ld, Bllangan I, Scpbrtcr 1995

STNGAFORE(1t24-195t) : fiIIS IS MY ISLAND IN THE ST'N

Shaharil Talib

There is much literature gloriffing the success-storyof con3emporary . This tendency permeatesmuch of the historical studies on the island. Each historical period eulogies its founders and achievements end eech succeeding generation of researchers further add on to that edifice. The corpus of writings on the histories of Singapore celebrates its successes and general material advancqs. It is the contemponry successof the ever continuing Singapore's showcase experience that governs historical enquiry. There are only a few brave ones that dare expose the underside of Singapore's social history. The dielogue and debates in the historiography revolve around the yet unresolved arbitrary measurementsof social succqssesand failures. Any attempt to shift the paradigm and demystify the historical literature has to return to the fundamentals that mede Singapore. There exists a mystery; no a riddle; nay an enigua that envelopes the territorial limits of the island of Singapore that commnnds the grand thoroughway linking the lndian Ocean'through the Straits of Malacca with the South China Sea. All authoritative academic textbooks on Singapore neglect to geographically define the parameters of Singapore, except to say that the island is at the tip of the Malay peninsula and faces the main straits that links east and west international trade. The centricity of Singapore and its natural deep-water harbour which served as a world emporium is always hightighted in all general textbooks. All published nrsps in the 1930's and other official references simply refer to Singapore and its adjacent islands. The general impression made, which is never questioned is that there is the rnain island of Singapore with its magnificent port, its adjacent islands and the main straits leading to open seas.There were no bounds, onll unlimitedpossibilitiesin the expnnsion of Singapore's domination over the SoutheestAsian region. A new reading of Singapore's history is the call to return to the very same documents that earlier scholars have ploughd through with a different agenda.r The reader should be extremely sensitive and alert to distinguish betrveen what is the advertisement and hard-selling that permeates all British official records, after all their business in Singapore was for the express purpose of setting shop and operating in the region. There existed a symbiotic relationship between govemment and business and both understood their mutual interests in their correspondence. The final document that appears in published form for public consumption is always in the affirmative preeching the advantageous of e policy decision for the advancement of collective g&in. The Annuel Reports of the Settlement of Singapore either championod the virtues of free trade by impressive trade statistics made over the previous yesr or issued grim warnings of dengerou trends in trade pstterns. Th€

The originrl vcrrion of this prper wrs prcrcntcd rt r Colloquium for thc l3th Confercrrcc lnternationrl Arrociation of Hicorianr of Arie, Sophie Univerdty, Tokyo, taprn, Scpambcr 5-9, 1994. Sldnrt Tallb- SlnsaporrltH - l95t 2 didogue centr€d around business. The tende,ncy to drametise and overplay officid news, assisted by the concentration of modie facilities, hides the fragility of Singapore as a physical entity. British pres€nce on the M&in Island of Singapore began on 3oth January l8l9 with the establishmentof a factory. On 26th June 1819 Sir Stemford Raffles securpd for the East India Company a strip of corst-land on the Main Island of Singapore stretching from 'Tanjong Malang on the west, to Tanjong Katang on theeast, and on the land side, as far as the range of cannon shot, all round the factory'.2 In the Convention of 7th June 1823 Sir Stemfond Rsffles made known his intentions also to secure for the East India Conpany all land within the island of Singapore, and islands immediately adjacent, to be at the disposal of the British Government.3 The Main Island of Singapore was then an insignificantisland lacking in natural nesources and humrn population. It was one of several thousends of islands that made the vast and sprawling maritime-based kingdom of the Johor-Riouw-Lingga Empire. The Empire embraced: the whole extremity ofthe Maleyan Pcninsule fmm Muar in latitude 2' 0 Norrh on thc west corst and fmm Kemaman in latinrdc 4' l' on the cast. Indcpendcnt of this it embraccs thc numcrous lglands at the mouth of the Stnitr of Melacca lying bctwcen 2nd dcgrec north end the lct dcgrcc of south latinrde, and not only thesc but all Islands in the China scas lying betwcen the l0dth and l09th degrees of east longitude as far as the Natunas.a

The Maley Sultrn of Maleccs-Johor I nmq Sultanatelineage resided on the Island of Lingga, the Bugis Yaog Dipertuan Muda (Under-king) held the Island of Bintang, while the Bendaherr and the Temenggong wene locatod on the Malay peninzula at Pahang and Johor respectively. These four families forged through marriage alliances dominsted the extensive sea-basodempire.s Th"y each had their economic resouroe base in these islands sn{ mrnpnwer attached !o them. Collectively their flemain control all entrances and exists between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea through the Streits of Malecce, Singapore Straits, Gallang Straits and Riouw Straits. The strategic settlerents of population were on the islands of Riouw, Lingga, and Carrimons straddling diffierent Straits and the islands of Tiomen, Aur, Natuna, Anambas and Tembilan in the South China Sea off the east coast of the Malay peninzula Anglo-Dutch rivalry in the eerly ninetee,nthcentury exploited divisions amongst members of the ruling families. The British obtained the zupport of the Bendahara and Temenggong and installed Sultan Hussein es ruler of Singapore and Johor. His younger brother, Tengku AMul Rahmn wrs supportod by the Bugis Yang Dipertuan Muda and other senior court officiels end instdled as Sultln of Riouw-Lingga. On lTth March 1824 the Anglo-Dutch Treety, determinod the spheres of influence between Brit&in end Holland over the Sees, Straits ead Islends of the spnwling Johor-Riouw-Lingga Empire. Article XII of that Treety expressed thet:

