Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE LIBRARY Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries A Brief Life of Sir Stamford Raffles The Founder of Singapore. By R. D. PRINGLE, Y. M. C. A. General Secretary for Malaya. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES. I Preparation. II Gathering Strength. III Test and Triumph. IV The Man behind the Work Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries 4 SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES. Red letter dates in his life. 1781 July 5th Born on board the "Ann" off the island of Jamaica. 1795 Entered the office of the Secretary of the East India Company. 1805 March 8 Appointed Assistant Secretary, Penang. 1805 March 14 Married to Olivia Mariamne Fan- court. 1807 Met Leyden his influential friend. Malay Translator to Government. Promoted Secretary to Government, Penang, at £2000 a year. 1808 Saved Malacca to the British Crown. 1810 June-October With Lord Minto, in Calcutta, planning the attack on Java. (The true axis of his life.) 1811 Sept. 11 Appointed Lieutenant Governor of Java. 1814 June 4 Appointed first Chairman of Java Auxiliary Bible Society. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries 1817 April Issued his History of Java. Knighted by the Prince Regent, in London. 1818 March Arrived Bencoolen, Sumatra, as Lieutenant Governor of Fort Marlborough. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Foreword. T has been truly said that the Story of the Expansion of England is but the Biography of her greater Sons. What impulse was it that drove Englishmen to brave stormy and uncharted seas, to endure hunger, thirst and desolation, to invade the strong¬ holds of cruelty and lust—in the noble words of Scripture to be "in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils by the heathen in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness?" Henley's ringing words supply a large part of the answer: " Ever the faith endures England, my England 1 Take us and break us: we are yours, England my own." High on the golden roll of England's greatest sons shines the name of Thomas Stamford Raffles. He feared God; he honoured the King; he burned Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries with a consuming passion for the increase of England's greatness and for the betterment of humanity. In the hope that its simple pages will increase knowledge of, and inflame reverence for, Raffles and his noble comrades who built the British Empire, on the part of young people in British Malaya, this book is, by request, sent forth. R. D. P. GH1IS Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries i Chapter I. PREPARATION. The tang of the venturer was in Raffles' blood, and the source of it is not far to seek, for was he not born and cradled on his father's ship, off the island of Jamaica (on the fifth day of July 1781), and as a mewling infant rocked to sleep on the heaving bosom of the vast deep? His family was of gentle origin and made its home chiefly in Yorkshire, England. When Stamford made his debut on father Neptune's breast, the family was burdened with neither pelf nor power, so that our hero, after a very modest education, was entered at the tender age of fourteen as a temporary clerk in the Secre¬ tary's office of the East India Company. There he remained for ten years. Raffles, like Napier and the Lawrences of Indian fame, owed much of his indomitable and courageous self-reliance to the fact that very early in life he was thrown into deep waters of the stream of life. Genius loves to mope in solitude: Character prefers to jostle with the crowd. The silver spoon of easy circumstance may just as easily ohoke the boy as feed him. The lad Raffles ate very plain food with a very Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries 12 Sir Stamford Raffles. plain spoon, and like Daniel and his friends, flourished amazingly, and gathered strength to do and dare. In the office young Raffles was a strenuous worker, and his hours of leisure were largely given up to study; while the comfort of his parents was the first charge upon his slender resources. At all times of his career he en¬ deavoured to devote a portion of his day to study or reading, and on one occasion he laid it down as a rule for himself that lie should "appropriate eight hours in each day to study, reading, or writing, and that the loss of time on any day should be made up on another. My object in making this memorandum is that I may hold the rule as inviolable as I can, and by frequently recurring to it revive my sleeping energies, should I at any time be inclined to indolence. I should not, however, omit to add that all reading and study on a Sunday is to be confined to the Bible and religious subjects. The Greek and Hebrew, however, as connected, may nevertheless form a part of the study of that day." He was constantly writing to his mother in such terms as these—"If you have any wants or wishes, tell them to me that I may attend to them; you could not confer on me a greater delight than the power of contributing to your happiness and comfort to the extent of my Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries / Sir Stamford Baffles. 13 means." " God, of His infinite mercy, preserve you, my dearest mother, and grant that we may once more meet in happiness, to part no more. The hope that I may reach England in time to keep up your spirits and give you a new lease of this life, is ever present, and will be my first inducement to turn my steps home¬ ward the moment my public duty admits." Thus, alike by the discipline of intellect and the formation of sterling unselfish character, Raffles was making himself ready for higher and more lucrative employment. It soon came. Early in 1805, when Raffles was twenty-four years 6f age, the East India Company decided to augment its staff in Penang, and on the warm recommendation of the Secretary of the Com¬ pany (Mr. William Ramsay) Raffles was ap¬ pointed Assistant Secretary at the handsome salary of £1,500 a year: (Some increment that from £70). He owed this grand promotion (under God) to his own character, abilities and industry. Having secured a fine position, the saga¬ cious Raffles engaged the assistance of a hand¬ some and gracious lady to enable him to enjoy and fill it to the best advantage. Thus on the 14th of March, 1805, Olivia and Thomas Stam¬ ford were duly declared man and wife by the Rev. A. P. Poston, in the Parish Church of St. George, Bloomsbury, London. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries 14 Sir Stamford Baffles. There was a strong element of romance in Baffles' marriage. In August or September of 1804 a tall, distinguished looking lady, with flashing black Italian eyes, appeared in Baffles' office, in London, to supplicate a grant from the Compassionate Fund, her husband having died in the (Indian) Medical Service of the Com¬ pany. She carried away the sum of twenty-five guineas and the promise of a pension of 1/3 a day. But she carried more—even the heart of Baffles itself! Like Caesar, Olivia came, and saw, and conquered. Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries Chapter II. GATHERING STRENGTH. Raffles (with his bride, and his own eldest sister) in due time arrived in Penang (1805) with the rank of Junior Merchant and the post of Assistant Secretary to Government. He set¬ tled ia a house called "Runnymede," the rent of which was £330 a year, or more than one- fifth of his salary. Captain Travers, who knew him from 1806, says: "It is due to Mr. Raffles to state that he was respected and consulted by every member of the Government. In his offi¬ cial capacity he gave most general satisfaction, whilst the settlers looked up to him for assis¬ tance and advice in every difficulty; and when he afterwards became Chief Secretary the most general satisfaction was evinced throughout the Settlement. Being of a cheerful lively disposi¬ tion, and very fond of society, it was surprising how he was able to entertain so hospitably as he did, and yet labour so much as he was known to do at the time, not only in his official capa¬ city, but in acquiring a general knowledge of the history, government, and local interests of Original from and digitized by National University of Singapore Libraries \ 16 Sir Stamford Raffles. the neighbouring states.