Powder Flasks for Lawless Singapore – Secret Shipment? Manuscript 1841 – Manuscript headed ‘Invoice of Powder Falsks shipped on board of the John Bull for Singapore to and on account of…..’ including a letter of instruction address to ‘My Dear H.K.’ In a lawless and chaotic society, Chinese secret societies were powerful and Turf Wars common. The police force consisted of only a handful of men to control a population of near 60,000. This shipment was described as one cask containing 3 dozen 2oz flasks and 40 dozen 8 oz flasks, and with shipping from Birmingham to Liverpool costing a total of £51.120d. The letter written giving no identity of the senders name is interesting and appears from the fact that the cask is marked and numbered as Margin that this may have been sent secretly.