Vannier has resided upwards of 36 years in Cochin China, and M. Cheignean above 30. They are both Persons of great respectability and intelligence and it gives us pleasure to be told, that they are returning to France with ample Fortunes. M. Cheignean made a short visit to France about four years ago as Consul General of the French nation in Cochin China. Rates of Wages aud profit of Stock in Singapore. These are subjects of great interest and importance in a new Colony, and well intitled to occupy a share of our attention. The bread corn of the great bulk of the inhabitants of Singapore is rice, of which a constant and steady supply is imported from Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, Bali and Java, but above all, from Siam, and Cochin China, that is to say from countries extending from the 7th degree of south Latitude to the 14th degree of North Latitude, and from near the 100dth degree of East Longitude to the 125th, limits affording such variety of Climate as may well be considered to insure us against scarcity from vicissitude of seasons. It need scarcely be observed that as far as the regulations of this Settlement are concerned, the trade of corn is equally free from restraint or impost. The effect of all this is a remarkable steadiness of price, and Singapore tho' scarcely producing a grain of rice itself, is more free from inconvenient fluctuations of Price than almost any place that could well be quoted. The price of ordinary market rice has seldom exceeded 60 Sp. Dols. per Koyan of 40 piculs, nor fallen 45 Sp. Dols. For the price of labor we shall assume the Chinese for our standard. -Among these the wages of a common day labourer are 264 cents of a Sp. Dol. per day or 8 Sp Dols. per Month, and of an ordinary artificer such as a Carpenter or Brick This leaves a balance of Sp. Dols. 190 cents. per month, or a saving of 22 80 Dols. per Annum. -The saving of the Artificer living at the same rate would be no less than Sp. Dols. 60 80 per Annum. The mode and style and living amongst the laboring Classes of the the Chinese is next to be described. Their food universally consists of rice, that is to say, of the highest quality of farinaceous aliment for the country and climate, bearing as it does the same relation to maize, sago, and farinaceous roots that wheat does to oats and potatoes. With rice the labourers eat fish and coarse vegetables, occasionally pork; and of these ingredients makes three hearty meals a day; The Class of artificers live a great deal better, and add to their daily rations as now mentioned, pork tea and apirits. The dress of the labouring class taken at a moderate estimate_consists yearly of 4 loose cotton Jack. ets and 6 pair trowers of the same material at present at Singapore, almost invariably of British manufacture. It may be mentioned that the wages of a good Malay labourer, and among the people at Singapore there are no Artificers beyond boat builders, are about 20 per cent less than these of the Chinese labourers. Their food clothing and lodging are however, proportionably cheaper, the first especially, being inferior both in quantity, consisting often of sago, a cheap and inferior aliment, and seldom or ever of animal food. The subject of the Profits of Stock may be discussed more briefly-Among native traders the or dinary rate of interest upon the security of lands or houses is 36 per cent, upon good personal security 48, and upon indifferent secarity 60 per cent per anum. The above rates quoted by us as simple interest are however payable in se veral degrees of 3 4 and 5, per cent Monthly. Among Europeans we believe the interest of money to be as high as the law permits to be taken viz 12 per cent.-These data will shew what is to be made by the use of money or at least what the borrow ers speculate upon being able to do with it. Houses well situated and built of brick and morter are worth about six year's purchase, or exclusive of repairs, expences and casualties, will afford about 15 per cent. upon the capital laid out.-This calculation is the result of an actual sale which took place on the 10th instant. The Chinese however building with wood and tile in their economical manner with a choice of ground will often obtain from 40 to 50 per cent upon the outlay. With respect to capital laid out in Agriculture, we have shewn on a former occasion, that under favourable circumstances, that is, when laid out in culture of Gambire (Terra Japonica) it is capable of yielding cent per cent annum. per The following may be given as the present price of ordinary articles of consumption. THE PHILLIPpine Islands. We have been lately favored with a new satistical works respecting these valuable and interesting Is lands, compiled in 1818 and 1819 and published at Manilla in 1820, and have now great satisfac tion in laying before our readers an. abstract of its important contents. The work in question comprises tables of population-statement of Revenue, of exports and imports, and Maps and descriptions of each particular province. 1ts execution and publication are extremely creditable to the liberal spirit which distinguished the Government of the cortes. The Phillippines are divided into 31 provinces, sixteen of which are situated in the Islands of Luconia and 15 in the smaller Islands including the Mariannas. The total po pulation is two millions two hundred and forty nine thousand eight hundred and fifty two (2,249,852,) of this number 1376-22 belong to the great Island of Luconia giving about 45 Inhabitants to the square mile; a rate which shews it to be much less populous than Java, which to the best of our recollec tion has more than double this density of inhabitants. The contrast is still stronger with the British provinces in Hindoostan, some of which as will be seen by an ab e and original paper on the subject by Mr Baillie in the Asiatic Researches, have a density of population as 4 567 and even more to one, beyond Luconia. The next most populous Island is Panay which contains 292,760 inhabitants -after which comes Zebu which, contains 108,426 Samar Samar 57922. Leyte 40,623 and Negros do..0 26 35 445. The Spanish Establish ments on the great Island of Minda. .20 10 nao amount to 50,823, and the .... 