In the East.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 32, 24 September 1914, Page 5

In the East.

SIMGAPGnc AMO JAVA.

WHERE MINES ARE CLOSED AND PAPER MONEY USELESS. (Received 10.15 a.m.) Fremantle, September 24. A grave state of affairs exists at Singapore, where all the tin mines are closed, and also at Java, where papmmoney is useless.

Singapore.—An island off the southern extremity of the peninsula of Malacca, belonging to Great Britain, ft if 25 miles long and about 15 miles broid, being separated by a narrow strait-from the mainland. It was ceded by the Sultan of Johore to the East India" Company in 1821. Population 139,208, of whom 2769 are Europeans.

Java.—An island in the Indian Archipelago and the chief seat of the Dutch power in the - East. It is 666 miles long, with a width varying' between - ~56 ~ and ■ -T36 •"■irnlesr-• -The principal articles of export are rice, sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, tin, cotton, yarn and salt. The population is about 21,000.000, of whom 27,000 are Europeans, 190,000 Chinese, and 23,000 Arabs and other foreign Orientals. The first European settlers were the Portuguese in 1511, followed by the Dutch in 1596. In 1811 the island was taken by the British, hut was surrendered to the Dutch at the Peace of Paris in 1814.