1837 Moor 'Notices of the Indian Archipelago' with Maps: Coleman's Singapore, Penang, etc.

A rare example of John Henry Moor's 1837 Notices of the Indian Archipelago, containing within the most important early map of Singapore, as well as otherwise lost reprints of important articles from the Singapore Chronicle, and additional maps of Penang, Singapore Strait, the East Indian Archipelago, Malacca, and Borneo. Moor's work is considered one of the most significant records of early Singapore and one of the first books published in Singapore.

The Map of Singapore

The highlight of the work is J. B. Tassin and George Drumgoole Coleman's spectacular Map of the Town and Environs of Singapore (1 : 11000; 19.5 x 24.75 in). Oriented roughly to the northeast, this is the most significant map of Singapore of the 19th century, being instrumental in the early establishment of streets and sub-communities, as well as subsequent urbanization. In quality and scope, it surpasses all previous and subsequent plans until the 1881 Survey Department map. Although not published until 1836, due to the need to engrave and print in Calcutta, the map reflects Coleman's surveys of 1829.

Unlike the sole earlier map of Singapore, the 1822 Jackson Plan, Coleman's map reflects a comprehensive on-the-ground survey, offering expansive coverage with granular physical detail as regards terrain, land use, roads, rivers, jungle, mangrove swamps, cleared land for sugar and cotton plantations, gambir plantations, pepper plantations, Chinese vegetable farms, sireh gardens, rice fields, brick kilns, and more. It notes lands reserved for Hussein Mohamed Shah (1776 - 1835), Sultan of Johore.

Of note, the map details the Bugis Village on the shores of the Rochor and Kellang Rivers. The Bugis were a trading people originally from Sulawesi, who relocated to Singapore after falling afoul of Dutch traders in Riau (where they had established a community in exile). They were a significant influence on Singapore's early growth as a trading center, but gradually dwindled in the later 19th century.

The further map details many of the most important buildings in early Singapore, several of which were designed by Coleman himself. These include the Singapore Institute (Raffles Institute), the English Church, the Armenian Church, the fortifications at the Battery and Government Hill. Also of note, is Presentment Bridge, the first to cross the Singapore River, built in 1823 and demolished in 1844.

It may be of note that Coleman and Moor knew each other well. Not only did they live and work in the same circles within Singapore Society, but Coleman was the Director of Public Works who built the Singapore Institute, where Moor served as headmaster.

The Singapore Straits Map

The second map of interest is Tassin's chart of Singapore Strait, a general reduction of the Daniel Ross chart of 1830, based on hydrographic work completed in 1827. Ross (1780 - 1849) was serving at the time as the Hydrographer of the East India Company. Singapore is located just north of center, with coverage embracing from Great Carimon to Bintang, and from the Johore River to Pulo Gallang. There are depth soundings throughout, in fathoms, as well as several profile views. Ross's chart was included to underscore's Singapore's ideal situation as a gateway from the Indian Ocean to the China Sea.

Penang Island Map

Another map of great interest details Penang Island, then known as Prince of Wales Island, its capital at Georgetown, and the adjacent province of Wellesley. Georgetown was founded on Pulo Penang (Penang Island), off the coast of Kedah, in the Malay peninsula by Francis Light (c. 1740 - 1794) in 1786. Light's mission was to establish trade relations with the Malay Peninsula. He befriended the Sultan of Kedah, who was at the time under threat from both Siam and Burma, as well as fending off an internal revolt. Believing the British to be more reliable allies, the sultan leased Penang Island to the British East India Company as trading center and Royal Navy Base. Light began building fortifications and a port. The colony was immediately prosperous and by 1792 had a population of 10,000, with some 3,500 ships arriving annually. As a stable free port, Georgetown became the center of the Southeast Asia spice trade. In 1826, it was made the capital of the Strains Settlements. Penang's significance as a center of finance lost momentum as trade shifted to the larger and better situated colony of Singapore. In 1832, governance of the Straits Settlements shifted fully to Singapore. 

Other Maps

Additional maps contained within include a general map of the East Indies (good condition), a map of the Coti River in Borneo (good condition), and a map of Malacca Territory (complete but in rough condition). All were engraved and printed by Tassin.

The Book

The book, Notices of the Indian Archipelago, and Adjacent Countries is nearly as significant as the maps it contains. It is one of the earliest books printed in Singapore. It was published by John Henry Moor, a Singapore newspaperman and editor of the Singapore Chronicle, as well as other papers. The work contains multiple articles extracted from the 1824 - 1834 issues of the Singapore Chronicle, as well as additional notes and commentary on the history of Singapore, the Philippines, Siam, Borneo, Guam, Bali, and other surrounding areas. The newspaper excerpts from the Singapore Chronicle are especially significant, as there are no known surviving copies of the that work for the years 1824 - 1826.

As many have noted, this work was a labor of social responsibility on Moor's part. He was keenly aware that his newspapers were chronicling the earliest days of Singapore's rise as major center of maritime commerce and feared, rightly, that the precious early records would be lost. The book, although easily compiled, took two years to be published due to delays in printing the maps, lack of paper, and lack of sufficient presses.

The maps, in particular, were a daunting challenge - both in terms of costs and resources. With no talented cartographic engravers then in Singapore, a lack of large lithographic presses, and limited access to paper, engraving and printing of the maps had to be outsourced to Jean-Baptiste Tassin in Calcutta. Tassin, perhaps the most active publisher in British India, was the only printer within several thousand miles capable of completing the project to Moor's high standards.

The work was moreover financially disastrous for Moor. Sales of the Notices at 5-6 Spanish Dollars per copy did not meet expectations and failed to cover production costs. Although the prospectus called for a second volume, no such work appeared, perhaps due to Moor's death in 1843, but more likely due to his unwillingness to take a second loss on the project.

Dedication

The book features a roughly contemporaneous dedication inscribed 'To J. F. W. Van Nes'. This is likely Johan Frederik Walraven van Nes, a Dutch civil servant in the East Indies form one J. B. Holland, Feb. 10th 1839.

Publication History and Census

This work was compiled by John Henry Moor and contained both reissues of Singapore Cornicle articles and original work. It was published in Singapore and printed by the Mission Press. The maps were engraved and printed in Calcutta, India, by J. B. Tassin's Oriental Lithographic Press. The work is extremely rare, especially commercially. We see several examples in the OCLC, including at the University of Pennsylvania, U.S. Berkeley, and Kings College. We are aware of an additional example at the National Library of Singapore, and two in private collections.