Key Events In Singapore Leading Up To World War II
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| An Old Map Of Singapore Where You Can See The Title Singapura |
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| The Recreated Statue Of Where Sir Stamford Raffles Landed |
Raffles' Landing
Sir Stamford Raffles colonization of Singapore shocked his superiors because the Dutch owned most of the land there and Raffles could have just angered the Dutch into making war with the Dutch. It was even more significant that back then the Dutch was the power nation much like America and Britain is today. Raffles Superior in the British East India Company wrote to the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (his equivalent) to tell him that Raffles acted on his own authority without approval from them. Eventually they gave approval to Sir Stamford Raffles to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula when it became clear that it would benefit them. On the 29th of January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands.
Sir Stamford Raffles colonization of Singapore shocked his superiors because the Dutch owned most of the land there and Raffles could have just angered the Dutch into making war with the Dutch. It was even more significant that back then the Dutch was the power nation much like America and Britain is today. Raffles Superior in the British East India Company wrote to the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (his equivalent) to tell him that Raffles acted on his own authority without approval from them. Eventually they gave approval to Sir Stamford Raffles to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula when it became clear that it would benefit them. On the 29th of January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands.
On the 6th of February 1819 Raffles convinced Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong to sign a treaty and to give Singapore to Raffles whilst still acknowledging Sultan Hussein of Johor as the Ruler.
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| A Portrait Of Sir Stamford Raffles |
Singapore Becomes A Free Trade Port and Britain's key to China and all of South East Asia
Later, Singapore is proven to be a good trading post and was earning revenue. It was so profitable that three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island outright to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions.
Singapore Exports Tin from Malaya
During the Periods between 1820 to 1870, Malaya became an important producer of tin which was shipped out through Singapore. Tin was used as a material for making cups as well as making bronze.
Singapore Exports Rubber from Malaya
Many Chinese workers immigrate to Singapore to work for rubber plantations. During 1820 to 1870 Malaya produced more than 50% of the world's rubber supply. Rubber was experimented with by the English to make a waterproofing agent for items such as waterproof shoes or for shipping items with the risk of moisture getting into them.
Invention of Ocean Going Steamships
The invention of steamships played a key role in the advance of trading as it allowed ships to travel faster with more space for goods. This was such a benefit that by 1880 more than 1.5 million tons of goods passed through Singapore each year and more than 80% was transported by steamships.
Singapore Evolves into a Crown Colony
In 1867 it became aware that Singapore had many deficiencies in the administration and it became clear that this could only be fixed if Singapore was to become a British Colony and not Just a British India Colony. So on April 1 1867 the British Government Finally agreed to make the straits settlement a Crown Colony with orders straight from the Colonial office rather than India.
Tongmenghui
In 1906 the Tongmenghui, which was a revolutionary chinese group dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty Led By Sun Yat-Sen, Founded its Nanyang Branch In Singapore. It Would Serve as the organization's headquarters in Southeast Asia. The Tongmenghui would eventually be part of several groups that took part in the Xinhai Revolution and Established the Republic of China. Overseas Chinese like the immigrant Chinese population in Singapore would donate generously to groups like the Tongmenghui, which would eventually evolve to form the Kuomintang.
Singapore Mutiny
World War I did not have much affect on Singapore as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia. The only possible significant event during the war was a 1915 mutiny by the British Muslim Indian sepoys (an Indian Soldier in service of a European Power) garrisoned in Singapore. After they heard rumours that they might be sent off to fight the Ottoman Empire, which was a Muslim state, the soldiers revolted. They killed their officers and several British civilians before being suppressed by troops arriving from Johor and Burma.