1 cents. 1able rice per bg. Sp. Dols. 2 50 Salt per ganting 0 8 Fire Wood per 12 catries.... 0 Cocoanut oil per catty 0 7 Fresh fish Pomfret eachcents 10 to 14 Soles do.. 3 to 6 Tingharic do..6 to 28 do..3 to 28 do..4 to 6 do..0 7 do..0 Parang Salt, per catty Green turtle Pork, bazar Beef, Cow Geese each Fowls per doz. 22 80 population of the Marianna Islands is no more than 5349. We have now to glance at the ingredients of this population It is composed of the following parts. European Spaniards,-Creole Spaniards - Spanish Mestizos-Indian Mestizos Mahomedans of Wes tern India-Negroes of the Phillippines converted to Christianity Chinese converted to Christianity, and unconverted Chinese, with natives of all tribes. The Europeans of all descriptions amount to no more than 2837, or to a 793rd part of the whole population, the people of Color to 6170 and the whole Chinese to 6201 of whom 1569 are Christians. The native popula tion consists of a great number of distinct tribes, of which the most considerable are those of Luconia, called Tagala, Parapanga, Pan gasinan, Ylocos and Cagayan. A large proportion of the native In habitants have been converted to the Catholic religion which is the common bond between them and the Spaniards, and the great means by which the latter so deficient in physical strength, have been able to maintain the Government of the Country for so many ages. Upon the whole the inhabitants of the Phillippines are the most bold and energetic of the people of the Asiatic Archipelago. The great bulk of them are of the same brown race, so widely scattered over these Islands but the Phillippines have also a considerable share of the negro race. The population of the Phillippines appears under the Spanish rule to be increasing with considerable rapidity. In 1805 the native Inhabitants as estimated by the census for the poll tax, amounted only to 1,739,205-in 1815 it a mounted only to 1,739,275-in 1818 it amounted to 1,927,840. At this rate according to the table constructed by Mr. Bridge of Cambridge, it would double itself in about 70 years. The doubling pe riod appears much more favorable when estimated by the proportion of Births to Deaths according to the tables of 1818, and is no more than 45 years for the whole Country. In particular provinces it is as low as 48, but in the Town of Manilla and the surrounding Country it rises to 90. By the same tables the following important facts are exhibited. The propor tion of Marriages to the whole po pulation is as 1 to 93-the births as 1 to 27-and the mortality as 1 to 47-the last a result which speaks very favorably of the climate as well as the habits and condition of the people. In the Town of Manilla, however, we find the mortality to be as great as 1 to 27, which is again counterbalanced by several of the provinces where it is as low as 1 in 54 pointing to a degree of salubrity not inferior to some of the finest parts of Europe. The climate of the Phillippines, stretching as they do from the 9th to the 18th degree of North latitude exhibits more variety than the other groupes of Islands which lie within a few degrees of the equator. In general their climate is sufficiently temperate and the only serious draw back against their situation is that the principal part of the groupe comes within the la titudes of Typhoons. The soil has the same character of variety as the climate, being in some situations a primitive formation abounding in the metals, and in others a volcanic one of singular fertility. The happy geographical position of this Archipelago can escape no observer-situated as it is upon the imme. diate coast of China-close to Japan-connected by an unbroken chain with all the islands to the Southward and Westward of it and lying in the direct route between the old and the new world. Agreeably to the account which we have given of the climate and soil of the Phillippines they are found to produce for exportation a wider range of useful products than any of the other Islands. They produce the following the printed list which is now before us-GoldSugar Sapan-wood-Ebony-Rice -Indigo-Coffee-Sulphur-Cotton-Mother of Pearl Shell-Tortoise-shell-Cordage-andmany minor articles such as are afforded by other parts of the Malay Archipelago and which it would be superfluous to enumerate. The trade which is conducted is far however from bearing a just proportion to the capacities of the country. In 1818 the sugar exported amounted only to 4405 piculsthe Sapan wood to 18825-the Sulphur to 3410 pie-and the Indigo to no more than 3400 quintales. The data indeed we are aware are taken from the returns of an ill arranged Custom house, and are admitted by those acquainted with the subject to be greatly under-rated. The whole quantity of Sugar produced indeed from year to year has been reckoned at 153.000 pics and the indigo at 5000 Quintales. In 1818 the Port of Manilla is described in the printed returns as carrying on trade with the following places viz. Acapalco, Kamtschatka, London, Gibraltar-three ports of France-the three British Presidences-four ports of the United States-Batavia-the