted, the deficit in 1856-57 amounts to Rs. 3,24,702, and in 1857-58 to Rs. 4,42,587.

11. The remaining six Statements of the Accountant-General show the revenues and charges, &c., in full detail, of Singapore, Penang and Malacca, in 1856-57 and 1857-58.

Enclosure 6.

The Governor of Prince of Wales' Island, Singapore, and Malacca, to the Secretary to the Govern- ment of India.

Sir,

of

Singapore, June 13, 1859.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt

your letter of the 6th ultimo (which reached

me only on the 1st instant), calling for informa tion on certain points required by the Secretary of State for India, relative to the proposed discon- nection of these Settlements from the Government of India.

2. If this measure had been proposed two years ago, it would probably have met with the enthusiastic approval of the European community of Singapore, but if I may judge from the absence of all present movement in support of it, notwith- standing its having been prominently brought forward in Parliament, the feeling in favour of it has probably subsided very considerably. With regard to the native community, the measure would not be comprehended, and it would prove impossible thoroughly to explain it to them. The consequence probably would be, that, as a mere change, of which no immediate signs would be

Total

:

11,75,806 16,14,885 | 13,00,748 | 18,80,201

11,76,866

18,00,748

Deleit.. 4,38,989 Definit. 5,06,453

1986–47. 1967-68.

K

1,014

1,16,001

1,36,200

·

1,16,207

• Receipts

Charges

Not Rzover Charge en Ascouse of Cinevisto