SINGAPORE. [From the Melbourne Argus ]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 742, 11 September 1852, Page 4

SINGAPORE. [From the Melbourne Argus ]

We have files of the Free Press to the 9tb April, 'from winch we make the following extracts : — We hear of wars and rumours of wars on every side. The preparations for war between Tringanu and Pabang, which we formerly noticed, are said to be advancing apace. Actual hostilities are stated to prevail between the countries of Acheen and Dilli. The people of Batu Bara are asserted to be at war with the inhabitants of the interior, and intestinal disturbances prevail in Pfas, some of the principal chiefs being up in arms against each other. Cholera, or a disease similar in its effects, is said to prevail at Salengore at present, and has caused considerable mortality amongst the population. A landslip had taken place in the residency of Banjamas in Java, which buried twenty-four of the inhabitants. A Javaness, in the Kotta Sidayu, in a fit of insanity wounded 20 persons with a sword, of whom four died, and afterwards put an end to his own life by leaping into a well. Labuan. — By the H. C. steamer Pluto, Captain Purbank, we have advices from this Colony to the 24th March. The coal mines are again in full operation, the fire in the^level having at last been got under. The workmen are now occupied day and night in the pit. A railway from the mine to the wharf has been laid down, and the roads from the \evels are also completed. Two thousand tons were ready for shipment, and from the activity which now prevails we may reckon on a much larger quantity of the coal being furnished from the Labuan pits than hitherto. "We have also intelligence of the discovery of a valuable pearl fishery in one of the dependent islets ; the fact that fevers, in a mitigated form, compared with those of previous years, prevailed on the plains ; and the murder of a boat's crew that had gone to the opposite coast.

The Chinese Festival. — 'During the early j part of the week ibe town has been one vast Chinese Temple, with the streets covered in throughout their length and breadth by awnings of calico, while every Chinese house (that is ninetynine out of every hundred) has been decorated and lighted up inside and out, and the front windows thrown open to allow the household gods a full view of the processions that have been incessantly parading the streets. These ceremonies were intended to celebrate the completion of a new Joss House in town, and to welcome the arrival ofan important idol who has hitherto been rusticating in one of the inland districts, but is now to become a permanent town resident. The display was brought to a conclusion on Wednesday night by a grand procession which passed through every street of the Chinese town, so that each house might have the benefit of the good luck which the idol brought in his. train. It was not altogether unlike the Lojd Mayor's processions . which parade the streets of London on the 9th November, but infinitely more picturesque and in better taste. The place of Gog and Magog was supplied by a dragon with an enormous head, and a body nearly equal in length to that of the famous sea-serpent, who incessantly chased a representation of the moon, which he apparently wanted to swallow ; — and instead of men in armour on horseback, the procession wa3 embellished by richly dressed children mounted on ponies, or carried in fancifully decorated cars on men's shoulders. This affair has not been altogether useless, us it has enabled us to form a tolerable estimate of the amount of the Chinese country population, *< hich no census affords, as some of the districts

they occupy on the neighbouring Peninsula have not even been explored by Europeans. On Saturday and SuDday last the JBukit Timah Road presented one continued stream of people pouring in towards the town, and -we think that we do not exaggerate when wo estimate the number of Strangers in Singapore during the week at between 30 and 40 thousand. A report was current on Sunday that the Chinese would attempt a cotip d'ttat, but the authorities showed their appreciation of the rumour by allowing the police peons their truncheons only for keeping the peace, their side-arms being safely deposited at the tannahs. Indeed, the combinations of the Chinese are not aggressive, but rather for mutual protection, precisely as sheep herd together for the same purpose. They are somewhat formidable on their own ground, as at the Kassang tin mines, but seem to be scarcely capable of organizing an attack on a duly constituted community. The rebellions which break out in China every year rarely extend beyond the district in which they originated ; in fact it would appear that the Chinese can people countries, but not conquer them. Died, — On the Ist of March last, from an acute attack of Bengal legislation, the Free Port of Singapore, at the early age of 33 years, deeply regretted by a large and hitherto flourishing community. The deceased was the favourite child of Sir Stamford Raffles, who tended her with such care during her infancy, that she was able to take care of herself at a very early age, and all who witnessed her infant vigour anticipated that she would enjoy a long and prosperous life. But while of tender age the loss of her parent placed ner' under the direct guardianship of the Old Lady of Leadeuhall-street. The Old Lady never liked the child, and snubbed her whenever occasion offered, but it was not until John Bull shut up her tea-shop in Leadenhallstreet, that she resorted to actual violence. The loss of her tea trade had made the Old Lady dependent for support on her children in Asia, and tbe whole family, with the exceptiou of her stepchild, Singapore, contributed largely towards her necessities. It is said that the Old Lady sometimes became quite frantic when she looked over her yearly accounts and saw that Singapore subscribed nothing. At length, more than 16 years ago, the old harridan made an attempt to stifle the child, and would probably have succeeded, had not her outcries aroused John Bull, who sent the Old Lady's keeper, the Board of Control, to see what was the matter. He soon choked her off, and by threatening a strait waistcoat in case she renewed the attempt, kept her qniet until lately., when the Old Lady, having read in the Calcutta journals that mesmerism had a wonderful effect in Asia, told her Chief Steward to go and try it on at Singapore. The Chief Steward went accordingly, was loud in his praises of the child's strength and vigour, and by shaking his hands incessantly in all directions, produced that mesmeric state most favourable to the Old Lady's designs. He then huriied home, and prepared a bolus called Act VI. of 1852 of sufficient strength to destroy the lives of Fifty Free Ports, which was crammed down the child's throat by the Under-Steward while still under the mesmeric influence. As yet the body shows no symptoms of decay, so that many would be inclined to believe that the child was still existing in a comatose state, were it not for the intense activity displayed by one of the Under Steward's deputies, called "Light Dues," who may constantly be seen in a state of nervous excitement, with a spy glass under his arm, despatching attendant myrmidons of uncouth aspect on forays among the shipping, and playing pranks that would never have been attempted had the Free Pott of Singapore been still in existence.