the town of singapore, on the islands of the same name, stands on a point of land near the western part of a bay, and is easily distinguished by there being just behind it, a pleasant looking hill, that is partly cleared of trees. between the point on which the town is situated, and the western one of the bay, there is a creek, in which the native vessels anchor close to the town, and it may be found useful to european vessels of easy draught to repair in. on the eastern side of the bay, opposite to the tower, there is a deep inlet lined by mangroves, which would also be a good anchorage for native boats; and about north from the low sandy point of the bay, there is a village inhabited by fishermen, a short way to the eastward of which, is a passage through the mangroves, leading to a fresh water river...
The coast to the eastward of the town, is one continued sandy beach; and half a mile to the eastern point of the bay, or two miles and a half from the town, there is a point where the depth of water is six or seven fathoms, at three of four hundred yards from the shore; and at six hundred yard a small bank with about three fathoms at low water; the point offers a favorable position for batteries to defend ships that may in time of war anchor near to it.
fresh water is to be had at several places in the vicinity of the town, and there are some small rivers along the coast to the eastward, where the water appears red.
....7 February 1819
The coast to the eastward of the town, is one continued sandy beach; and half a mile to the eastern point of the bay, or two miles and a half from the town, there is a point where the depth of water is six or seven fathoms, at three of four hundred yards from the shore; and at six hundred yard a small bank with about three fathoms at low water; the point offers a favorable position for batteries to defend ships that may in time of war anchor near to it.
fresh water is to be had at several places in the vicinity of the town, and there are some small rivers along the coast to the eastward, where the water appears red.
....7 February 1819
2 comments:
it's 25.y+x for most of us guys... Our knowledge or history of Singapore is limited to our years of living here and caring to know about it plus the x is how far we bother to search beyond the 25.y years.
Even to extended to 1819, it is no way more meaningful than 1965 in my opinion.
1965 is a date chosen as it is beneficial in certain socio-political-cultural terms. It is more socio-political-cultural than historical. It is a celebration of the socio-political-cultural than a celebration of the land. (and who is to deny it is as old as earth itself)..
Well to Zihao (it is undisputable that Spore is not as old as the Earth..)why is it that we choose a physical form, a pt in time to crystallize as THE POINT? Cos it is to reflect some kind of meaning in itself. It will be meaningless to prove that Singapore is as old as the earth..considering the lava that form spore etc etc.
But the qualifying pt is that more often than not, this decision to place THE POINT is more often not in the hands of all people.
For some weirdo mum and dad wld consider the night they had sex as yr 'birthday' but it is when u are seen, it overtakes to become a more relevant POINT.
We should not care to decide whether it will be relevant/ meaningful for all people. The relevance is decided by people themselves.
1819, is more meaningful, is not to be confused with the coincidence we got colonialised.
it marks the period singapore has its first recognised humanist literary history that we could relate towards.
prior to that singapore exists as a cheapskate bargaining vassal state, a pirate hideout, a geographical stop point on naval maps.
i guess that is my more meaningful POINT.
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