“The case may not be so applicable to lands suitable for the cultivation of grain or vegetables, which are speedily raised, and require but small outlay, yet even these could not, from their cheapness, realize a profit whenever the land should become chargeable with a rent of ten dollars an acre.
“The periodical leases, renewable after fifteen years, seem to be considered by most as of little value; they afford no security for fixed property in the soil, as a grant on one of these leases is liable to be resumed by government, ‘with all buildings thereon,’ should the leaseholder or his heirs not choose to comply with the terms of the new lease. A permanent lease, on the contrary, establishes the property in the leaseholder’s family, and he is induced, through a certainty of security for the future, to invest and risk more means in endeavouring to render his land productive, than he could prudently do, when the lease is only periodical. But the excessive rate of the present rent acts as a formidable prohibition to many, who would, were the rent reduced, be well disposed to invest property in agricultural speculations on this island.
“The injurious effects of the present system are but too apparent in the neglected and uncultivated condition of that very great portion of the island which is beyond the immediate influence of the town and suburbs, and where deep solitude and wild nature reign paramount. The island of Singapore measures about fifty miles in circumference, we believe; and yet a very small portion of it is under cultivation, owing, in a great degree, to the high rents required for grants of land. The great depreciation of the value of landed property is another palpably injurious effect arising from the present system. We could point out instances where landed property has been sacrificed, at a great loss to the owners, merely for the sake of getting rid of the heavy burden of the quit-rent with which the land is chargeable. One case to the point will exhibit the matter in a still stronger light. We know of a lot of twenty acres, mostly hill, well situated, contiguous to the town, and under cultivation; there is likewise a substantial dwelling-house, in a commanding situation, which, from its original cost, could not be rented under forty dollars a month, at least: this sum, in twelve months, amounts to four hundred and eighty dollars; but the quit-rent, if a permanent lease be taken out, would be two hundred dollars a year, which leaves two hundred and eighty dollars only to pay the interest of the money originally spent on the property, exclusive of other charges. This property is, however, to be disposed of, at a sum amounting to about one-half of what the owner expended in building on it; yet, with such a reduction, and although the ground is so eligibly situated, no purchasers can be found, solely because the prospect of paying two hundred dollars a year quit-rent, deters those who are willing to purchase, while it makes the owner anxious to part with the property at a great sacrifice.
“We believe the local government is fully sensible of the impolicy and ruinous consequences of the present rate of rents; and we understand that the present governor, Mr. Ibbetson, even recommended a reduction, substituting sicca rupees for dollars; but that the Court of Directors would not hear of such a thing, and insisted on a strict observance of all Mr. Fullerton’s regulations, and an adoption of his principles. We need scarcely add, the land-regulations, now under review, were framed by the latter gentleman.
“It seems to us, that this refusal to accede to a most reasonable and wise measure, was dictated more by infatuation than by any other visible cause. Probably the directors imagine this island contains an El Dorado, somewhere in its unknown parts, from which they or their successors in governing will derive, at some future time, incalculable wealth, arising from hidden mines of gold or tin. We wish them success in this prospect; but we can assure them, notwithstanding, they will find hereafter that the best and most valuable treasure is to be obtained by allowing the island to be freely cultivated, under a liberal system of encouragement to those who are inclined to commence agricultural pursuits. If such were adopted, population would soon increase in reality, and with it, private wealth and public revenue; the latter derived, both from an extended cultivation of land, held under very moderate rents, and from an extension of the revenue-farms, which must naturally rise in value with an increase of population.
“The daily and common articles of food, for which we are at present indebted to the neighbouring states and islands, by becoming naturalized, would be much cheaper than at present. To the shipping this would prove a very great advantage, as, at some seasons, the charge for supplying ships is enormous; at all times, indeed, it is much higher than at most other ports in India. The plantations of cloves, nutmegs, pepper, coffee, sugar, and rice, which could then be raised throughout the island with advantage, would moreover render it a far greater acquisition to the British government than it is at present.
“We have hitherto treated this important subject on grounds of justice to the settlement itself, and advantage to the government. We shall now argue by analogy. Our neighbours at Rhio, profiting by the unwise and illiberal system adopted here with regard to lands, have rendered the island of Bintang (which we believe is double the size of Singapore) a very valuable and fertile possession. We have been given to understand that no less than sixty thousand peculs of pepper are annually raised on that island; nearly the whole of which is under cultivation by Chinese. Besides these productions, raw dammer, wood oil, bark, and timber, are obtained. The gambir is mostly exported to Java, and the pepper to this port. From these articles the Rhio government derive a moderate revenue by means of farms.
“Here is an example set by a neighbouring settlement, generally considered inferior to this, which is well worthy of imitation; and if our worthy rulers would only forego their anti-colonization, and anti-improvement notions, even before the present rapid strides of a reforming age compel them to do so, they would do well to cause this island to rival, or rather excel, Bintang in its productions.”[69]