INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE CASE CONCERNING SOVEREIGNTY OVER PEDRA BRANCA I PULAU BATU PUTEH, MIDDLE ROCKS AND SOUTH LEDGE (MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE) MEMORIAL OF SINGAPORE VOLUME 1 25 MARCH 2004 MEMORIAL OF SINGAPORE CHAPTER I — INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 1 Section I. The Dispute ..................................................................................... 1 Section II. The Parties....................................................................................... 2 Section III. Structure of this Memorial .............................................................. 4 CHAPTER II — THE PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING.............................................................................................................. 7 Section I. Pedra Branca ................................................................................... 7 Section II. Middle Rocks and South Ledge .................................................... 11 Section III. Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge form a Distinct Group of Features............................................................ 13 CHAPTER III — HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.............................................. 15 CHAPTER IV — THE DISPUTE........................................................................... 21 Section I. The Origins of the Dispute............................................................ 21 Section II. The Special Agreement................................................................. 25 CHAPTER V — THE ACQUISITION OF TITLE TO PEDRA BRANCA IN 1847-1851..................................................................................... 29 Section I. Introduction................................................................................... 29 Section II. The Basis of Claim........................................................................ 30 Section III. The Decision to Build the Lighthouse was Taken by the British Crown .......................................................................... 30 Section IV. The Constitutional Relationships: The Government of India, the Court of Directors of the East India Company and the Board of Control .............................................. 32 Section V. The Entire Process of Planning, Choice of Site and Construction was Subject to the Control and Approval of the British Government and its Representatives ............................................................................. 33 A. INTRODUCTION......................................................................... 33 B. THE CHOICE OF PEDRA BRANCA AS THE SITE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE ..................................................................... 42 Page i MEMORIAL OF SINGAPORE CHAPTER V (continued) Section V. The Entire Process of Planning, Choice of Site and Construction was Subject to the Control and Approval of the British Government and its Representatives (continued) C. THE CHOICE OF THE NAME OF HORSBURGH LIGHTHOUSE ............................................................................ 46 D. THE PLANNING OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK........................ 47 1. Developments in 1847 and 1848........................................ 47 2. Developments in 1849 ....................................................... 49 3. Developments in 1850 ....................................................... 50 E. THE FUNDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK.......................... 54 F. VISITS TO PEDRA BRANCA PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION ............................................. 58 G. LOGISTICAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT VESSELS................................................................................... 61 H. THE PROVISION OF PROTECTION BY GUNBOATS ...................... 62 I. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA WAS THE EXCLUSIVE SOURCE OF LIGHTHOUSE EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS................... 64 J. THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.............................................. 65 K. THE SPECIFICATIONS AND ESTIMATES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION........................................................................ 66 L. THE MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER DURING THE PROCESS OF PREPARATION AND CONSTRUCTION........................................................................ 68 M. THE CUTTING OF RAIN CHANNELS ON PEDRA BRANCA ................................................................................... 69 Section VI. Official Visits to Pedra Branca after the Completion of the Construction: the Commissioning of the Lighthouse..................................................................................... 70 Section VII. Further Evidence of Lawful Possession........................................ 71 A. THE PANEL IN THE VISITORS ROOM ......................................... 71 B. THE BRITISH NOTICE TO MARINERS DATED 24 SEPTEMBER 1851 ..................................................................... 72 C. THE MARINE ENSIGN WAS FLOWN............................................ 73 Section VIII. The Manifestation of the Will of the British Crown as a Sufficient Mode of Lawful Possession....................................... 74 Section IX. The Taking of Possession Elicited No Opposition from Other Powers ........................................................................ 77 Page ii MEMORIAL OF SINGAPORE CHAPTER V (continued) Section X. The Legal Significance of the Lighthouse in these Proceedings ................................................................................... 78 Section XI. Title to Pedra Branca was Acquired by the United Kingdom in Accordance with the Legal Principles Governing Acquisition of Territory in the Period 1847-1851 ..................................................................................... 79 A. THE BASIS OF SINGAPORE’S TITLE........................................... 79 B. THE DOCTRINE OF INTER-TEMPORAL LAW ............................... 79 C. THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING ACQUISITION OF TERRITORY IN THE MIDDLE AND LATE 19TH CENTURY.................................................................................. 81 Section XII. Conclusions................................................................................... 86 CHAPTER VI — THE CONTINUOUS, PEACEFUL AND EFFECTIVE EXERCISE OF STATE AUTHORITY OVER PEDRA BRANCA BY SINGAPORE AND HER PREDECESSORS IN TITLE SINCE 1851..................................................... 89 Section I. Introduction................................................................................... 89 Section II. Since 1851, Singapore has Continuously Exercised State Authority over Pedra Branca................................................ 93 A. SINGAPORE AND HER PREDECESSORS IN TITLE ENACTED LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY RELATING TO PEDRA BRANCA .................................................................. 93 B. THE BRITISH CROWN AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, SINGAPORE MAINTAINED, IMPROVED AND STAFFED THE LIGHTHOUSE AND OTHER FACILITIES ON PEDRA BRANCA .................................................................. 99 C. SINGAPORE’S EXERCISE OF REGULATORY AUTHORITY AND JURISDICTION OVER PERSONNEL STATIONED ON PEDRA BRANCA ............................................. 103 D. THE STATE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SINGAPORE ON PEDRA BRANCA RELATED TO THE ISLAND AS A WHOLE, NOT SIMPLY THE LIGHTHOUSE .......................................................................... 105 1. The Authorities in Singapore Used Pedra Branca as a Meteorological Data Collection Station................... 105 2. The Display of a British Marine Ensign and, after Independence, a Singapore Ensign over Pedra Branca ............................................................................. 107 Page iii MEMORIAL OF SINGAPORE CHAPTER VI (continued) Section II. Since 1851, Singapore has Continuously Exercised State Authority over Pedra Branca (continued) D. THE STATE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SINGAPORE ON PEDRA BRANCA RELATED TO THE ISLAND AS A WHOLE, NOT SIMPLY THE LIGHTHOUSE (CONTINUED) 3. Singapore’s Exclusive Control over Visits to Pedra Branca and her Use of the Island for other Official Purposes .......................................................................... 109 4. Permission Given to Foreign Parties to Operate in the Territorial Waters of Pedra Branca ........................... 113 5. The Conduct of Naval Patrols and Exercises around Pedra Branca by Singapore and the Installation of Military Communications Equipment on Pedra Branca............................................ 114 6. The Investigation by Singapore of Navigational Hazards and Shipwrecks in the Territorial Waters of Pedra Branca............................................................... 118 7. Investigation by the Singapore Coroner’s Court into Accidental Deaths off Pedra Branca........................ 122 8. Proposals by the Port of Singapore Authority to Reclaim Areas Around Pedra Branca ............................. 123 Section III. The Legal Consequences of Singapore’s Long and Peaceful Possession of Pedra Branca in the Maintenance of her Title ............................................................. 124 A. THE CONSTRUCTION AND CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE ON PEDRA BRANCA IS EVIDENCE CONFIRMING SINGAPORE’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE ISLAND .......................................... 125 B. BY EXERCISING STATE AUTHORITY OVER PEDRA BRANCA, SINGAPORE AND HER PREDECESSORS IN TITLE DEMONSTRATED THEIR CONTINUED INTENT TO ACT AS SOVEREIGN........................................................... 127 1. The Exercise