His Britmnit Mrjccy howevcrcngrScr, 0ut m Britishcoblirhmu rbdl bc rnrdcon thc Crrirnonldcr, or on thc lrlandr of Brtrrm, Bintrng, LiqSin, or oo rny of the other tdrodr South of tha Stnighr [!icl of Singrporc; .urr .ny Tuty corludcd by BritiA Authority with thG CbiGfa of thoec lrhndr.' -rr,!l-1.-l alt utrtl att aa. a

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By the middle of 1824 the old Johor-Riouw-Lingga Empire was broken into three kingdoms. Therp wes the principalty of Pehang which was independent; that of Johor north of the mrin streits under British protoction end ths islands south of the main strlits thst formod Riouw-Lingga under Du0ch protection.? It was in these circumstances that Sir John Crawfurd on 2 August 1824 won the cession of Singapore from the rulers of Johor. On 2nd August 1824 the sovereign rulers of the kingdom of Johor ceded !o the Eest India Company territories thet eventuelly formed the modern{ay Republic of Singapore. Clause Two of the Treaty draws out in no uncertain terms the territorial limits of that cession. Their Highnesses Sultan Hussin Mohamed Sheh and Temenggong Abdul Rahman ceded only: the islnnd of Singapore situated in the Straits of Malacca, togethcr with the adjaent Seas, Straits ard Isl.ets, to the efrent of ten geographical mil.eslrom the coast of thc said Main Island of Singapore.s This innocuous and unheralded clause physically defined the territorial limits of the settlement of Singapore and created a living sovereign entity within the islands of the former Johor-Rouw-Lingga Empire. Outside the limits of this geographical space sovereignty over all seas, straits and islands were possessedby either the kingdom^s of Johor or Riouw-Lingga. The line of division in the islands, seasand straits is the Straits of Singapore which distinguished British and Dutch spheres of influence. It was within this geographically defined space that the settlement of Singapore developed its relations es a sovereign entity with its northern neighbour Johor under British protoction and Riouw-Lingga, its southern sovereign neighbour under Dutch protection. One dey after the sigdng of the 2nd Augrrst 1824 Treaty, I. Crawfurd sent a memorandum to G. Swinton, the Secretary to the Government, explaining the implications of the various clauses of the Treaty. He drew ettention to Clause Two of the Treaty:

...that the cession made ir not confined to the mrin islard of Singapore alone, but extends to the Seas, Straits and ldets (the lefcr probably not legs than 50 in number), within t€n geographical miles of its coada, not however including any portion of the contincnt. olrr limits will in this rnanner embrace the Old Strair of Siqgepore and the inrportant pr8sage of thc Rabbit and Coney, the main channel through thc Straitr of Malecca, rnd thc only convenicnt onc fmm thence into the China Seas. These extended botrndr Eppc$ to rnc to be absolurcly necessarytowardr the military protection of the Settlement, towards our internal rccruity, and towards our safety from the pintical hordes that surround us, against those incunionr and dcprcdationr thcp would be no indemnity if we werp not in the occupation of the numerous irlcr which lic upon thc immcdiat€ corst of the prirrcipal Scrlement.e

He pointed out that the lTth March Anglo-Dulch Treaty did not conflict with the 2nd August 1824 Treaty with the Johor rulers.

Thc ccssion made to us by the Native Princes of thc main islsnd of Singapore and the islets edjacent to it, to thc crc€nt of tcn geographical milcs from thc coast, ir in no rcspect inpugned by the condition in qucdion, as by the nroc libenl intcrpretation, lhe whole cession ir etrictly north of the southern limits of trc Stnitr of Singepore.lo

