The town is formed upon a regular plan, the streets intersecting each other at right angles; the streets and roads are in excellent order, the former having sidewalks. There is a great number of well-built houses of brick, which are stuccoed, and have tile roofs. Many of the houses have galleries or porticoes, and the grounds are prettily laid out with trees and shrubbery. On the less valuable streets, the houses and shops are built of wood, and covered with tile. On the outskirts, the houses are thatched, and more particularly those inhabited by the Bugis and Balinese, and the poorest class of Chinese. A good wooden bridge connects the peninsula or western part with the eastern. On this creek, or arm of the sea, into which empties a rivulet, are situated the principal warehouses; and here small vessels discharge their cargoes into very convenient and well arranged buildings. The quays are built of stone, with very convenient slips, and good cranes for landing goods. The island being situate within a degree and a half of the equator, no material change takes place--a perpetual summer reigns--flowers never cease blowing, and fruits are ever in blossom or progressing towards maturity. It is an old saying, that not a day passes at Singapore without rain; but it has been well ascertained that the rainy and fair days are about equal in number throughout the year; although in some years it has rained about two hundred and forty days, or two thirds of the year. November and December are the coolest and most rainy months; the thermometer then falls occasionally as low as 72°, and in the hot and dry months of April and May, it attains to 90°. The climate is remarkably salubrious, and fevers and dysentery, which are so fatal within the tropics, are here of rare occurrence, owing, it is supposed, to the free current of air which passes through the straits; but wherever its beneficial influence is excluded, those diseases are very fatal; and this is the case about that beautiful and romantic spot, the new harbour, situate but a few miles to the westward of the town. The island is also free of those dreadful scourges, storms and hurricanes, and violent gusts of wind.