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| Frontage of Sultan Shoal |
Sultan Shoal is one of the smaller islands of Singapore. (1) Standing on the island is a lighthouse that was built in 1895, a chalet for Maritime Port of Authority staff, and a swimming lagoon. One of the first mention of Sultan Shoal was in the newspaper in 1863. It was about a steamer Behar that was captained by Captain Dundas. The steamer was suppose to be anchored off Sultan Shoal but the captain chose to proceed to the harbour so that there were more time to "transact business". (2) There was a by-mention of the Shoal in the newspapers in 1852. (22)
The Sultan Shoal was a dangerous area for ship as they were still running aground. One example was seen in 1869 where a British government steam launch Mata Mata sustained damage as it ran aground. (3) This was even after the government had erected a stone beacon in 1865 prior to the building of the lighthouse. (4) (5)
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| Source: Google Maps |
With the ongoing reclamation, the Sultan Shoal is now pretty much enclosed in an area between Tuas and Jurong Island.
Here're ten interesting facts about the Sultan Shoal
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| Singapore stamp of 1982. Source: Lighthouse stamp society. (17) |
1. The granite stones used to build the lighthouse actually came from the quarries of Pulau Ubin. (6)
2. In 1928, Sultan Shoal was used as a drop-zone for opium smugglers. Two buoys were thrown overboard with each attached with a bundle of opium (Chandu). Three Chinese men were arrested and charged with the "importation of non-government chandu"(Yes, opium was legally grown in Singapore) (7)
3. The light keeper used to keep "two loaded rifles, with fixed bayonets, and three swords" for keeping away pirates. (8)
4. By 1939, the British government had started to place mines in the waters around Singapore. A warning was post in the newspapers warning mariners of "dangerous obstructions" being laid from Tanjong Piai to the Sultan Shoal. (9) During the early days of the Japanese Occupation in 1942, everything movable on Sultan Shoal were taken away. But prior to this loot, the lighthouse keeper was alert enough to hide all the vital lighthouse equipment away in hard-to-find places such as water tanks and secret storages. (10) Interestingly, most of the lighthouse keepers during this time were Eurasian and during the Japanese Occupation, the Sultan Shoal Lighthouse was taken cared of by Matthew Cunico. (11) Mr Cunico received the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct "in services rendered towards effecting the escape of Brig. A.E. Cumming V.C. (Brigadier Arthur Edward Cumming) and eleven other officers in February 1942". (21)
5. Workers at the lighthouse generally do not have contact with the outside world. Not until the installation of the first talkie sets. (12) It was only in 1963 that the lighthouse keepers were provided with television sets. (14)
6. The British Troopship - "Empress of Asia" sunk after she was bombed by the Japanese in January 1942. It was located 1/2 a mile East from Sultan Shoal. (13) She was finally salvaged in 1960. (16)
7. Indonesian gunboats had been attacking sampans and other boats just off the waters of Sultan Shoal. Some of these attacks left a number of mariners injured. (15)
8. Drama around the Sultan Shoal prior to the fall of Singapore in 1942. The 30,000 ton troopship HMS Empress of Asia, bringing 2,000 troops from India, was sunk by Japanese dive-bombers off Sultan Shoal. Eyewitnesses said that "thousands of people were seen bobbing in the water making desperate attempts to swim away from the blazing ship". (16) A former lighthouse watchman, Mr Felix Paul Monteiro, said that he saw the attack while being based on Raffles Lighthouse. The surviving soldiers then swam to Sultan Shoal. Artifacts from the wreck were brought to the surface in 1998 by a commercial diving company and these items were donated to the Singapore History Museum. (18)
9. The lighthouse was converted to an unmanned fully automated lighthouse at a cost of S$500,000 in 1984. Previously, the lighthouse was manned by four lighthouse keepers. (19)
10. Sultan Shoal has more than 2,800 hard coral colonies. To save these coral from destruction due to passing ships, part of it have been relocated to nearby Sisters' Island and St. Johns Island. (20)
References
1. http://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/dna/places/details/58
2. Untitled. July 4, 1863. The Straits Times. P2.
3. News of the week. December 18, 1869. The Straits Times. P2.
4. Untitled. May 29, 1875. The Straits Times. P3.
5. The Sultan Shoal Lighthouse. February 24, 1876. The Straits times. P2.
6. Untitled. July 18, 1894. The Straits Times. P2.
7. Revenue Officers Catch Chinese Smugglers. July 28, 1926. The Straits Times. P9.
8. Lonely keepers of Sultan Shoal. March 6, 1938. The Straits Times. P17.
9. Obstructions in Singapore Waters. September 4, 1939. The Straits Times. P11.
10. Local Lighthouse Shines Again. March 31, 1946. The Straits Times. P2.
11. Modder, M. June 27, 1948. Singapore Watchmen of the Sea. The Straits Times. P6.
12. Radio link for colony 'lights'. July 31, 1951. The Straits Times. P7.
13. Ship sunk in war to be raised. February 23, 1952. The Straits Times. P7.
14. Lonely lighthouse men: TV helps pass time. March 28, 1963. The Straits Times. P11.
15. RI Gunboat fires at bumboat: One hurt. December 14, 1966. The Straits Times. P24.
16. Daniel, J. December 1, 1974. How eleven ships met their doom off Singapore. The Straits Times. P11.
17. Lighthouse Stamp Society. Accessed on March 20, 2016. http://lighthousestampsociety.org/wp/images-2/stamps/stamps-countries-s-t/stamps-singapore/
18. Cheng, A. L. July 23, 1998. Ship's "Treasures" found off Tuas. The Straits Times.
19. PSA lighthouse goes to go automatic. December 30, 1983. The Straits Times. P11.
20. Relocating corals at Sultan Shoal. April 26, 2014. The Straits Times.
21. Awards and Citations. June 11, 1948. Morning Tribune. P14.
22. Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. April 23, 1852. P2.
Updated on November 18, 2018.
Additional information about Brigadier Cumming shared by Mr Richard from Marine Heritage Interest Group (SMHIG).
Further reading
Read about how the Sultan Shoal Lighthouse was first built in 1895.
A good story about Sultan Shoal's light keeper of 1937 - Mr. Adolph Monterio and his staff of five.
An interview with a former sailor of Empress of Asia troop carrier that sank off the waters of Sultan Shoal.
Website dedicated to the British Ship - Empress of Asia.
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