Reinforcing the concept of territorial space within the old Johor-Riouw-Lingga Empire, Crawfurd further expressed that Britain would not defend the rights of Johor rulers to any claim of territory to the south of the Main Str&its such as they once had tad, Bbngan l, Sepurtq D95 5

over the Carrimon and Bulang islands. The territorid rights of tbe Johor nrlers were confined to all islands, seas and straits north of the nein straits and outside the lirnits that were ceded to Singapore. On 3rd Augrrst 1825, I year rnd a day after the historical cession, J. Craurfrrd startod I voyage eround the mqin island of Singapore to take formel possession of the island of Singapore and its dependencies. He.seilod from the Singapore river hrrbour and headed for the eestern entnnce into the old Singapore straits (Streits of Tebreu) where he landed on hrlau LJbin and plented the Union Jack end fir€d a 2l-grrn sdutc. He left hrlau Ubin and headed in a weslerly direction through the Streits of Tebnu and emerged on the west coast of the Singipore island. On 9th August 1825 he landed on the Rabbit and Coney Islends and took possession of them under a salule of 2l guns. 'These two Islets ... form the limit of the British possessionto the South West and this possession in all, now embraces a circumfere,nce of full one hundred geographical miles.' I I In 1828 J. Crawfurd published the celebratedJournal of an Embassyfrom the @verrnr-General of ldia to the Courts of Siam and Cochin China, where he described the Ea.stlndia Company's prized possessionas:

The Island of Singapore, of an ellipticel form, is about twenty-s€ven milcs in itr greetcot length, and fifleen in its gneatestbrcedth, containing en cstirmtcd area of about two hundred end rcvcnty squlr€ milcs. Thc whole Britistr rettlcmcnt, howevcr, cmbnccs a circumfcrerrcc of about orp bundred miler; in which is includcd about fifry dcscrt irler, rnd thc scer end *raitr within tan milcs of the coast of thc prirrcipel island. Singaporc ir scparatcd from the mrinhnd by thc old strrit of its own mme, which is of rrmll breadth throughout, end scarcely r qurrtcr of a milc widc in itr narrrowestpart. FrontinS thc island, on its southem side, and et thc disbncc of ebout ninc milcr, is en extcnsive chain of idands, all dercrt, or at least intrabited only by e few wild reces, of which nothing is known but their berc existcnce. The intervening channel is thc high road of corffnence between thc eagtcm rd western portions of mrritimc Asia - the safest and most convenient tnck being so nelr to Singapore, that rtrips in passing and repassing go very nearly through the roads.l2

The exact number and names of these desert islets within the ten geographical mile's limit were never fully listed in the early years until well into the twentieth century. lnitially J. Crawfurd provided a rough figure of 50 islets but much later when he published his authoritativeDesoiptivv Didiorury of the lrdiqn Islards and Adjacent Countries, he stated that tbe settlementembraced no fewer than 75 islets of various sizas coveriog - area of l7 square miles and thet the whole land mass of the entire British settlement amounted to 223 squsre miles.r3 In his book publication J. Crawfurd extended his northern definition of the main island of Singapore to include the continental shore of the Straits of Tebrau. However, the Government Surveyor, J.T. Thonrson, writing in 1849 placed the boundary 'as an imaginary line drawn through the middle of the Silat Tebrau, Silat Nanasand Kualla Santi..."n It was over islands in the Straits of Tebrau which wene disputed between the rulers of Johor and the governors of Singapore. 'Everywhere else, the British settlement exlends to l0 mile.s from the shore of the mainland...'15 The southern limit of the territorial extent of Singapore was thus '... an imaginary line drawn through the middle of the Main Strait and the larger Strait of Singapore, divided the Residency of Singapore from that of Rhio, which is under the Government of Netherlands India.'16 It was within these resounce-scarceislands that the British succeeded in building a massive urban complex supporting trade and commerce. All the physical high SttaloaflTalb - Wapon ,tU - I95t 6

