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William Farquhar
William Farquhar (1770-1839) entered the
East India Company’s service as a cadet in 1790.
However he became an ensign in the Madras Engineers in
June 1791 and four years later the Chief-Engineer in the
expeditionary force which took Malacca from the Dutch.
Farquhar took a Malay wife and was known locally as the
Raja of Malacca. He remained in Malacca for the next 27
years and was appointed Resident in 1803.
| In 1818, Malacca was
handed back to the Dutch, in keeping with the
terms of the Treaty of London. Farquhar, with the
intention of returning to Scotland, sailed for
Penang. However when he ran into Raffles, he plan
changed. |
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A letter from Lord Hastings which Raffles had
with him expressed the hope that Farquhar would
be able to assist him in establishing trading
post South of the Malacca Straits and a new
settlement. This eventually led Farquhar to the
becoming of the first Resident and Commandant of
Singapore in 1819. |
| Regarding the
latter’s administration of the new
settlement, several differences subsequently rose
between Raffles and Farquhar. Raffles found that
Farquhar had not followed his instructions
regarding the development of Singapore on his
second visit to Singapore in 1822. |
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Moreover, gaming and cockfighting were permitted,
the sale of opium went unregulated and slaves
were being exchanged not 50 yards from the
Residency. The latter particularly angered
Raffles, who decided that the settlement had
outgrown Farquhar’s ability. However
Farquhar refused to relinquish his position when
Raffles appointed Travers Resident in his place. |
| Farquhar finally
left Singapore in December 1823, and complained
to the E.I.C. Court of Directors about his
treatment by Raffles, whom he accused of
"acts of flagrant injustice and
tyranny". |
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Even though his petition to be the Resident of
Singapore was not entertained, he was compensated
for the loss of his civil appointment by being
promoted to the rank of Major-General. Farquhar
died in retirement at Perth in Scotland 1839. |
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