Technology and Entrepot Colonialism in Singapore, 1819-1940

How did imported technology contribute to the development of the colony of Singapore? Who were the main agents of change in this process? Was there extensive transfer and diffusion of Western science and technology into the port-city? How did the people respond to change? Examining areas such as shipping, port development, telegraphs and wireless, urban water supply and sewage disposal, economic botany, electrification, food production and retailing, science and technical education, and health, this book documents the role of technology and, to a smaller extent, science, in the transformation of colonial Singapore before 1940. In doing so, this book hopes to provide a new dimension to the historiography of Singapore from a "science, technology and society" perspective. "The connections between technology and colonialism is an important aspect of modern history. Singapore is a special case, as it was developed as a port, entrepot, and naval base serving the British Empire in Asia. Professor Goh's work on the role of technology in the development of Singapore promises to be a valuable contribution to the field of colonial technology studies." - Professor Daniel Headrick, Professor Emeritus of Social Science and History, Roosevelt University "A remarkable and eminently readable analysis of the historical forces that have contributed to the development of contemporary Singapore. While there are many existing studies of various aspects of science and technology in contemporary Singapore, this to my knowledge is the first comprehensive narrative that incorporates a historical dimension which is crucial for a deep understanding of the present condition. This analytically rigorous book is a major contribution to a deeper understanding of Singapore." - Professor Zaheer Baber, University of Toronto, author of The Science of Empire