Why the British needed a new trading settlement

• Why the British needed a new trading settlement in this region • Why Singapore was chosen • How Raffles succeeded in establishing a trading settlement in Singapore

• 1818 - Lord Hastings, Governor-General of India, gave approval to Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant. Governor of Bencoolen, to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. • On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands.

• The next day, he concluded a preliminary treaty with Temenggong Abdul Rahman to set up a trading post here • On 6 February 1819, a formal treaty was concluded with Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong

• 6 February 1819 • Sir Stamford Raffles & Tengku Hussein at the Padang • Tengku Hussein recognised as the Sultan of Johor • Treaty : Allow British to set up a trading settlement • Sultan - $5, 000 a year • Temenggong $3, 000 a year

Raffles and Farquhar approaching the Temenggong’s residence Source : SHM - An Interactive Exploration

The Dutch and the British in the Malay Archipelago • Early 19 th Century : Malay Archipelago • Dutch controlled most of the Archipelago trade • Because they controlled many areas in the Malay Archipelago, including Melaka and Java • Dutch did not want other European powers to share in this trade • Did not allow British or other European ships to trade at any Dutch-controlled ports except Batavia in Java • Enjoyed a trade monopoly Malay Archipelago : Comprises Malaya, Singapore, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and the Celebes (Sulawesi). All these and the thousands of smaller islands around them form what is used to be called the Malay Archipelago or the East Indies. The Malay Archipelago forms part of a larger region now known as Southeast Asia.

British Reaction to Dutch Monopoly • British traders : East India Company (EIC) • Despite Dutch monopoly, British manage to establish two trading post at Penang and Bencoolen • Penang : Stopover point for ships sailing from India to China • By early 19 th century : British trade with China became very important • British : afraid that profitable China trade would be affected if Dutch controlled more areas in the Malay Archipelago. Why?

British Reaction to Dutch Monopoly • Ans : The Dutch would be in a position to control all sea routes and force all ships to stop at Batavia • 1818 : Sir Stamford Raffles appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen He saw how the Dutch were spreading their monopoly of trade to more areas in the Archipelago Strongly opposed to the Dutch action • •

British Reaction to Dutch Monopoly “It is clear that the object of the Dutch is to control all trade in the Archipelago. By controlling the only passes to the Archipelago, namely the Straits of Malacca and the Sunda Straits, they have also in their power at all times to disrupt our China trade. ”

British Reaction to Dutch Monopoly • Raffles : Penang and Bencoolen not located near main trading area in the Archipelago • Thus unable to prevent Dutch monopoly • A new trading settlement was needed to compete with the Dutch • If it was nearer the Archipelago, it could attract traders in the region to trade there

Moluccas Bencoolen Formerly known as Batavia You must know your geography!

British Reaction to Dutch Monopoly • Raffles : Believed that this new settlement should be located south of Dutch-controlled Melaka • This would better protect the ships as they sailed along the Straits of Melaka from India to China • Together with his assistant, Major William Farquhar, Farquhar Raffles began his search for the third British settlement

Singapore : From a Fishing Village to a British Possession • • 28 Jan 1819 : Raffles, from his ship Indiana, Indiana saw Singapore island Most of the island covered by jungle Small group of Malay, Chinese and Orang Laut settlers there Livelihood : Growing fruits and fishing Source : SHM - An Interactive Exploration

Singapore : From a Fishing Village to a British Possession • Malays : Live in a village; north bank of Singapore River • Temenggong in charge • Orang Laut : Settled along Singapore River • Chinese : Lived near Malay village; grew gambier

Singapore : From a Fishing Village to a British Possession • • • Temasek Old name of Singapore A trading centre in the 14 th Century Portuguese burnt down a settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River in 1613 • Feared that it would be a threat to them • After that, the island was forgotten by traders

“At Singapore, I found advantages far superior to what the other islands had to offer. It is located at the southern entrance of the Straits of Malacca, thus, in a commanding position to protect our ships as they sail from India to China. It has also been my good fortune to discover one of the safest harbours in the area. Singapore is everything we could desire. It will soon rise in importance and break the Dutch monopoly of trade in the Archipelago. ”

PROBLEM! BIG PROBLEM! • • 29 Jan 1819 : Raffles, together with Farquhar, landed on Singapore Met by Temenggong Raffles explained his mission Temenggong agreeable but said that the island was part of the Johor-Riau sultanate under the control of Sultan Abdul Rahman Only the Sultan could give permission for a British trading settlement One problem : Sultan was under the control of the Dutch Raffles knew the Dutch will never allow the British to occupy Singapore

AH…. A SOLUTION! • Temenggong then told Raffles the story of how Sultan Abdul Rahman was made sultan instead of his elder brother Tengku Hussein, who was the rightful heir • See comic strip on pg 10

The Queen will be proud of me! • • • Plan : Raffles would recognise Tunku Hussein as the rightful Sultan In that way, he could get permission from this Sultan to start the settlement Temenggong sent his men to the Riau Islands to invite Tengku Hussein to Singapore He left secretly so that the Dutch would not suspect anything He met Raffles and agreed to be Sultan 6 Feb 1819 : That was the treaty we saw at the start of the lesson

• The treaty of 6 Feb 1819 only gave the British permission to start a trading settlement in Singapore • They did not own the island yet • Singapore proved to be a prized settlement • By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang

• The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman in August 1824, by which the two owners ceded the island outright to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions • With this new treaty, Singapore officially became a British possession • From then until 1963, Singapore was under the control of the British except for a short period of the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945