points on the mein island in the nineteenth century wene reserved for defence works. A series of forts, betteries and barracks was built on the island of Singapore guarding the entrances into the harbour and the 0own. Thus in the 1820's defence works were instsllod at Fort Fullerton Battery, Princess Battery and Sandy Point; in the 1850's rdditional fecilitieswerc built et Mount Pelrer Bettery and Fort Canning; and in the scond hdf of the ninetoenth cenhrry further works wene constnrcted ot Mount Faber, Pearl's Hill; Fort Tanjong Katong, Meley Spit, [.ot's wife and L-ebrador Ville. The adjeccnt islands also servod in the overall defences of Singapore. St. John's Islend in the south served as e battery and signal post since the 184O's. In the 1880's hrlau Blalcang Mati had batteries at Fort Cannought 0o its south, east and on Mount Siloso and Berala Point. In the next two decades facilitibs were built on Pulau Brani at Teregeh Point end Selinsing Point and on hrlau Hantu. The northern part of the mtin island of Singapore fronting the Selat Tebrau was fully developed in the twentieth century with the establishment of the British Naval Base for the Far East at Sembawang. The coastal areas of Seletar, Changt, Bee Hoe, Mata Ikan and Pasir I-abe Ridge wene nilitary installationsend complementing facilitieswere constructed on hllau Tekong Besar, hrleu Telcong Kecil and hrleu Ubin. Singapore wss the most heavily defended port in all of SoutheastAsia.'7 Almost et its very inception the vision was to establish a Malta of the East in Southeast Asia. A large portion of Singaporp's annual budget is spent on its fortificetion. The defence of Singapore chrnged through time with each change in shipping technology. The use of wind and sea currents for sailing led to a specific defence system which was altered with the arrival of coddriven steamships. At the turn of this century the use of petroleum in steamships yit again forced a change in defe,ncemechanisms. It is bewildering that the simple fact that a large portion of Singapore's budget is conzumed for defence works since the 1820's remained undetected. The vulnerability of limited spece and the scarcity of resources necessitrtod the full exploitation of its physical attribute for defence works. Infrestructure building was the main thrust in the budget expenditure of Singapore. Its physical feeh,rreswene constructed to serve trade and commerce and defend tbose @ncerns. In the eerly decedes the Singapore river served as the natural harbour before the New Harbour (1840's) was builtwithin the sheltered area between the off-shore islands of hrlau Brani, Belakang Mati and Hantu and the mainland of the island of Singaporp. The harbour itselfwas extensively dredged to design a deep- waler harbour and continuously dredgod to maintnin its optimum docking operations. This ercavetion work flies ageinst the much trumpeted feature that the port was a natural deep-waler harbour. hrlau Brani and hrlau Beldcang Mati served as huge coal depots (1t50's) and laier in the early twentieth century as oil installations together with . Port fscilities were also develo@ on other adjacent islands lnd underwater shoals. Saint John's island had a signal station. Coney island msrked.the southern entrance into the harbour with its (1855) built from grani0e extractod from hrleu Ubin in the Streits of Tebrau. hrlau Ubin grenite also built the Horsburgh Lighthouse on hrlau Batu Puteh (1851) and the Aqualda Lighthouse at Moulmein. Coney island served also es one of two marker points in zurveying and mapping of these islands. Buoys wer€ placed on Sultan Shoal and Johore Shoal to the east and west of the island of Singapore. The changing infrastrucnre of the port is visible in its Outer Harbour, lnner Harbour and Jd, BllanganI, Scpurter 1995 7

