SINGAPORE is a British settlement in the East Indies, situated on the southern extremity of the Malay peninsula. It consists of the island of Singapore, and about 50 islets dispersed south and east from it iu the Straits of Singapore. The territories of this settlement embrace a circumference of about 100 miles, including the seas and straits within 10 miles of the coast of the island of Singapore, and they lie between I° 8' and 1° 32' N. lat., 103° 30' and 10' E. long.
The island of Singapore has an elliptical form, and is about 25 miles in its greatest length from cast to west, and 15 miles in its greatest width. The area is estimated at about 275 square miles. The island is divided from the continent of Asia by a long and narrow strait called Salat Tabrao, or the Old Strait of Singapore. This strait is nearly 40 miles long, and varies in width between 2 miles and a quarter of a mile. This strait was formerly navigated by vessels bound for the China seas; but the Strait of Singapore is now pre ferred. The Strait of Singapore is the high road between the eastern and western portions of maritime Asia.
The surface of the island is gently undulating, here and there rising into low rounded hills of inconsiderable elevation. The higher ground rises in general not more than 100 feet above the sea; the highest hill, called Bukit Time, which is north-west of the town, does not attain 200 feet. The shores of the island are mostly low, and surrounded by mangrove-trees. In several places the coast is indented by salt creeks, which sometimes penetrate into the laud from three to six miles. When the island was first occupied by the British it was entirely—and is still for the greater part—covered with a forest com posed of different kinds of trees, five or six of which are well adapted for every purpose in house-building. The water of the rivulets is almost always of a black colour, disagreeable taste, and peculiar odour, properties which it appears to derive from the peculiar nature of the superficial soil over which the streams flow. The water drawn from wells which are sunk lower than the sandy base is less sensibly marked by these disagreeable qualities. The southern and western
division of the island consists of laterite resting on sandstone. Granite appears in. the north and east. Iron-ore is abundant ; but tin, so plentiful on the neighbouring continent, has not been found in the island.
The climate of Singapore is hot, but equable, the seasons varying very little. The atmosphere throughout the year is serene. The tempests of the China Sea sometimes occasion a considerable swell in the sea, and a similar but less remarkable effect is produced by a tem pest in the Bay of Bengal. The effects of these remote tempests are particularly remarkable in the irregularity of the tides, which at times run in one direction for several days successively, and with great rapidity. The regular and periodical influence of the monsoons is slightly felt, the winds partaking more of the nature of laud and sea breezes. To these circumstances must be attributed the great uniformity of the temperature, the frequent fall of showers, and the absence of a periodical rainy season. The greatest quantity of rain falls in December and January, and the smallest in April and May. These frequent rains keep the island in a state of perpetual verdure. The thermometer ranges during the year between 72° and 88°. The mean annual temperature is Fahr. The daily range of the ther mometer never exceeds 10 degrees. The climate of Singapore is remarkably healthy, owing to the free ventilation that prevails, and to the almost entire absence of chilling land-winds.
Singapore is not rich in agricultural productions. Considerable tracts near the town have been cleared by the Chinese, who have suc ceeded in cultivating different kinds of fruits and vegetables, rice, sugar, cotton, and especially pepper and the betelvine (Piper Samara, the capital of the government, is situated on the left bank of the Volga and the right bank of the Samara River. It contains about 11,000 inhabitants, who carry ou a considerable trade in cattle, sheep, salt-fish, caviar, skins, leather, and tallow.