We might wonder why we can find Bencoolen street or Bencoolen hotel in Singapore. Bencoolen stands for Bengkulu anayway. These two areas were historically connected one to another. It was the Treaty of London, signed in London, on March 17, 1824. The area of Bengkulu was redeemed by the Dutch territory to the British as part of the Treaty. One of the clause in this agreement explains that Dutch surrender to the British occupation of Singapore. Secondly, Britain handed its trading office in Bengkulu (Fort Marlborough) and the entire ownership on the island of Sumatra to the Netherlands and will not be set up representative offices on the island of Sumatra, or make any rule arrangements with the local people. This treaty was initiated by the Sir Stamford Raffles who was assigned as the Governor of British port in Bengkulu, Malborough in 1818. He successfully convinced East India Companies that the British Government need to establish a new strategic port in South East Asia.