Dockyards.ts The emerged without parallel in the region when change was made from coal to petroleum and rubber was cultivated on a large scale on the Johor hinterlandwhich was linked with Singaporeby a causeway serving road and railway.re The port of Singapore purchased and acquired technological advantages over its competitors. The islands of Singapore lacked nahrral resourcesbut fully harnessed human resources by providing the full advantagesof technology in the pursuit of commerce and trade as an emporium. [n the period when the winds and sea currents carried sailing vessels, Singapore was one of mony harbours in island SoutheastAsia. ln the mid-nineteenth century technological change made it possible to propel vessels on coal driven engines. The change in the nature of transport meant new fuel requirements and Singapore pushed itself as one of several ports in the region offering coal bunkering facilities. The raw materials were purchased from Japan, Australia, Burma and Borneo and sold to calling vessels. [n the early twentieth century petrol b"gan substituting coal and oil depots were built on Singapore's off- shore islands.D The use of gas and later electricity overcame the islands' obvious absence of natural energy resources. In 1862 ga-swas used for the purposes of lighting government buildings and residences,street lights and domestic consumption. ln 1923 the St. James Power Station was built to provide electricity and thirty years later the Pasir Panjang Power Station ushered Singapore into an industrial age.2r [n the field of communications again Singapore held the technological edge. It emerged as the regional centre for sea-mail and air-mail letters, telegrams and wireless.z The purchase of besic natural resources such as sand and water so vital for the survival of the port of Singapore was obtained from neighbouring Johor. In the nineteenth century sand ballast was excavated from the islands but with the increase in volume of vessels and the depletion of resources sand was won along the Johor coast. The massive improvement of port facilities and the construction of the naval base in the 1920's posed s€vere strain on the islands' limited natural water supply. ln 1927 a water rights agteement was entered between the municipality of Singapore and the govemment of Johore. The physical infrastructure for water impoundment such as reservoirs, water-tanks and spill-ways was built and maintained by the Singapore municipality with 36 inches diameter cast-iron water pipes leading to processing and distribution plants located at Woodlands on .a The legal interpretation of the territorial rights ceded under Clause Two of the 2nd Augusa 1824 Treaty was continuously testd in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Even as late as the 1860's the Temenggong of Johor continued to exercise his right of collection of dues and services over his people living on islands well within the ten mile limits of the main island of Singapore. He was instructed in no uncertain terms by the British authorities that he should cease exercising his rights within the sovereign waters of Singapore.u The right to hear and try criminel cases was another area where the two authorities disputed the extent of the ten mile limits. It was clear that after the mid- nineteenth century in cases where the offence occurred clearly outside the ten miles limit Johor courts had legal rights. This principle was established in the case of the Padang incident on the west coast of Johore and that of an incident in the neighbourhood of the Pedra Branca Lighthouse on the south-east coast of Johore.T However, on borderline cases it wes disputed as to the extent of Britain's sovereign Sluluril Talib - Slngapore 1824 - l95E rights under the 2nd August 1824Treaty. The incident involving Chinese fishermen who claimed to have been assaultedby Johor officials at Tanjong Pengerang were one where legal opinion advisedthat the extentof British territories covered until the low-water mark of the Johor coastline.26 The more serious territorial disputesoccurred over islands located in the Straits of Tebrau where the rulers of Johor and British authorities seriously wrestled over sovereignmatters. In 1867 the Temenggongof Johor pressedand won his point that the island of Tanjong Surat up the estuary of the Johor river was part of his territories and was not ceded by the 1824 Treaty.n Tlrresame case applied for Pulau Nanas, a small islet of about 26 acres, one hundred yards from the Johore coastline in the Straits of Tebrau. In this case it was argued that Johor authorities issued quarrying rights and that Singaporehad not objected.The island belongedto Johor.x It was only in the twentieth century that the boundary question over the Straits of Tebrau that separatedMainland Johor with the Settlementof Singapore was finally resolved. The personalrole of SultanIbrahim in pressuringthe British authoritiesfor a resolution on the boundary issue is a case study in the art of fine diplomacy. 'The Sultan is and always has been very touchy about his territorial waters and the trumpery islandsand rocks in them... '' Britain in the early decadesof the twentieth century had planned to build a Naval Base at Sembawangon the north-east coast of the main island of Singapore as part of her Imperial Defence. Sultan Ibrahim of Johor seized the opportunity to force negotiation over the sovereignty of waters between Singapore and the mainland of Johor along the Straits of Tebrau. There were at least three interpretations on the boundary in the Straits. The first placed Singapore'sboundary on the Continentalshore of Johor; the secondtook a mid-way point equidistant between the two shores and the third suggesteda middle channel approach. It was the third approach that was finally acceptedby the 1927 Treaty. In framing the 1927 Treaty the legal draughtsmen upheld the position that the ten-mile limit on the Straits of Tebrau included all waters and islands until the low water-mark of the Johore coastline. The agreement was to delineate the territorial boundary basedon the deep-waterchannel that divided the Straits. In the negotiations lengthy and detailed discussionstraced the deep water efiannel through the larger and smaller islands that sprinkled the Straits. Thus for example the tiny Pulau Chombun was considered to fall on the Johore side as the deep water channel flowecl south of it. The larger Besar, Tekong Kecil and Ubin were within Singapore's territorial waters. On the western entranceof the Straits of Tebrau Pulau Merambong was held to be within Johore's territories and it became the marker where a line dropped perpendicular from it and cutting the deep water channel marked the three-mile limitbetween the territory of Singaporeand that of Johore. On the eastern entrance Tanjong Setapaon the Johore mainland was taken as a marker and bearing of 192 degrees was taken and where it met the deep water channel it marked the three-mile limit between the two territories.r It was in this manner the western and eastern extremities of the territorial waters of Singapore in its relationship with Johore were delineated in accordance with the principles of lnternational I-aw as outlined by the 1923 lmperial Conference which endorsed a cornmon policy for the British Empire in respect of limits of territorial waters.3r On the Johore causeway which linked the two countries an International boundary pillar was laid which marked the half-way point between the two Jati, Bilanganl, Seplember1995 9 countries.32 A map accompanied the Treaty but it was expressed that in cases of doubt the written word embodied in the Treaty over-ruled the map.33 This Treaty was ratifi"d by the British Parliament and finatly Britain retroceded to the State of Johore all Seas, Straits and Islets north of the mid-channel in the Straits of Tebrau which were once possessedby the Settlement of Singapore and its Dependencies within its ten geographical mile definition.v The 1927 Map which accompanied the Treaty that delineated the three mile limits between Johor and Singapore on the Straits of Tebrau becamethe standard for all future Map publications. The visual impression was that of a hanging northern boundary between the two territories cutting off at the three miles limit and everywhere else open seas and islands as far as Singapore was concerned. The British officials had succeeded in projecting and transmitting through its official documents that the territories of Singapore were open to all seas and straits and islands. In secret despatchesbetween British authorities in Singapore and l.ondon the wordings of the draft Treaty between Singapore and Johore was deliberately altered to create the impression that the islands and waters of Singapore were not bound by the ten mile limits. The original draft t927 Trcaty negotiated between the Governor of Singapore and the Sultan of Johore quoted in full Clause Two of the original cession of 2nd August 1824. It specifically mentioned the Settlementof Singapore covered the Main Island of Singapore and ten geographical miles from the coast line of the main island. However, in the last minute the Foreign Office acting on the advice of the Admiralty strongly urged the Governor to alter the draft Treaty to simply read in its preamble:

WHEREAS by Article [I of the Treaty of the 2nd day of August, 1E24, made between the Honourable the English East India Company on the one side and Their Highnesses the Sultan and Tumungong of Johore on the other, Their said Highnesses did cede in full sovereignty and property to the said Company, their heirs and successors for ever, the Island oJ Singapore togeher with cenain adjacent seas, straits and islerc:.

