Straits Settlements (1867 – 1946)
- Fast Facts
- History. The Straits Settlements began in 1826 when Malacca and Penang, the two British settlements in Malay Peninsula, joined together with Singapore became the Straits Settlements, under the control of ...
- Stamps. ...
- Banknotes. ...
- Links:
Full Answer
What is the history of Straits Settlements?
See Article History. Straits Settlements, former British crown colony on the Strait of Malacca, comprising four trade centres, Penang, Singapore, Malacca, and Labuan, established or taken over by the British East India Company.
What is a Straits Settlements coin?
Coins from the Straits Settlements. Countries and territories › Malaysia › Straits Settlements Straits Settlements was the name given to a series of British colonial possessions on the Malay Peninsula, with the oldest being Penang, founded in 1786, followed by Singapore in 1819.
When was the capital of the Straits Settlements transferred to Singapore?
1826: Presidency of the Straits Settlements comprising Penang, Malacca and Singapore is inaugurated. 25 May 1830: Straits Settlements is reduced to a residency under the Bengal Presidency. December 1832: Capital of the Straits Settlements is transferred from Penang to Singapore.
What does Straits settings stand for?
The Straits Settlements ( Malay: Negeri-negeri Selat, نݢري٢ سلت; Chinese: 叻嶼呷 / 海峽殖民地; Tamil: நீரிணை தீர்வுகள்) were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.
See more
What is meant by Straits Settlements?
British Dictionary definitions for Straits Settlements Straits Settlements. / (streɪts) / pl n. (formerly) a British crown colony of SE Asia that included Singapore, Penang, Malacca, Labuan, and some smaller islands.
Where is Straits Settlements?
The Straits Settlements was a British colony formed from islands and coastal regions in and around Malaya (now Malaysia). The capital and focal point of the Straits Settlements was the island of Singapore, separated from the southern tip of the Malay peninsula by the Straits of Johore.
What made the Straits Settlement?
The Straits Settlements was formed by the amalgamation of Penang, Malacca and Singapore in 1826 followed by Labuan, which joined in 1906. Christmas Island and the Cocos-Keeling Islands became part of the Straits Settlements after they were incorporated into the settlement of Singapore in 1900 and 1903 respectively.
What are the states in Straits Settlements?
Straits Settlements, former British crown colony on the Strait of Malacca, comprising four trade centres, Penang, Singapore, Malacca, and Labuan, established or taken over by the British East India Company.
What are straits?
A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water. It may be formed by a fracture in an isthmus, a narrow body of land that connects two bodies of water.
Why is Singapore called Straits?
Historically, the name Singapore Strait was applied to a number of maritime routes through the waterway linking the Melaka Strait and the South China Sea.
In what year did the Straits Settlements of which Singapore was a part become a crown colony?
1 April 1867Singapore attains crown colony status - Singapore History. The Straits Settlements, which comprised Singapore, Malacca and Penang, became a crown colony under direct British control on 1 April 1867.
Is Singapore a colony?
The British, on their part, were prepared to gradually increase self-governance for Singapore and Malaya. On 1 April 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved and Singapore became a separate Crown Colony with a civil administration headed by a Governor.
Who was the Governor of the Straits Settlement from 1859 to 1867?
General Sir Orfeur Cavenagh KCSIGeneral Sir Orfeur Cavenagh KCSI (8 October 1820 – 3 July 1891) was the last India-appointed Governor of the Straits Settlements, who governed the Settlements from 1859 to 1867.
When did the British occupied Penang?
The Crown Colony of Penang was a British crown colony from 1946 to 1957. It came under British sovereignty after being ceded by the Sultanate of Kedah in 1786, and had been part of the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1946.
What is Crown Colony rule?
a British colony in which the crown has the entire control of legislation and administration, as distinguished from one having a constitution and representative government.
How did Singapore begin?
The history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became an independent republic on 9 August 1965.
How British get Penang Singapore and Melaka?
