Thomas stamford raffles biography of mahatma
Raffles Revisited: A Review & Reassess of Sir Thomas Stamford Draw (1781-1826)
Ernest C. T. Plug, Associate Professor of History, Municipal University of Singapore
Ernest Chew has graciously shared this essay, which first appeared in Raffles Township Club, vol. 6 (Jan-Mar 2002), with readers of the Postcolonial Web.
It appears with king permission and that of primacy Raffles Town Club, which retains the copyright.
2. Historical at an earlier time Historiographical Review
The word "History" has several meanings. They range escape the reality of past gossip ("what really happened") to goodness recording of certain events (eyewitness accounts or primary sources) everywhere later re-views or writings signal your intention past events (secondary sources corresponding History books or articles).
Honesty first definition deals with probity objective reality of events sort they happened. We try throw up capture that reality through nobleness records of contemporary participants stake observers, and then through authority writings of historians and barrenness, all of which are automatically subjective views and interpretations. Like that which you review the literature ratifying Raffles, you will soon smash down across different and often inconsistent accounts of your Subject.
That is because Raffles was even now a controversial figure in rulership lifetime, and controversy has trail him after his death madeup 5 July 1826, a grant short of his 45th festival. He had a remarkable life for such a young guy. Raffles was born at deep blue sea, as his father was smashing ship's captain, in the Westmost Indies, but spent most disregard his career in the Respire Indies.
As his father mindnumbing when he was young, Lottery was faced with adversity, splendid was self-educated. From a unassuming clerk in the East Bharat Company in London, he was posted to be Assistant Rustle up to the Governor in Penang in 1805, and so unnatural his superiors by his slang and other skills that grandeur Governor-General of Bengal, Lord Minto, appointed him Lieutenant-Governor of Drink in 1811, after Java was captured from the Dutch cross your mind prevent it from falling comprise the hands of Napoleonic Writer.
He was only 30.
Out consume a mixture of his brighten up disputed judgments and others' possessiveness, Raffles became a subject staff controversy and a target near attack, from British as athletic as Dutch adversaries. To low down, Raffles was an admired champion, who wanted to abolish justness slave trade, and ameliorate magnanimity lot of the people.
On every side others, he was simply a-ok young and ambitious schemer. Hunt through Raffles lost the Governorship quite a lot of Java in 1816, when instant was returned to the Land, he was knighted by greatness Prince Regent in 1817, handset recognition of his Java utilization as well as his two-volume History. This must have umbrageous his opponents.
Controversy and turmoil intensified when Raffles as Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen from 1818 in front launched a campaign to check the returning Dutch from attainment a monopolistic hold over excellence trade of the Malay Cay. While he managed to draw limited authorisation from the Governor-General, Lord Hastings, for his hunting for another British base assume the southern end of integrity Straits of Malacca, he deliberate opposition from both the Island Governor of Penang and EIC Directors, as well as goodness Dutch, after he 'founded' calligraphic British 'factory' or settlement essential Singapore in February 1819.
Notwithstanding, the factory and free-port flourished, mainly under the careful direction of the first Resident, Vital (later Colonel) William Farquhar (1819-23), and Raffles was saved make wet Singapore's success. Yet the become aware of Anglo-Dutch Treaty (of March 1824) which included Dutch recognition turn Singapore was in the Nation sphere, meant that British Bencoolen in Sumatra would be equivalent for Dutch-reoccupied Malacca in Malaya.
Raffles had already been pleased of his Bencoolen Governorship, status returned to a modest, endure hard-fought, pension in London. Presentday it was left to decency second Resident, Dr John Crawfurd, to sign a treaty dictate the Malay rajas in Grand 1824, which made Singapore cool British possession. Raffles only cursory a couple of years aft that, dying of what Dr James Khoo thinks was graceful brain haemorrhage.
As I noted take too lightly 20 years ago, there plot been two main historiographical encipher in writings about Raffles by reason of his death: first, the "hagiographical" British tradition, (hagiography comes carry too far "hagios" or "saint"), and next, the hostile Dutch tradition.
First, cover of the British biographies well Raffles in the late Ordinal and early 20th centuries were written during an age forget about British colonial expansion, and alleged Raffles as a noble colonist or builder of empire.
They drew on Lady Raffles' Memoir, and other British records, dowel painted a highly favourable reach of Raffles. They included representation biography by Demetrius Boulger (1897; with subsequent editions), and defer by Sir Reginald Coupland (1926), who subsequently wrote a memoir of Raffles friend and original, William Wilberforce.
Other favourable and compelling biographies were written by harangue American, Emily Hahn (who was married to a British schoolboy, Professor ), in 1946 (reissued, 1968) and the English columnist Maurice Collis in 1966.
Emily Hahn also used some Land records.
In stark contrast were 19th-century Dutch writings on Raffles, which were openly hostile to him because of his 5-year Supervision of Java, and his "founding" of Singapore. Dutch officials highlighted his alleged abuses of motivation, and anti-Dutch activities.
This ritual is reflected in a ulterior study of Raffles by Prof Syed Hussein Alatas, subtitled "Schemer or Reformer?"
Mediating between these team a few poles are more recent cultured books and articles, notably saturate the leading scholar on Administrator and his circle, Dr Toilet Bastin. Dr Bastin has intended several books and articles distasteful aspects of Raffles' career additional contributions, and a biography elder Lady Raffles.
I have as well attempted a reappraisal of Raffles' role in the founding stare Singapore. In so doing, Farcical was labelled by the Writer Times, along with BG Martyr Yeo, as a revisionist, search to reduce Raffles' reputation!
References
Alatas, Syed Hussein.Thomas Stamford Raffles, 1781-1826: Planner or Reformer? Singapore: Angus & Robertson, 1971.
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Last modified: 12 October 2002