The top of Fort Canning provided a commanding view of the town and pier below where trade and business were conducted. The height difference allowed for the hill to be used as a communications platform from which signals could be sent out for a variety of purposes.
1. For warning of fire. Should there be a fire in the town, a telegraph is sent to the hill top signal station which will hoist a series of flags that are noticeable from the town below. The flags are to both warn the residents and also to let the firemen know which part of the town was burning, something which the personnel at the hilltop could confirm from their vantage point.
2. For trade. The flagstaff was also used to hoist flags to inform the business people of the approach of ships and their cargo. It also told of a ship's last port of call and what sort of professionals were on board. It helped traders decide if they should go to the pier either to unload goods they were awaiting arrival or load goods which needed export. It was also a chance for actual trade to occur at the pier side and for the exchange of news.
3. For shipping. The lighthouse was built on Fort Canning to help guide ships into Singapore waters. The beacon of the lighthouse could be seen from as far as 30km out at sea and was particularly needed on cloudy or stormy nights.
4. For maintaining social routine and orderliness. The time ball and the nine-pound cannon told the time for the residents of the town. The firing of the cannon and the dropping of the time ball, told the townsfolk when it was due to awake, to have lunch and to end the day's business. Certainly, these were meant mainly for the business people and the colonial rulers to whom the accuracy of time was of consequence.
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