From April 1867 the three strategically located port cities of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore came to be ruled directly as the British Crown Colony of the Straits Settlements, having earlier been controlled as one administrative unit by the British East India Company.
When did the British occupied Penang?
The Crown Colony of Penang was a British crown colony from 1946 to 1957. It came under British sovereignty after being ceded by the Sultanate of Kedah in 1786, and had been part of the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1946.
How long was Malaysia under British rule?
Under British hegemony, Malaya was one of the most profitable territories of the Empire, being the world's largest producer of tin and later rubber....British Malaya1826–1957FlagBritish dependencies in Malaya and Singapore, 1888Demonym(s)British, Malayan30 more rows
Who was the British officer who found Singapore?
He is best known mainly for his founding of modern Singapore and the Straits Settlements....Stamford Raffles.The Honourable Sir Stamford Raffles FRSKnown forFounding of modern Singapore25 more rows
What are the straits settlements?
Straits Settlements, former British crown colony on the Strait of Malacca, comprising four trade centres, Penang, Singapore, Malacca, and Labuan, established or taken over by the British East India Company.
Is Singapore a part of Malaysia?
Singapore attained full internal self-government in 1959, became a part of Malaysia in 1963, and became an independent republic in 1965. Labuan was incorporated in North Borneo (later Sabah) in 1946, which in turn became a part of Malaysia in 1963.
What are the Straits Settlements?
The Straits Settlements, comprising Penang, Malacca and Singapore , was an administrative unit of the East India Company (1826–1867) and later the British Colonial Office (1867–1946). It was formed in 1826 as a presidency under the administration of the East India Company in India. The Cocos-Keeling Islands, Christmas Island and Labuan were also briefly part of the Straits Settlements. Following the dissolution of the Straits Settlements in 1946, Singapore (together with the Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Islands) became a crown colony, Penang and Malacca were made part of the Malayan Union, while Labuan was incorporated into the North Borneo crown colony.
Why was the Straits Settlements downgraded?
Just four years into its formation, the Straits Settlements was downgraded to the status of a residency under the Bengal Presidency on 25 May 1830.15 This downgrade was an attempt to reduce the financial strain of running a presidency.
What happened after the Indian Mutiny?
Following the 1857 Indian Mutiny in India, the mercantile community of the Straits Settlements petitioned the Colonial Office to take over the administration of the Settlements.
What are the three territories of Singapore?
The three territories – Singapore, Malacca and Penang – were governed separately, each with its own set of administrative apparatus. The burgeoning operational costs, however, resulted in the EIC uniting the three settlements into one administrative unit – Presidency of the Straits Settlements – in 1826. The seat of government was in Penang.
Where did the East India Company acquire Penang Island?
Origins. Since the late 18th century, the East India Company (EIC) had begun acquiring several territories in the Straits of Malacca in order to consolidate its hold on the India-China and Southeast Asian trades. In 1786, the EIC acquired Penang island from the Sultan of Kedah.1.
What colony was part of the Malayan Union?
Following the dissolution of the Straits Settlements in 1946, Singapore (together with the Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Islands) became a crown colony, Penang and Malacca were made part of the Malayan Union, while Labuan was incorporated into the North Borneo crown colony. Origins.
When did the Indian government control the Straits Settlements?
In 1833, the government of the Straits Settlements was further concentrated in the hands of the Indian government as a result of the 18 33 Charter Act.21 Since then, direct communication between the governors of the Straits Settlements and the EIC board of directors in London ended. Instead, the governors communicated directly with ...
When was the Straits Settlement established?
The Straits Settlements, a British colonial administrative unit comprised of three city ports flourishing along the Strait of Malacca, was established in 1826 and administered from Penang, overseeing Malacca and Singapore. Penang, the first Straits settlement, was ceded to the English East India Company on August 11, 1786, by Sultan Abdullah Mukarram (r. September 23, 1778–September 1, 1797), the ruler of Kedah, who was eager to seek British protection from Siamese and Burmese threats.