The changing of words had the deliberate intention of creating an impression that Singapore was an island with open seasand adjacent islands leading to its east to the South China Sea and to the west leading to the Straits of Malacca.35 This act of deception was probably one of Britain's best kept secretsand unless researchers return to the fundamental documents leading to the Treaty it remained a secret as the published Treaty available in secondary sources only contain the signed agreement with all its intentions. Even maps that accompaniedTreaties were never published in all the important reference books. AII the islands, seas and straits outside the ten miles of the main island of Singapore in the Straits of Malacca, south of the Straits of Singapore and in the South China Sea that once formed the Johor-Riouw-Liogg" Empire were in some caaqs delineated, in others awarded and the rest settled through occupation. The 1862 Johor-Patrang Agreement temporarily revolved disputes over islands in the South China Sea.5 However, the new ruler in Pahang challenged its validity and claimed islands such as Pulau Tioman, Pulau Aur and Tinggi. In 1868 the Governor of Singapore intervened in the disputas using previously signed treaties, agreementsand letters between the Governor and Pahang and the Governor and Johore and resolved Slururil Talib - Sngapore 1824 - 1958 l0

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.'d ,laal aaftt ,uLaa atrtat /' -.t -i' Srwlnril Talib - Shgapore IE24 - IISE t2 Jati, Bilangan I, September 1995 l3 the sovereignty over these islands by Boundary Award which both contesting " parties were Treaty bound to accept.37 The original documentsleading to the 1868 Award were accompaniedwith a Map but the printed version only contained a reference of a Map accompanied. The Map that was used to award the disputed South China Sea islands wils based on the 1849 Map of J.T. Thomson, the Straits SettlementsSurveyor, and Congalton, the Commander of the Hooghly, which surveyed the Straits of Singapore eastwardsuntil Pulau Batu Puteh north of the main straits and islands in the South China Sea northwards bordering the kingdoms of Johore and Pahang. On the western side Boundary Commissions marked the land frontiers between the British Settlement of Malacca and Johore.38 The islands south of the main straits were attributed by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 17th March 1824 to the Dutch sphere of influence. The only serious contest was over the Carrimon islands south of the straits where the Sultan of Johore waged an unsuccessfulnaval battle againstthe Yang Dipertuan Muda of Riouw and the Sultan of Lingga in 1827. All the other islands south of the Straits of Singapore were recoguised by the British as belonging to the territories of the kingdom of Riouw- Lingga. The Dutch Resident of Riouw concurred with the British Resident and observed that over the extensiveJohore-Riouw-Lingga Empire:

We have two Sultans now insteadof one. Each one reigning over a separatepart, the one Sultan Hussein residing at Singaporeto be consideredas SultanJohore and its continentaldependencies, he being himself under the influence and control of the English authorities in lhese parts of the world, the other Sultan Abdul Rahman residing at Lingin reigning over the islands all around, he himself under the influence of the Dutch authorities.'"

The islands north of the main straits and the straitsof Singaporeand outside the ten miles limit belongedto the territoriesof the kingdom of Johor. In maritime kingdoms all islands, all islets, all seas, all straits had economic and strategic value. In the 1880's the Sultan of Johore assertedhis claims through diplomatic channelswith the British over the Natunas,Amambas and Tembilan islands. However, he was advised that the Dutch backed Riouw-Lingga kingdom had long establishedtheir claims over that part of the former territories of the Johor-Riouw-Lingga empire.o The systematictopographic survey of Johore and its territories on a three inch to one mile scalebegan only in 1924. It formed part of the HIND seriesand covered parts of India, Malaya and SoutheastAsia. The HIND serieswas broken down into sheetswhich was further broken down into Map Squaresand each Maps Square was further broken down into Grid squares.Theprinted survey sheetswere gazetted and sold in individual sheets.arThe survey was conductedby the Surveyor-Generalof the Straits Settlementsand the FederatedMalay States.However, it is in unpublished documentsthat it is establishedthat in the survey of Johore territories the Sultan acted on his sovereignty and negotiated directly with the British War Office to undertake the survey by-passing the governor of the Straits Settlements. All the sheetsunder the HIND serieswere surveyedby the War Office and paid for by the Johore government except three sheets.a2The south-easternportions of Johore and its off-shore islands were surveyed by the Admiralty from Johore funds and permission was requestedfrom the Sultan of Johore for each occasionthe war-ship sailed into Johore waters.a3 Shalurll Tallb - Slagapore 1824 - l95t

