Raffles relates the success of free trade in Singapore and looks to expand its application: "Singapore which instead of a minor Station has turned out on experiment to be the most important in the Eastern Seas, naturally engages my chief attention - and I am happy to say our Establishment there has succeeded beyond all possibility of calculation - In point of Commercial importance it already rivals Batavia, and its' whole charge scarcely exceeds £10,000 a year, ten times which amount might be collected were I to allow of the Collection of even Moderate duties - but I am so satisfied that all our more Eastern Settlements should be in the strictest sense of the Word free Ports that i will not admit of even the shadow or supposition of a Custom House restriction or duty - The fate of Singapore however now rests with abler heads and no doubt in better hands than mine, and We must trust to the Wisdom foresight and energy of H M. Ministers to retain for us what to the Dutch is of no value but to us is invaluable". He goes on to give a lengthy description of Pulo Nias, off the Sumatran coast, noting its tribal chiefs' intention to abolish slavery. Raffles concludes with his opinions on Sumatra: "I think it will soon appear that when once the resources of Sumatra are disclosed, it will be found a more important and valuable possession than even Java itself - the Dutch unfortunately have the most valuable and fertile Provinces and if we do not very soon change our System we may expect to lose all influence whatever. We are now confined to what may be called the back-Settlements and the only population worth noticing not yet under Dutch sway are the people of Nias, and the Battas a Nation of Cannibals, but respecting whom the European World is as much in the dark as they were regarding the Natives of Nias - I of course do not include Acheen - where we have very good agreements on Paper - but nothing further. Were the Dutch excluded from Sumatra I would undertake in three years that it should more than rival Java and afford provision for not less than 50 to 100,000 Englishmen - but I fear there is no chance of my being put to the test.