Why was the Strait of Malacca important to the British?
For the British, the Strait of Malacca remained the most important sea route for Indian opium and Strait produce, such as pepper and tin, to be shipped to China in exchange for its tea. Fearing a possible monopoly of the burgeoning trade by the Dutch, the British government eventually searched for a staging post for both commercial and military vessels from British India to the Far East. Penang, located at the northern entrance of the Strait of Malacca, was chosen, owing to its strategic position.
When was Singapore a colony?
The mercantile community eventually brought their concerns to the British Parliament, and after long decades of public meetings and petitioning, Singapore was finally made a crown colony on April 1, 1867, and received direct rule from the Colonial Office in London. With the advent of steamships in the mid-1860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore's position as the port of call between Europe and China was further strengthened; it became at once "the Gibraltar and the Constantinople of the East."
Why did the British travel to the Far East?
The efforts to seek a wider market for woolen cloth and other manufactured goods produced by the blooming industries in Europe brought the British government, through the English East India Company, first to India and later to the Malay Archipelago, which was popularly known as the East Indian islands. As a major sea route connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans, the Strait of Malacca was indispensable because of the increasing trade between Europe and China in the eighteenth century. By then, tea had become a social beverage in Europe, and the growing demand for Chinese tea made a free passage to China a central concern of European merchants and governments.
Where were the Straits Settlements located?
The Straits Settlements was a British colony formed from islands and coastal regions in and around Malaya (now Malaysia). The capital and focal point of the Straits Settlements was the island of Singapore, separated from the southern tip of the Malay peninsula by the Straits of Johore.
How much money did the Straits Settlements raise?
In addition to this, £50,000 was raised for the King’s Fund for Disabled Soldiers and Singapore, Penang and Malacca also raised money for the Prince of Wales Relief Fund. Altogether, the Straits Settlements contributed £15,480,690 towards the cost of the war ( CO 276/85 ).
What were the three islands that the Malay colonists settled on?
Moving up through Malaya, the colony included Malacca, a sultanate to the north west of Johore. Further north, the group included the Dindings, an island off the western coast of Malaya which also had jurisdiction over a mainland strip. The last three settlements consisted of the island of Pangkor, situated above the Dindings, Penang, an island lying off the north west of Malaya and the Province of Wellesley, a mainland strip to the east of the island of Penang, by whom it was administered. The Governor of the Straits Settlements was also the High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States.
What did the Singapore Volunteer Force do?
The Singapore Volunteer Force took over many of the duties of the regular garrison, including guarding docks, reservoirs and cable stations, manning the coastal artillery defence and working the searchlights. This allowed the majority of the regular artillerymen to be released for war service. The deployment of the Singapore Volunteer Engineers also allowed many of the Royal Engineers to be posted overseas and the Maxim Gun Company was given the duty of guarding prisoners of war, releasing further regular soldiers.
How much did the Straits Settlements contribute to the British government?
In March 1916 the Straits Settlements Legislative Council voted to contribute a war gift of £400,000 to the British government over and above the statutory contribution. In June 1916 it voted to increase the annual contribution to £200,000 ( CO 275/97 ). From January 1917 an income tax, or war tax, was introduced, which raised £400,000 in 1917, rising to £475,000 in 1918 and £525,000 in 1919.
Who was the governor of the Straits Settlements?
Throughout the war the Governor of the Straits Settlements was Sir Arthur Young, who was based in Singapore. He was assisted in Penang and Malacca by a British Resident Political Officer, who acted as an adviser to the sultans of those regions. Revenues in the Straits Settlements increased annually from 1914 to 1919, with sharp increases in 1916 and 1917, largely due to the demand an increase in the price of rubber.
Did the Straits Settlements increase prosperity?
But this did not necessarily lead to increasing prosperity. The costs of the war, in maintaining volunteer forces and harbour defences at all ports in Singapore and Penang, together with the costs of censorship and holding enemy aliens, all had to be paid for by the Straits Settlements government.
