Details
CollectionSouth & Southeast Asian Collection
Object numberS1970-0052-009-0
TitleManuscript, Double-sided
CreatorCharles Dyce
Description“Singapore turns out to a man to have a sky lark on the plain, when from five o’clock in the morning until dusk, the good folks amuse themselves with all sorts of games, pony, foot, and sack races: climbing greased poles scrambling for Doits et multis aliis_ The regular races come off in the month of February but from a sudden postponement of last meeting “sine die” and without any assigned cause it is surmised that this truly national sport is about to be abandoned_ The course is an exceedingly gone one, of a mile & some yards in extent and was made in 1842 at a considerable expemse, since when, four very respectable meetings have been held_ The Governor annually presents a purse of One hundred Dollars to be run for and the Club gives one of the same amount for Horses and of fifty Dollars for Ponies besides Fifty Dollars to the Regatta prize_
Palanquins in this part of the world are not carried on mens shoulders as in the continent of India, but on four wheels and dragged by a wretched little pony, the groom or syce of which instead of driving, runs at its head_ half a dozen years ago there were not four horses in the Island, Sydney however now keeps it amply supplied with a passable though rather coarse breed of horses, and prices, generally range from £25 to £80_
St. Andrews Church, the building on the right of the Sketch is a commodious although not very elegant structure_ it was erected a good many years ago chiefly by the aid of the Scottish residents and was intended for the Presbyterian form of worship but the Bishop of Calcutta in one of his Diocesian Inspections hearing that they were at a loss for a Clergyman, consecrated the Building and got Government to appoint and endow a chaplain forthwith_ The Steeple was added three years ago and does not at all improve the appearance of” (Sketches in the Straits, Nineteenth - century watercolours and manuscript of Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Batavia by Charles Dyce, Page 97)
“the building_ A very fine organ has lately been received from England also sunscribed for by the congregation
The influential residents being chiefly Scotch and Presbyterians not fancying sitting under the wing of an Episcopalian Chaplain lately made a move for having a separate church, and some came forward most liberally with funds, but the unfortunate disruption in Scotland has placed them, to use a transatlantic expression “in a fix” here out of which they have not nor can they well get_ viz from which establishment the old or new to choose a clergyman_
The building at the other end of the sketch is the court House improperly so called as all courts both civil and criminal are held in a house adjoining_ This rather handsome one is entirely appropriated to offices for the Governor and his subordinates
The assizes are held generally twice a year by the Recorder who makes a circuit throughout the three settlements for that purpose and although occasional crimes of a deep dye occur, the calendar in Singapore is for the most part composed of very trifling offences, but is always a heavy one in point of numbers and frequently occupies the court Six weeks_ The civil courts are held twice a week at Penang by the Legal Judge who prefers the latter place as a residence_ By the Charter only one court exists for the three settlements, so that with the exception of the place wherein the” (Sketches in the Straits, Nineteenth - century watercolours and manuscript of Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Batavia by Charles Dyce, Page 98)
Production placeSingapore
Production date 1816 - 1853
Object categoryManuscript
MaterialWatercolour & ink on paper
Dimensions
H: 75.3 cm
L: 60.6 cm
L: 60.6 cm