The next few days saw a flurry of activity on the plain, as the soldiers and sailors prepared the ground for the treaty signing. A Chinese carpenter from the Indiana erected a flagstaff on the beach, and a pavilion was built facing the temenggong’s compound, with its back to the sea. On the evening of Friday, the fifth of February, Lieutenant Crossly sent out a message announcing that the treaty would be signed at one o’clock the next day.
The following morning a red cloth carpet was laid out between the temenggong’s house and the pavilion, which was hung with flags and bunting, as were the refreshment tent and all the ships at sea. Lieutenant Ralfe stood before his shore batteries, while his gunners formed a parade line behind them. They were dressed in their dark blue coats and pants, with high black boots, and dress swords hanging from their belts. The men of the Bombay Marine Regiment, commanded by Captain Maxfield of the Nearchus, formed a ceremonial line from the temenggong’s house to the pavilion. They wore blue-faced and gold-embroidered jackets, with white shirts, belts and cross straps. Their silver buttons flashed in the morning sun, which bore down from an almost cloudless blue sky.
Just before one o’ clock Tengku Long emerged from the temenggong’s lodge dressed in a yellow silk robe. His Malay honour guard, carrying spears hung with red and white pennants and feathers, formed behind him. As his standard bearer opened the yellow umbrella of royalty above his head, three small cannon were fired to announce the approach of the sultan. As the royal party proceeded, a light drizzle began to fall, sending thin rainbows of light dancing among the British officers, who were assembled in full dress uniform at the edges of the pavilion. Tengku Long and the temenggong shared a knowing smile––the rain was an excellent omen.
Raffles came out to greet the two men and seated them behind a long trestle table draped with a British flag. Outside the pavilion a crowd of soldiers and sailors from the ships were assembled; they were soon joined by the followers of the temenggong and the sultan, the orang laut, the Malay fishermen and the Chinese gambier and pepper farmers. The terms of the treaty, which recognized Tengku Long as his Highness Sultan Hussein Mohammed Shah of Johor, Riau and Lingga, were read out in English and Malay. They reiterated the terms of the provisional agreement that Raffles and the temenggong had signed a few days earlier, which granted the East India Company the right to establish and maintain a factory on the island of Singapore. In return, the Company offered the protection of the British flag to the sultan, the temenggong, and their followers, and authorized the previously agreed annual allowances. The treaty prescribed that British authority would regulate the port of Singapore, but that justice would be administered in accord with the laws and customs of the native peoples residing therein. The sultan and temenggong bound their heirs and successors to the terms of the treaty.
The assembled sepoy guard fired three volleys, after which Raffles, the sultan and the temenggong affixed their seals to the two documents. Lieutenant Crossly announced the appointment of Major Farquhar as resident and commander of the troops at Singapore, under the authority of Sir Stamford Raffles, the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen. Raffles presented the sultan with gifts of opium, silk, and arms, then led the pavilion party to the flagstaff, where the British flag was raised for the first time over the new settlement. A loud cheer went up from the assembled soldiers and sailors. The sepoys fired another three volleys, followed by salutes from the shore batteries and the ships out in the harbour.
The party then adjourned to the refreshment tent, where the ships’ cooks had laid out cold dishes, with barrels of beer and bottles of wine. Champagne was served in crystal glasses, and toasts were drunk to the King of England, the Governor-General of India, the Court of Directors of the East India Company, his Highness the Sultan, the temenggong, and Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen.
After the toasts were completed, Captain Pearl and Ronnie stood talking with Lieutenant Ralfe and Francis Bernard, Farquhar’s son-in-law, who told them he had just been appointed acting harbour master.
‘What exactly does a harbour master do?’ Ralfe asked Bernard.
‘Oh, I’ll be recording the arrivals and departures of vessels, and their passengers and cargoes. Making arrangements for wooding, watering, and ballasting ships, and determining the charges for such services. I’ll also function as registrar for imports and exports, and as postmaster for overseas mail.’
‘But no import or export duties, right Francis!’ said Captain Pearl, who was enthusing over the champagne and the prospects for the new settlement.
‘Right you are, Captain Pearl, no duties on imports or exports,’ Bernard assured him.
‘Mark my words, gentlemen,’ Captain Pearl continued. ‘This place will be a gold mine. You should get your hands on as much land as you can when Major Farquhar makes his allocations. Be worth a fortune in a few years when this place takes off.’
‘That’s if the Dutch don’t shut us down first,’ Ralfe replied. ‘We don’t have much to defend ourselves with if they determine to drive us out. Half a dozen men of war and they could blast us off the island in less than an hour.’