Naval Bases
After World War I, the British government devoted significant resources into building a naval base in Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly ambitious Japanese Empire. Originally announced in 1923, the construction of the base carried on slowly until the Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931. When completed in 1939, at the expensive cost of $500 million, it boasted what was at that time the largest dry dock in the world, the third largest floating dock, and having enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months. It had Heavy 15-inch(31cm) naval guns stationed at Fort Siloso, Fort Canning And Labrador Park, as well as a Royal Air Force airfield at Tengah Air Base. Winston Churchill touted it as the "Gibraltar of the East." Unfortunately The British Could not afford to build a second fleet to protect its interests and the British Home Fleet Was stationed in Europe. They decided that in the event of an emergency the Home Fleet would sail quickly to Singapore's aid. However, after World War II broke out in 1939, the fleet was fully occupied with defending Britain.
Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Singapore#Founding_of_modern_Singapore_.281819.29
Later, Singapore is proven to be a good trading post and was earning revenue. It was so profitable that three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island outright to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions.
Singapore Exports Tin from Malaya
During the Periods between 1820 to 1870, Malaya became an important producer of tin which was shipped out through Singapore. Tin was used as a material for making cups as well as making bronze.
Singapore Exports Rubber from Malaya
Many Chinese workers immigrate to Singapore to work for rubber plantations. During 1820 to 1870 Malaya produced more than 50% of the world's rubber supply. Rubber was experimented with by the English to make a waterproofing agent for items such as waterproof shoes or for shipping items with the risk of moisture getting into them.
Invention of Ocean Going Steamships
The invention of steamships played a key role in the advance of trading as it allowed ships to travel faster with more space for goods. This was such a benefit that by 1880 more than 1.5 million tons of goods passed through Singapore each year and more than 80% was transported by steamships.
Singapore Evolves into a Crown Colony
In 1867 it became aware that Singapore had many deficiencies in the administration and it became clear that this could only be fixed if Singapore was to become a British Colony and not Just a British India Colony. So on April 1 1867 the British Government Finally agreed to make the straits settlement a Crown Colony with orders straight from the Colonial office rather than India.
Tongmenghui
In 1906 the Tongmenghui, which was a revolutionary chinese group dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty Led By Sun Yat-Sen, Founded its Nanyang Branch In Singapore. It Would Serve as the organization's headquarters in Southeast Asia. The Tongmenghui would eventually be part of several groups that took part in the Xinhai Revolution and Established the Republic of China. Overseas Chinese like the immigrant Chinese population in Singapore would donate generously to groups like the Tongmenghui, which would eventually evolve to form the Kuomintang.
Singapore Mutiny
World War I did not have much affect on Singapore as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia. The only possible significant event during the war was a 1915 mutiny by the British Muslim Indian sepoys (an Indian Soldier in service of a European Power) garrisoned in Singapore. After they heard rumours that they might be sent off to fight the Ottoman Empire, which was a Muslim state, the soldiers revolted. They killed their officers and several British civilians before being suppressed by troops arriving from Johor and Burma.
Naval Bases
After World War I, the British government devoted significant resources into building a naval base in Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly ambitious Japanese Empire. Originally announced in 1923, the construction of the base carried on slowly until the Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931. When completed in 1939, at the expensive cost of $500 million, it boasted what was at that time the largest dry dock in the world, the third largest floating dock, and having enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months. It had Heavy 15-inch(31cm) naval guns stationed at Fort Siloso, Fort Canning And Labrador Park, as well as a Royal Air Force airfield at Tengah Air Base. Winston Churchill touted it as the "Gibraltar of the East." Unfortunately The British Could not afford to build a second fleet to protect its interests and the British Home Fleet Was stationed in Europe. They decided that in the event of an emergency the Home Fleet would sail quickly to Singapore's aid. However, after World War II broke out in 1939, the fleet was fully occupied with defending Britain.
Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Singapore#Founding_of_modern_Singapore_.281819.29
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/frank.international.rubber.market
http://app.www.sg/who/32/Founding-of-Modern-Singapore.aspx
Books: Britain's Greatest Defeat By: Alan Warren
Timeline:
http://app.www.sg/who/32/Founding-of-Modern-Singapore.aspx
Books: Britain's Greatest Defeat By: Alan Warren
Timeline:
