Singapore becomes a Crown colony under the Colonial Office

Background. The Straits Settlements, originally established in 1826 under the British East India Company, came under the control of the British Raj in 1858. From 1832, Singapore was the seat of government of the Straits Settlements for 114 years, until their dissolution in 1946. The transfer to the Colonial Office marked a shift from Indian administration to direct British control.

Administrative Change. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements were transferred to the British Colonial Office, becoming a Crown colony. This made the settlements answerable directly to London rather than the Government of India in Calcutta. Earlier, on 4 February 1867, letters patent had granted the settlements a colonial constitution.

Economic Impact. Following the separation from India in 1867, the dollar was made the standard currency for the administration. In 1867, the year of the transfer of the colony from the East India Company to the Crown, the total population of the Straits Settlements was estimated at 283,384. In 1868, the colony's revenue amounted to $1,301,843.