‘Not to mention pirates,’ said Francis Bernard. ‘Have you looked further along this beach and the surrounding islands. Skulls all over the place, and some of them not that old, I can tell you. I’ll need to get these cleared away before we can attract merchant ships to this port.’
‘You’re right about them not being that old,’ Ronnie replied. ‘The fisherman and his Chinese wife who live beside the freshwater stream have a rare tale to tell about how they escaped from Illanun pirates only a few years ago.’
‘Well I doubt pirates would risk a landing with our guns on the beach,’ Ralfe responded, ‘although I would not want to depend on the 20th Bengal Infantry. They’re close enough to mutiny as it is. Due to return home before Raffles had them sent down here, although that’s no excuse.’
‘I expect he’s already arranging for more troops and guns,’ said Bernard hopefully.
Turning to Captain Pearl, he continued, ‘I see you’re already ahead of the game.’ He pointed to the shipment of bricks that Pearl had carried down from Penang and unloaded at the eastern mouth of the Singapore River.
‘Indeed I am, Mr Bernard,’ Pearl replied. ‘I expect there will be a lot of building soon, and I expect to make a healthy profit! I’m going to bring back another load as soon as I can, and one day I intend to build myself a house on one of these hills close to the river.’
‘Well let’s drink to our future success,’ Bernard said, and the three men raised their glasses.
Ronnie thought he ought to see about getting hold of some bricks, not to mention timber, tools and utensils, and the multitude of other items that the new settlement would need. It was a risk of course—they all recognized that––but a risk worth taking, for the potential profits boggled the mind. But first of all he would have to go back to Calcutta to pick up his father, although he intended to stay a few days more before he left. He needed to talk to Major Farquhar about securing a choice piece of land along the riverbank––the natural place to locate a godown.
* * *
The festivities ended around four o’clock, when Raffles led Sultan Hussein and the temenggong back to the temenggong’s lodge. Sultan Hussein was in high spirits, and once again offered to massacre the Dutch on the Riau islands. Once again Raffles replied that it was not necessary, and not politic either. Sultan Hussein then announced that he wanted to build a royal istana out on the eastern shore, to accommodate his family and followers, who would soon be joining him. The temenggong promised to begin work on it as soon as possible, and that it would be a palace fit for a sultan.
Raffles thanked both men, and returned to the plain, where the soldiers and sailors were clearing away the tables and dismantling the marquees. He walked down the beach to join Major Farquhar, who was standing looking out to sea, under the great banyan tree at the edge of the freshwater stream that separated the plain from the rest of the eastern beach.
‘The spell is broken, Major! The spell is broken! Here we will build a great commercial emporium that will break the Dutch monopoly and restore British influence through trade. We must make a success of this place; it is our best chance, my good friend. Here we can give the Dutchman a run for his money.’
Raffles deeply regretted the fact that he had to leave for Penang the following day. Hastings had instructed him to depart on a mission to Achin, to discuss the disputed succession there with the Malay princes who were resisting Dutch intrusion. He had only just secured his dream, and now he had to immediately abandon his ‘child’ to the care of Major Farquhar. Although he had chosen Farquhar for the job, he chaffed at having to hand over control.
‘As you know, I have been instructed by Lord Hastings to communicate our interests to the Malay princes in Achin, so I will have to leave tomorrow. As soon as I get to Penang, I will instruct Colonel Bannerman to send down more troops and money as soon as he can. I have already arranged for about four hundred sepoys from Bencoolen to join you in a few weeks time. I just hope they arrive in time, and will be enough to deter the Dutch.’
‘We’ll do our best wi’ what we have,’ Farquhar replied. ‘I’m nae worried about Dutchy.’
‘Well, you should be, Major Farquhar,’ said Raffles, with a smile. ‘I know you and your men will acquit yourselves well, whatever the outcome, but let’s hope diplomacy will win the day without any fighting.’
‘I will stop off again for a short while after I return from Achin, but then I must return to Bencoolen, where my duty lies. But you must keep me up to date with the progress of the settlement. Regular reports, Major Farquhar, regular reports.’
‘As you wish, Sir Stamford,’ Farquhar replied. ‘Regular and I trust positive!’
‘Good man,’ said Raffles. ‘But now I have to get back on board the Indiana. Look after our child while I am gone. We did a great thing today.’
He extended his hand, which Farquhar shook.
‘Aye, a grand thing it was,’ Farquhar reflected.
Raffles looked back over the new settlement at the mouth of the river, the small city of tents and huts with the Union Jack fluttering above, and declared:
‘Well, if this last effort fails, I’ll quit politics and become a philosopher.’
Then he marched off down the beach to the waiting boat.