Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrai9101882roya).pdf/328

 transferred to Singapore. The revenue and trade of Penang have increased remarkably in the last fifteen years.

Singapore is an island about 27 miles long by 14 wide, containing an area of 206 square miles, situated at the southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula, from which it is separated by a narrow strait about three-quarters of a mile in width. There are a number of small islands adjacent to it which form part of the Settlement.

The seat of Government, for the whole Colony as well as the Settlement, is the town of Singapore, at the southern point of the island, in lat. 1° 16' North, and long. 108° 53' East.

Singapore was occupied by Sir, acting under the authority of Lord, on the 6th February, 1819, by virtue of a Treaty with the Malayan princes of Johor. It was at first subordinate to Bencoolen in Sumatra, of which was then Lieut.-Governor; but in 1823 it was placed under the Government of Bengal. It was afterwards, as above stated, incorporated with Penang and Malacca, and finally became the seat of Government (1837).

Its rapid progress was, at that time, unparallelled. On the 11th June, 1819, wrote home: "My new Colony thrives most. rapidly. We have not been established four months, and it has received an accession of population exceeding 5,000, principally Chinese, and their number is daily increasing."

Nor has it disappointed the expectations then formed of its future; both its general and local Trade and its Revenues having, for many years, exceeded that of all competitors.

The Protected States comprise three "Residencies," all on the western side of the Peninsula, between Province Wellesley and Malacca, viz.:—Pêrak (August, 1874), Sĕlângor and Sungei Ujong December, 1874).