Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia/Series 1/Volume 1/Annual Remittances by Chinese Immigrants to their Families in China
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ANNUAL REMITTANCES BY CHINESE IMMIGRANTS IN SINGAPORE TO THEIR FAMILIES IN CHINA.
The attachment of the Chinese to their parents and families is one of the most interesting features of their character, and if is interesting to watch the modes in which it developes itself amongst those who have emigrated to the Archipelago, and remain for many years, and often for life, cut off from all direct intercourse with their homes.
During the past month, some of the Streets in the business quarter of Singapore were occasionally densely crowded by Chinese. These were principally coolies from the Gambier and Pepper plantations, who bad come into town for the purpose of sending their annual letters and remittances to their families in China by the Junks which were leaving on their return voyage, These letters and monies are either entrusted to a comrade from the same part of China, who, fortunate enough to have accumulated a small competency, is about to revisit his native land; or they ave delivered to a passenger with whom the remitter may be acquainted; or, lastly, they are confided to one of those men, to be found in almost every Junk, who make it a regular business to take charge of such remittances. Such persons are designated Seu Pé Ké, and come from all the different places of any importance from which emigrants are in the habit of repairing to the Straits. The remitter entrusts his money to the agent from his own part of the country, who for his trouble, either receives a commission of 10 per cent., if the money is to be carried in specie, or is allowed to invest if in goods, the profit or loss on which is his, as he must pay over in China the exact sum that has been delivered to him. These persons frequently for years exclusively pursue this business: not the least remarkable of the thousand-and-one modes by which the ingenuity of the Chinese in making money developes itself: until they have realized sufficient to enable them to embark in more extensive pursuits.
Remittances are made by all classes of the immigrants. While the merchant sends his hundreds of dollars, the poor coolie sends his units or tens. The amount remitted each year varies considerably, being dependent on many circumstances, such as the general state of trade, or the particular fortune of individsals. In some years the aggregate amount reaches as high perhaps as 70,000 Spanish dollars, while in other years it may fall as low as 30 or 40,000 dollars. In the season which has just ended, the remittances were very small in amount, owing, in the case of the merchants and traders, to the unprofitable state of trade for some time past, and, in the case of the agricultural coolies, to the inadequate price which gambier has for many months commanded, and which has seriously affected their wages, the amount of which is dependent on the price of the product.
Many of these coolies, being unable to write, are obliged fo have recourse either to an acquaintance: if they are so fortunate as to possess one haying a tincture of letters: or to one of the public letter-writers whose stalls, like these of similar professors in many cities of Continental Europe, are to be found in the streets, with their owners ready to be the instruments of communication for those who cannot write themselves. The Chinese letter-writer's stall is a very simple affair; consisting in general of a small rude table, a little bundle of paper, a brush, some China ink, and a stool on which the operator sits.[1] These stalls are usually placed at the side of the street, and sometimes in the public verandahs ; while, in the outskirts of the town, they may be found established under trees, or in the shadow of walls. The person who wishes to send the letter stands or squats himself upon his hams beside the writer, and states what be wants fo have written, and the letter being finished is delivered to him, while he rewards the writer with 3 to 6 cents, according to circumstances. On the occasion of the departure of two or three large Junks, not only are the whole of the professed letter-writers in full operation, but many coolies take up the trade for the time being, and assist in supplying the large demand, so that sometimes in passing along the streets in the morning, we may count as many as from forty to fifty stalls, These occasional letter-writers do not expend much on their outfit. An old packing case, or a deal board frequently supplies a table sufficient for their purpose.
- ↑ A Chinese has furnished us with a rude sketch of one of these stalls drawn and lithographed by himself, which, although without a rustical pretensions, and sboanding in the usual defects of the Chinese pencil, is sufciently faithful and characteristic. As example will much better convey a correct idea of the state of art amongst the people around us, than mere description, we shall allow them, to a certain extent, to be their own illustrators. From the same desire to exhibit our Eastern fellow-townsmen as they really are, to our readers in England, we shall, occasionally, in giving specimens of their books, introduce facsimiles of the figures with which they are embellished. Rude as the productions of native art generally are, and particularly reckless of perspective and proportion, we are often surprised by the fidelity and vigour with which the character of the subject has been caught, and by a broad drollery or even humour which we should still less have expected.