A history of Straits Settlements foreign trade 1870-1915
type: CreativeWork
description: The aim of this thesis is to study the growth and changes in the regional distribution and commodity composition of Straits Settlements trade in the period 1870-1915. It endeavours also to analyse the character of this trade and to examine the influences that affected it. The thesis can be divided into five sections: Section 1 (Chapter I) The causes for the founding of Penang and Singapore were to serve as bases in the China trade and as emporia in Southeast Asia. The factors responsible for their success were the freedom of the ports, the freedom of trade and their geographical' location. By 1869 the European powers had gained firm footholds in Southeast while the Chinese came in large numbers. Section 2 (Chapters II, III, and IV) The trade of the Straits Settlements is usually described as entrepot while its commercial policy is free trade. But the entrepot trade is only one, although the most important, component of the total trade of the colony. According to contemporary mercantile opinion the large and persistent import surplus as shown in the published trade returns was proof of their inaccuracy, for it was argued that the colony could not possibly continue to import more than it exported. But by drawing attention to the other components and by distinguishing between the balance of trade accounts, to which merchants were in fact referring, and the balance of payments accounts, which were the pertinent values to be considered, an attempt is made to account for the import surplus. There were five major reasons for trade to be attracted to the Straits Settlements. Firstly, they were free ports, and taxes that were imposed fell on consumption in the colony and not on the entrepot trade. Secondly, there were no restrictions on trade. Thirdly, the geographical advantage, in particular of Singapore, was not impaired by the development of steamship navigation because it was a logical and an excellent coaling station in addition to being the natural site for a Southeas…
abstract: The aim of this thesis is to study the growth and changes in the regional distribution and commodity composition of Straits Settlements trade in the period 1870-1915. It endeavours also to analyse the character of this trade and to examine the influences that affected it. The thesis can be divided into five sections: Section 1 (Chapter I) The causes for the founding of Penang and Singapore were to serve as bases in the China trade and as emporia in Southeast Asia. The factors responsible for their success were the freedom of the ports, the freedom of trade and their geographical' location. By 1869 the European powers had gained firm footholds in Southeast while the Chinese came in large numbers. Section 2 (Chapters II, III, and IV) The trade of the Straits Settlements is usually described as entrepot while its commercial policy is free trade. But the entrepot trade is only one, although the most important, component of the total trade of the colony. According to contemporary mercantile opinion the large and persistent import surplus as shown in the published trade returns was proof of their inaccuracy, for it was argued that the colony could not possibly continue to import more than it exported. But by drawing attention to the other components and by distinguishing between the balance of trade accounts, to which merchants were in fact referring, and the balance of payments accounts, which were the pertinent values to be considered, an attempt is made to account for the import surplus. There were five major reasons for trade to be attracted to the Straits Settlements. Firstly, they were free ports, and taxes that were imposed fell on consumption in the colony and not on the entrepot trade. Secondly, there were no restrictions on trade. Thirdly, the geographical advantage, in particular of Singapore, was not impaired by the development of steamship navigation because it was a logical and an excellent coaling station in addition to being the natural site for a Southeas…
author: Chiang, Hai Ding
language: en
keywords: Straits Settlements 1870-1915, Penang, Singapore, foreign trade
date published: 1963
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:07:16Z
provider: Australian Catholic University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Australian Catholic University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/15623