SINGAPORE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 281, 29 June 1860, Page 3

SINGAPORE.

The Chinese pirates have commenced their operations this season in the gulf of Siam, and have already taken several junks. One belonging to Singapore is said to have been plundered of property to the value of 18,000 dollars. The leader of the pirates; it is reported, is a former rebel admiral; who, after having been defeated by the imperialists at Amoy, found a temporary refuge at Singapore, with part of his fleet The field of operations at present is off the coasts of Camboja and 'Cochin China.. H.M. steamer Pearl was despatched by the senior naval officer on the 14th instant, to beat up the quarters of these sea robbers. They are said to have a large junk which serves as a kind of receiving ship, while several smaller vessels collect the prey in different directions.— ? Singapore Free Press. • \, The telegraphic communication between Singapore and Batavia is still suspended, but it/has been ascertained that the cable had been damaged in two places. On the cable being examined, it was found that it.had been damaged close to Batavia; and as it was in Very shallow water, it is almost certain that the mischief was' wilful, and resulted from an attempt to cut it, in order to appropriate a part of the wire and gutta percha. This break has been repaired. The other was probably per casioaed by a ship's anchor. Mr. Groll, the Chief Engineer of the electric telegraph, had proceeded in a steamer to the spot, and he would lay the cable in shallower water, so as to- avoid as much as possible, a similar accident in future.— lbid. Gold has been discovered in the bed of a small stream on the mainland in the vicinity of Pulo Saya. Some Achinese discovered a deposit of ingots, several catties in weight. Klings are now at work for Tunku Kudin, and we heard last week that they had got as much as eight or nine dollars' weight of the precious gvaim.—Penang Gazette. The steamers with transports are. pouring daily in from Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, and thanks to the admirable arrangements of the senior naval officer on the station. Sir Robert M'Glure, C.8., their despatch to China is rapid, so that by the end of the current:month the entire force will be available for service at Pekin or elsewhere.— / Straits Times. •'•.'.'■, ,: ■.■■•'.j.. ....-.. ,■,... .• -..- ■■.7 ■

"■■ThJe'Sba Serpent Again.—The large sea serpent which swam past th^ Krishna, off the coast of Sumatra, appears' to have caused no little excitement on, board. The surveying vessel was moored in eight fathoms water, and abput .8 miles from land; in lot.; 4: deg.';l4 mm. N., -and lorn 98 deg 20 mm. E.'^ few seconds before "it was observed a sharp stiock was experienced on board, described as elefctric. The snake passed close to the sljip. The. head was hideous, and the body, judging from several parts of it that were seen above watery was about the; thickness of a por poise Various estimates were made of; the length, fro $00 feet downwards. Sixty,: being the to west, was entered in-the' log. ; Large snakes have been previously seen in that quarter. They' must be unpleasant; •neighbors wfen encountered ,by _open boats..— -Penang Gazette..