Directory_and_Chronicle_1903 — Page 1100

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS

This Colony-now consisting of the island of Singapore, the province of Malacca, the island of Penang, the Dindings further south, Province Wellesley on the mainland, and the Cocos or Keeling Islands, and Christmas Island, the latter two placed under the same Government in 1886 and 1889 respectively--was transferred from the control of the Indian Government to that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies by an Order in Council dated the 1st April, 1867. The seat of Government is the town of Singapore, on the island of the same name. The Government consists of a Governor aided by an Executive and Legislative Council, the latter body consisting of nine official members and seven unofficial members, of whom two are nominated by the Chambers of Commerce of Singapore and Penang. There are Municipal bodies in each Settlement, the members of which are partly elected by the ratepayers and partly appointed by the Governor.

Penang was the first British Settlement on the Malayan Peninsula, having been ceded to the British by the Rajah of Kedah in 1785, and it soon acquired a monopoly of the trade of the Peninsula. Malacca, which had been successively held by the Portuguese and the Dutch, finally passed into the hands of Great Britain by treaty with Holland in 1824, having been previously held by Great Britain from 1795 to 1818. With the establishment of Penang in 1785 most of the trade which had formerly centred at Malacca was transferred to the former. In 1819 Singapore was taken possession of by Sir Stamford Raffles, by virtue of a treaty with the Johore Princes, and it soon took the lead of Penang as a commercial centre. In 1826 Singa- pore and Malacca were incorporated with Penang under one Government, Penang remaining the seat of Government until 1830, when the administration was transferred to Singapore.

The census of the Straits Settlements, taken in 1901, gave the population of Singapore as 228,555 (170,875 males and 57,680 females) against 184,554 in 1891. Penang and dependencies 248,207, against 235,618 in 1891. Malacca, 95,487 against 92,170 in 1891. Christmas Island 704. The Cocos Islands 645. The total increase in the Straits Settle- ments since 1891 in 59,907 or 11.69 per cent. The increase in males is 34,600 or 10 per cent. and in females 25,307 or 15 per cent. The resident population of Europeans and Americans increased by 669 or 20.5 per cent There was a decrease of 1,531 in the whole European and American population (including floating population and British military) mainly owing to there not being a British regiment stationed there when the census was taken.. The annual report for 1901 on the births and deaths in the Straits Settlements shows that the total number of births registered was 14,568, equal to a crude birth-rate of 25:37 per thousand. Excepting Malacca and Province Wellesley, the births in the several Settlements exceeded those for 1900, There were 7,573 male and 6,995 female children born. The death rate was 3985, which is noted as being high, and there were in all 22,876 deaths, about 500 more than in 1900. The death rate was lowest among Euro- peans, 20.28, and highest among the Indians, 4707. Cholera was responsible for 145 deaths.

The actual revenue of the Colony for 1900 was $5,386,556; the three Settlements contributing as follows:-Singapore $3,244,431, Penang 81,738,130, and Malacca 8406,366. There was an increase of 8186,901 as compared with the revenue for 1899. The expenditure was 86,027,084, as compared with $5,060,523 in 1899 and 84,587,366 in 1898. The balance to the credit of the Colony on 31st December, 1900, was 32,053,134 as compared with $2,698,065 on the same date in 1899. The Colony has no debt.

The Straits Settlements returns of imports and exports for 1901 were as follows:- The imports of merchandise were $292,810,167, showing an increase in silver value of 82,415,515 in 1901 over the previous year. Sterling values show a decrease of £767,535. The exports were $256,773,550, showing a silver increase amounting to 85,857,241 in 1901, but a sterling decrease of £310,023. Singapore merchandise imports rose to $231,674,307 in 1901. Penang's imports fell off by a little under four millions of dollars. The mer-

Digitized by oogle

Page 1100Page 1101