The Story of Singapore Mario Teng

We will see each other again on 2 May.

Communication breakdowns and compatibility issues led to a straining of relations between Farquhar and Raffles.

Building the settlement from the ground up was not easy. There were many pressing areas of administration that demanded Farquhar's attention before Singapore could take flight. 

Singapore's survival was tenuous and hinged on its infancy years. As tensions between the British and Dutch approached boiling point, Farquhar had to figure out how to deliver results under tough constraints from the get-go.

In 1819, an ambitious British statesman risked open war with the Dutch and exploited turmoil in native politics to establish modern Singapore.

European powers travelled great lengths to satiate their ravenous appetite for spices and wrestled one another as they carved Southeast Asia up for their pound of flesh.