Who was Raffles?
Sir Stamford Raffles, in full Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, (born July 6, 1781, at sea, off Port Morant, Jam. —died July 5, 1826, London, Eng.), British East Indian administrator and founder of the port city of Singapore (1819), who was largely responsible for the creation of Britain’s Far Eastern empire.
What is Raffles famous for?
Easily the most famous hotel in Singapore, no other establishment epitomises the island’s colonial history better than Raffles Hotel Singapore. Named after Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, the hotel was built by the Sarkies Brothers, responsible for other luxury hotels in the region during the colonial era.
What were raffles contributions to Singapore?
Raffles instituted the administration of justice to ensure peace and order in the thriving settlement. He founded the Resident Court, appointed magistrates, and implemented trial by jury. In addition, he instituted the abolishment of activities such as public gambling, slavery and cock-fighting.
How Raffles was founded in Singapore?
Raffles, then the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) in Sumatra, landed in Singapore on 29 January 1819. Recognising the immense potential of the swamp-covered island, he helped negotiate a treaty with the local rulers and established Singapore as a trading station.
Why did the British chose Singapore as a port?
The harbor, being closer to the island itself would make it easier for the British to defend the harbor from pirates, making it safer. The geographic properties of Singapore, therefore allowed it to be chosen as the place where a port would be set-up.
Why is Singapore port so successful?
The Port of Singapore holds the title of world’s busiest container port because it handles the largest amount of total shipping tonnage. Singapore’s strategic location has also helped in making it such a giant in the shipping industry. 20% of the world’s transshipment trade passes through the Port of Singapore.
Is Singapore still a free port today?
“The Port of Singapore is a free port, and the trade thereof is open to ships and vessels of every nation, equally and alike to all.” “Singapore commands a strategic position as a maritime hub in the regional and global arena,” says head of Baltic Exchange Asia Lu Su Ling.
Why did Singapore decline as a trading port?
Temasek, the name for Singapore, emerged as an important port in the early 14th century. By the end of the 14th century, however, Temasek had declined as a trading port. This was because the rise of the Ming dynasty caused trade to slow down, as China discouraged overseas trade through private merchants.
Does China own the Port of Singapore?
Today, the agreement is transferred from the Port of Singapore Authority to China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited,” President Asif Ali Zardari announced. China paid about 75% of the initial $250 million used to build the port but in 2007 PSA International won a 40-year operating lease.
Why is Singapore called port of call?
Singapore is known as the port of call because it is on the main sea route where ships use to anchor for refuelling, watering, and taking food items. Singapore borders the Straits of Malacca, Riau Islands and the South China Sea. There are four official languages of Singapore: English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil.
Which is the biggest ship that was deployed in Singapore?
To date, MSC Isabella is the biggest container ship to call at Singapore, the world’s top transshipment hub. Measuring around 400 metres long and 61 metres wide, the ship can carry up to 24 rows of containers, with a height of 13 tiers on deck. Its total capacity is 23,656 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).
What is the capital of Singapore?
Singapore, city, capital of the Republic of Singapore. It occupies the southern part of Singapore Island.
Is Singapore bigger than New York City?
New York is approximately 122,283 sq km, while Singapore is approximately 719 sq km, making Singapore 0.59% the size of New York. Meanwhile, the population of New York is ~19.4 million people (13.2 million fewer people live in Singapore).