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The southern portions of the Malay peninsula are the combined sheets of the kingdom of Johore and the British Settlementof Singapore. The Singapore map on itself shows the demarcat€dStraits of Tebrau, an enclosedwestern side following the contours of the ten miles limit and an open esstern side. However, the independent sheet of map on Kuala Sedili which covers the south-easternportion of Johore, has a western boundary drawn in and takes the main straits as demarcating British and Dutch held possessions.These two maps when pleced together reveal the stunning image of the islands of Singapore within its ten-miles limit after the retrocession of islands, straits and season the Straits of Tebrau n 1927.4 The enigma that is modern day Singapore is a series of islands, straits and seas geographically bounded and contained and yet with the application of technology and human rqsourcqs able to break-through all barriers as the Island of islands in Island SoutheastAsia. The final put,le that need answering is exactly how many islands did the Rulers of the State and Territories of Johor actually cede to the East lndia Company in 1824. There were references of between 50 and 75 islands within the ten geographical mile limits. It is clear that the Settlement of Singapore in 1927 retroceded soure of its islands in the Straits of Tebrau. In 1958 when the original Settlementof Singapore (1824) had transformed itself from the status of the Colony of Singapore (1946) into the State of Singapore it consisted of 63 islands.as These islands encircled the main island of Singapore to its northern, southern, eastern and western extremities. The islands in the sun willed by Sir John Crawfurd's hand in 1824 remained, with the exception of those in the Straits of Tebrau, in the possessionof the Colony, State and since 1965 the Republic of Singapore. In 1939 a British target-towingvessel used in testing fitiog range strayed a mere 2,000 yards south of the Coney island where the Raffles Lighthouse was constructed into Dutch territorial waters and was apprehend"d by the Dutch armed vessel Flores.$ There were uninhabited islands south of the Main Straits across from Raffles Lighthouse which British officials eyed. But the Dutch had the fire-power to stop the territorial ambition at the tenth mile from the main island of Singapore at the Straits. (\

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NOIES: l. Stnits Scdcrcnlr Frctory Rccordr, Raf0esNational Libnry Archiver, ScriesA-Z; StraitsSettlcments Frctory Rccordr, Rrfficr Nrtionrl Libnry Archivcr, Scrics AA-FF; Straitr ScttlcmcntsFrctory Rccords, fndie Officc Libnry, Vol. l-l6t; Grcrt Britrin, hrblic RecordrOfficc, ColonielOffice, Scrieg273,Yo|. l{39 rnd Grc.t Bribin, hrblic RccordsOfEcc, Coloniel Olfficc,Serier 717.

2. 'JohorpDocumnt of 26 lur ltlg', in J.dc V. Allcn, A.r. Stochrrclland L.R. Wrighl, eda.,A @llcction of Trcuics ord Otlvr Docwnents,lfccdng tlv Stousof Maloysta, 176I-1963, Vol. l, London, OcceneRrblicetionr, l9tl, pg. 33-34.

3. lbid., pp. 35-36.

4. Singapor€Cbroniclc, March 1t25, in J.H. Moor, Noticcsof hc ltdian Archipclago ud Adjaccnr hwttries, Si4grporc, 1t37, p. 244,

5. V. Mathcronend B.W. An&ye, Tlv PrcciotlrsGirt Qur{at al-Nafa),KualaLlnpur, Qxford University Pncsr,19t2.

6. DutchTrcrty of l7 Mrrph 1t24, in t. dc V. Allen, A. ,. Sbchvcll endL. R. Wright, edE.,op. cit., Vol.2, pp.2tt493.

7. SiqgrporcChroniclc, March lt25, in J.lI. Moor, op. cit., p.244.

'lohorc t. Trcaty of 2nd Augurt lt24' , in l. de V. Allcn, AJ. Stochycll and L. R . Wright, op. cit. , Vol. l, pp. 3741.

'Noticcr 9. of Siqgepore', Jounral ottlu htdior Archipcbgo ord fusun z{^cia,Vol. Vn, 1t53, p. 351.

10. lbid.,p.t57.

I l. t. Cnwfurd, 'tournel of e VoyegcRound the lrlaod of Singaporc',in f .H. Moor, op. cit., pp. 269- 273.

12. t. Crrwfurd, Jounul oJ ot Enbassylrout ,rE CtovernotCtcrcml of India to tlv CourtsoJ Siott ud futdn Chiru, [.ondon, Hcnry Colburn, lt2t, p.

It, t,Cnwfirrd, Dcscripdvc Dlcrionaryof tlu Indian Islands*A )ai*"* C;owntrics,Chaukhambha Oricnalir, Indie, 1974,p.395.

14. ,.T. Thomlon, 'Gcncnl Rcport on the Rcridcrrcyof Si4gapore,Dnwn up principally with r view ofillunreti4gitragriculnrnlnrti*ics',lournalofthcltdiotArchipcbgoodfusumr{.sl'a,Vol.3, 1E49, p. 619.

15. I. Cnwfurd, / DescriptiveDicdonaty, p. 395.

16. t.T. Thomrcn,op. cit.,p.619.

17. Sc,cSiti Khejar Md. Shth, 'Scjarrh PcrtahananPuleu Singapun &n Wlayahnya, lEl9-1927', MA thcrir, Dcpartnrcmof SouthcacArien Surdicr,Univcnity of Malayr, 1995.

