Part 13/16:
The turning point came with the discovery of rubber’s industrial potential. In the late 19th century, Singapore became a key hub for rubber planting, facilitated by the collection of seeds from Brazil’s Javier Brazilianis. Despite initial skepticism by colonial administrators, pioneers like Henry Ridley developed innovative tapping techniques—such as the herring bone method—and promoted rubber cultivation.
Rubber’s vulcanization revolutionized transportation—fitting cars, bicycles, and boots with durable tires—and turned Singapore into a global rubber exporter. The rubber industry, backed by infrastructural investments like railways connecting plantations, spurred economic growth and wealth creation.