Isle of France-Borneo--Soola-Cochin China--Macao--Nankin-Chancheo and Emay in China The number of Spanish square rigged vessels which cleared from the Port of Manilla for foreign countries in the same year was nine; the number of Portuguese four of French five-of English Seven teen-and of Americans ten,making in all 45 sail Of foreign Asiatic Vessels there cleared out three Junks of Borneo proper, and of Chinese Junks thirteen! The value of the whole importations is stated at Sp. Drs. 3,054,511, and the exportations only at Sp. Drs. 1,205649, the balance no doubt being made up in Bullion. The 668827 54706 482145 We observe that the Spanish exports are stated at 551464 Sp. Drs. and the imports by Chinese Junks at Sp. 295197. Of this latter trade we may remark that 11 out of the 13 Junks came from the Provinces of Kiangnan and Chokian, a class. of vessels that never frequent these more Western ports. The coasting trade of the Phillippines is carried on in small Brigs and in vessels called Galèras Golètas, Pontines &c. Manilla holds its most extensive coasting trade with the Provinces of Ylacos and Patigasinan in Laconia and with the Islands of Panay and Zebu. In 1818 there cleared out from Manilla of the description of vessels above 'mentioned in all 637. It may here be observed as remarkable that the whole trade of these fertile populous - and long established Countries as now stated is little more than one half of that of the Port of Singapore for the year 1824, as we hope to have it in our power to exhibit it to our Readers in our next number. The revenue of the Phillippines amounts to Sp. Drs. 1,466,610 and made up of such articles as the following a poll tax on the natives of the country commonly called the contribucion amounting to Sp. Drs. 70107 a monopoly of tobacco amounting to Sp. Drs. 357288 a the Chinese capitation tax on amounting to the exorbitant sum of 6 Drs. a head &c. with Custom House duties among which are included a duty on the exportation of bullion. The impolicy and unproductiveness of such a system of taxation will readily occur. There exists no land tax, but in room of it a poll tax comparatively trifling in its amount, as highly unpopular in the Phillippines as capitation taxes have always been in every age and Country. The subjects of the European Govt. of Java amount to about the same number as those of the Spanish Phillippines, and Java can scarcely be said to be either more fertile or more favorably situated than Liconia and its dependant Islands-yet the Revenue of Java for the corresponding period quoted for the Phillippines amounted to very near ten times as much, which shews how much more skilful is the system of taxation established in that Country since it cannot be alleged that it is either more burdensome or more unpopular. Wild Hogs.-On the 5th Inst. three wild hogs took the sea in a most extraordinary way, swimming a great distance out. Some Gentlemen pursued them in boats and succeeded in spearing and bringing a shore two of them, the other escaped, being favored by a heavy shower of rain which prevented the Sportsmen keeping him in view. Singapore Chronicle, 20th Febru ary. The Island of Hai-nan.-The following is a brief account of the Island of Hai nan (correctly Hai-lam or the Western Country) where two BritishShips have lately been wrecked. It lies between the 8th and 20th degrees of North Latitudeis about 165 miles in extreme length, and 75 in extreme breadth. Its surface is composed of high primitive Mountains; sandy plains or savannas intersected here and there by rocky ridges and a few fertile vallies. The Eastern coast is commonly steep and rocky, and to the South is indented by some fine bays, affording ample shelter in the N. East monsoon, but none in the S. Western. The N. Western shore forming the Eastern boundary of the Gulf of Tonquin is on the other hand low, with shoals and sand banks running into the Sea. The soil of Hai-nan according to the report of the late visitors to it is thin and sterile with the excep tion of a few fertile vallies. The Island forms a portion of the Govt. of Canton, the Governor being only a Lieutenant of the viceroy of that Province. Notwithstanding its sterility it is populous, and contains many walled Towns, not less it is said than 14. The vallies wherever there is soil and water enough are cultivated with rice, but the most frequent object of husbandry is the hardy and productive Batata or sweet potatoe, (Con volvulus Batatas) which ap pears to afford the principal means of subsistence to the poor and swarming inhabitants, so that it would appear, that Ireland is not the only great Island in the World with what has been emphatically called a patatoe population. The Chinese of Hai-nan although assimilated in manners, habits, and appearance with the other inhabitants of the Chinese Empire, speak a distinct language from that of the Continental portion of the province of Canton, and appear to have been a distant race gradually sub dued in the progress of conquest and civilization. Of the primitive unmixed inhabitants a very considerable number are still said to exist in the mountains unsubdued and untamed. The recent British visitors found the manners and dispositions of the Inhabitants extremely inoffensive. During their residence they made frequent excursions of 50 and 60 miles into the interior of the Island without encountering any obstruction whatever, and indeed without annoyance, save what, was occasioned by a little inordinate curiosity. The circumstances which most forcibly attracted the attention of our Countrymen, were, the sandy barrenness of the soil-the poverty of the peasantry→the timi |