It. SccHenizahldrir,'Pcnrba4gunandanPcrtcmbe4ganlnfrannrktrrPchbuhanSingapura,lEl9-1941', MA lhcdr, Dcpartrrcnt of SouthcesrArian Snrdier,Univcrrity of Maleye, 1995. ld, Bbntan l, h4ertcr 194i5 Zl

19. Sec lchiro Sugimoto, 'Pcrkembangen l(rpitelirme di Ncgcri fohor, lt0Gl957', MA thcsir, Departnrcnt of Southca* Asien Studics, Univcrrity of Malaya which ir in thc pnoccss of conplction.

20. Yusrim bte Ydraya, 'Tenega di Singapun (ltl9-1941): Deri Angin kc Anqg Bru tc Petroleum', B.A. (Honr, Exercise), Depertmenl of Southcast Arian Snrdies, University of Meleya, 1993-94.

21. Haslizr btc lbnhim,'7arr.urn Gclap di Siagepun, lt62-1953', B.A. (Hons. Exencicc), Dcpertment of Southeast Asian Sudics, Univcrrity of Malaya , 1993-94.

'Sunt 22. Feizah bte Samsudin, ke lhbet Tclegnf ke Gelombang @erkembengrn Salunn Pos dan Telegref di Singepura lt4+1941', B.A. (Honr.) Exencire, Deperrment of Southeast Asien Sbdies, Univcrrity of Malaya, 1993-94.

2il. Ruhana bte Padzil, 'Bckalen Air di Singapun (182+1956): Dari PcrrcerienSumbcr Air ke Sumber Pendapatan', B.A. (Hons.) Exercise, Depailment of SoutheegtAsian Snrdies, University of Melayr, 1993- 94.

24. SSFR(NIS),ScriesA-2,R39:GovernortoSecretaryofGovcrnmentofMadns,22luly lt6land SSFR.(NIJ), Series A-Z,W 37: Secretaryto lhe Govcrnor, S.S. to Residcnt Councillor, Singapore, 13 July lt6l.

25. CO 27315: Board of Directors to Secretary of State for India, 9 Jenuary 1862, ff. 38E422.

26. See Advocate General's l"cgal Opinion in lbid., fr. 419421.

27. CO 273112: SS to CO, l8 Septcmber 1E67, tr tGE4 and CO 273117: SS to CO, January lE6E, ff. l4-15.

28. See enclosuresin CLM 23o4,ll9l9 and CO 2731530: [-rw Offrce to CO, 3 December 1925, tr.229- 239.

29. CO 2731536: file no. 2t045 A, f.5.

30. See Jotrorc Treety of 19 October,1927 in J. de V. Allen, A.J. Stockwcll and L.R. Wrigfit, op. cit., Vol. l, pp. I l+l16.

31. CO 2731530: FO to CO,3 Dccembcr 1925.

32. See cnclosures in GAt 4t9ll92t.

33. J. de V. Allen, A.J. Stockwell and L.R. Wright, op. cit., Vol. l, pp. ll+116.

34. See enclosures in CO 2731536: 1927, file nunrber 2t045 A.

35. CO 2731533: FO to CO,23 Decembcr 1926, tr.470475. On 3 August l92E the Briti*r Perliamcnt passcd the .Srrairs Senkmens ard Johore Teninrial Wuen (Agrcenmt) Act, 1928. S* Thc Law Repor* 1928, The Public Gencral,{crs, London, 192t, pp. lt2-1t5.

36. See PetrangTraty of 17 Junc, lE62 in l. de V. Allen, A.r. Stockwcll and L.R. Wright, op. cit., pp. 343-3U.

37. Sce Pahang Trerty of I Scptcmber, lt6t in lbid., pp.345-346. Slulr,rll Tallb - &tga4n ltT - I95t 22

3t. SccStnitr Sctdcrncntr,Rcport of thc BourdrricsCommission, lt Fcbruerylt9E.

39. Stnitr Sctdcrrcnte Fectory R.ecordg(Indie Ofticc Librery),6 Septcmbcr 1827, Extract from Major Elont'r hivetc l*tur,lt Augu* 1t27.

40. CO 2731142: Hir Mrjcety Sultrn of Johore to CO, 20 Merch ltt6, ff. t4l-856; CO 2l3ll42: FO to CO, l0 Apdl ltt6, ff. 232-2ES end CO 273ll50: Adminlty to CO, 3 lunc ltt7, ff. +15.

41. Scc Jolrow Ctovennen Ga?tne, 1933, p. iii.

42. Errclonrrc l, SurveyorGcncnl F.M.S. end S.S.0oBritish Adviscrfohore, lt November 1931, in cA 66?t93t.

43. Scc Errcl. l, Commender-in4omrmndto Govcrnor,7 April 1925,in GA26711925.

,14. S€c Map V, Mep VI ard Mep VII.

45, SingeporcRural Board By-[.awr, 1954and OrdinanceNo. ll of 1958, l-ocal Courrcil.

46. CO 27t1656: 1939,filc numbcr50334.