Directory_and_Chronicle_1879 — Page 468

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SINGAPORE.

Singapore offers but few points of salient interest to visitors. The Botanical Gardens at Tanglin and the Raffles Library and Museum being its only show places. Few, however, are unimpressed with its wealth of vegetation-of a certain sort. The jungle, crowded with kompas, betel, and cocoanut trees, ere and there relieved by durians, mangoes, and mangostins, is grandly beautiful. But flowers flourish to only a limited degree. Orchids indeed abou: d, but their blossoms soon fade, while a few gorgeous flowering plants but poorly make up for the absence of roses, gera. niums, honeysuckle, and all the vast variety which we associate with a well kept garden at home.

Food in Singapore is indifferent. Fowls, ducks, and eggs form the staple of animal food, one or two butchers supplying mutton or bef if bespoken. Neither can, however, be recommended. The choice of vegetables is equally limited. Fruits, however, are abundaut, such as piues, bananas, mangostins, and the usual variety of tropical growth. The much vaunted and much abused durian-the odour of which resembles a combination of asafoetida, rotten ch ese, sugar, bad eggs, and cinnamon -is seldom tolerated at the tables of foreigners.

Owing to the long distances, horses and carriages are in universal demand, and numerous hack gharries‹r palanquius on wh els, a shade better than the old London cab, are to be seen at almost every corner. The syces or drivers, however, are, like the boatmen of the port, a most extortionate set and require vigorous regulation on the part of the Government.

Colonial Government.

DIRECTORY.

Governor, Vice-Admiral and Commander- in-Chief-His Excellency Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson, K.C.M.G. Colonial Sec.-Hon. Cecil C. Smith Assist. Colonial Secretary-E. A. Irving Assistant for Native State-F. A. Swit

teham

Lieut.-Governor of Penang-Hon. Lieut.-

Col. A. E. H. A: son, C.M.G. Lieut.-Governor of Malacca-Hon. Captain

E. W. Shaw, R.N.

Chief Justice, and Commissary of Vice- Admiralty Court-His Honour Sir T. Sidgreaves, Knight

Attorney General-Hon. T. Braddell Solicitor General-D. Logan Treasurer, Commissioner of Stamps, and Accountant General Supreme Court- Hon. W. W. Willans Auditor General-Hon. C. J. Irving Colonial Engineer, Surveyor Gen., and Comptroller of Convicts-Hon. Major J. F. A. McNair, R.A.

1st Assistant do-Capt. J. H. Satterthwaite,

in charge at Penang

Inspector General of Police, Straits Settle-

ments-Capt. S. Dunlop (absent) Sup. of Police, Singapore-R. W. Maxwell

do. Penang-Hon. H. Plunkett do. Malacca-E. Hayward Master Attendant-Henry Ellis

Postmaster General-H. Trotter Prin. Med. Officer-F. J. Rowell, M.D. Colonial Surgeons-A. F. Anderson, M.D.,

(absent), F. K. Hampshire, M.B. Registrar-General and Coroner of Singapore

-A. W. V. Cousins

Senior Magistrate, Singapore-R. S. O'Con-

ner

Inspector of Schools, Straits Settlements—

A. M. Skinner

Acting Magistrate and Protector of Im-

migrants, Penang-F. H. Gottlieb Acting Magistrate, Malacca-Capt. Shaw Protector of Chinese, Singapore-W. A.

Pickering

Assistant Co.-N. B. Dennys, Ph. D.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. His Excellency the Governor, president The Senior Military Officer in Command Hon. Lieutenant-Governor of Penang

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