806
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
rise to friction.
to send to the island of Dom Jono a small | a doubtful situation that may at any time give detachment of Portuguese soldiers, for whose accommodation a, honse of small dimensions was erected..
This action on the part of our Government cannot but be approved, seeing that the Chinese Government was the first to disturb the status quo with respect to this island and that its braves" had commenced to disturb the peace- ful villagers who had established themselves under the protection of our fort. Especially was it important that in case of any other nation casting covetous eyes on the island they shonhl find in this small detach- ment of Portuguese soldiers an evident proof that Portugal had not abandoned her claims to the island as a dependency of Macao.
It was not long, however, before a protest came from the Viceroy of Canton, who has since maintained a steady correspondence with the Government of Macao on the subject. The principal if not the only basis of this protest was Article II. of the treaty, the Viceroy ignoring the fact that it was one of his predecessors who first disturbed the status
quo agreed upon.
55
fApril 22-1897
the returns from the work carried on thêrs for some months to come, and also desire that I It is certain that Portugal is not influenced give my opinion touching your prospect of being by political designs nor by commercial con- apccessful eventually, I have determined to write siderations in her determination to preserve the you this report, and in dealing with the first city of Mucup-as a Portuguese possession. It named I do not propose to go into details. I is only as a historical monument, as a memorial will take the month of January of this year as commemorative of the brilliant epoch of the old a basis, and for the purpose of comparsion. In Portuguese navigators, that Portugal appre-round numbers the expenditure for that month ciates the importance of Macao; and it is from was. $15,699.00. I have golle into the various this point of view that Portugal would not items of which this amount is made up, and spare force to maintain inviolate her right find that with the altered condition of things this can be reduced by $2,100 in native labour upon this small dot of earth.
If this question of delimitation is to be alone. A further saving of about $1,100 per advantageously resolved the Portuguese Gov-month can be effected by reducing the ernment must be able to convince the European staff and without seriously im Chinese Government upon two important pairing its efficiency, but as I have already points, which are: (1) That Portugal is not indicated the direction in which this can influenced by territorial ambition, and has no be done, I leave the matter entirely with ulterior intention of extending her jurisdiction the Directors. Still further reductions, both in the neighbourhood of Macao; and (2) that in European and native labour, can be made Portugal will not permit any territory occupied later on if it be found absolutely necessary, but by her in these latitudes to serve as a base, forbearing in mind that gold must be won in fairly operations prejudicial to the Chinese revenue large quantities, I do not think it would bo of the seemary, in order to facilitate the mission saving is only of secondary importance, the or security and tranquillity of China. It is wise to attempt them just now. For, after all, The public of Macao was completely ignorant of the Portuguese negotiator, that public opinion main thing being revenue and the establishing of the fact, or at least the probability, that the that such a grave question was pending between should not be inflamed by illusions and ex-
source from which it derived is likely to be the two Governments, and great was the sur.aggerations, for there is no doubt that China prise when the report spread that the Viceroy will not give a friendly hand nor an inch of her permanent.
Touching the amount of revenue to be got of Canton had officially announced to the territory without compensation, advantage, and Council of Government that he was about to preservation of her rights. It is therefore from the mine above the 200 ft. level, and until establish a military occupation of the island of important that in this matter good sense should such time as the reef has been struck and opened - Dom Joao. It was then that the public com- prevail over the bullitions of a blatant and ill-for producing ore at the 300 ft. level, one is almost afraid to hazard an opinion, especially menced to occupy themselves with the question, informed patriotism.
after reading the advices lately sent from the foreseeing the possibility of grave inconvenience and indignity being sustained on account of an
mine. For if, as Mr. Phillips says, "the upper island almost deserted and which possesses no
stopes are almost exhausted and will be quite 80 within the next three months, and the chute of actual importance.
gold found to the west of the new shaft is an un- known quantity, the outlook is far from bright. I do not quite agree with him in this matter, however; true, the stopes may be poor, but then they have been this on many occasions hitherto As to the chute of ore found to the west of the new shaft, I can only say I have seen very rich pre (specimens in fact) taken from it by Mr. Phillips himself, and that seeing that it is to the west and north of any ore found On the 1st of the present month the Viceroy
hitherto at this level, is defined between clay of Canton received in audience the Portuguese
slate walls, is highly mineralized, and is fully Consul at Canton. Senhor Callado Crespo, and
5 ft. wide in places, I shall be greatly disap- this gentleman, who was assisted by Senhor
point it does not turn out of real value to Carlos da Rocha Assumpçao as interpreter, in
the shareholders.. It may take say two months a long conference of two hours was able by his
longer to get this point opened and in proper patience, prudence, and good tact to arrive at
order for producing ore in quantity, but I have no hesitation in saying that in my opinion it an agreement to the effect that on the 5th inst. the two detachments, Portuguese and Chinese,
A general meeting of the shareholders in the will do so directly, and this, too, at and above should be simultaneously retired, leaving the Punjom Mining Company, Limited, was held the 200 ft. level. And seeing that the ore on island in the condition it was before the signa-
at the Company's office, 9, Praya Central, this chute is better than has been seen on ture of the Portuguese Chinese treaty. This was a solution which both Governments could yesterday, convened by the directors to elicit either of the other chutes it augurs well an opinion from the shareholders as to the for its being payable at the 300 ft. level accept, being a loyal observance of the inter- raising of additional capital or the reconstruc- when found there. Whether an output of national compact providing for the status quo.
tion-of the Company. Mr. D. Gillies presided gold equal to $12,000 per month can be pro- On the 5th inst. the agreement was carried out
and amongst those present were Messrs. W. R. duced and maintained during the next three in the presence of delegates of the Government Boxley, J. H. Lewis, C. A. Tomes (Directors), months or not, I could not undertake to say, of Macao, namely,, the Chinese interpreter T. Blamey (Manager), J, B. Duncan (Secre. but in my opinion it will be found to average Senhor Carlos da Rocha Assumpcao and Captain tary), S. B. Bhabha, E. W. Terry, H. that amount, and I shall be disappointed if for Canavarro, Military Commandant of Taipa, as Ruttonjee, S. A. Joseph, M. B. Polishwalla, the succeeding three months it does not exceed the Portuguese representatives, and the civil J. S. Perry, W. Parlane, Hart Buck, F. E. C. it. mandarin Li, Sub-Prefect of Chinsan, and the Georg, O. Wegener, Wong Wing, D. S. Silva, military mandarin Lai, Captain of the garrison T. F. Hough, C. Schwencke, W. A. Duff, of Chinsan, as the Chinese representatives. At W. K. Hughes, F. J. V. Jorge, J. R. Michael, three o'clock, on the sound of three blasts of Captain Tillett, G. Murray Bain. D: Warres the whistles of the lannches that had brought Smith, . C. Cox, E. Vaid, K. Eduljee, G. S. the delegates of the two Governments, the Joseph, Captain Wyley, A. H. Mancell, J. S. Portuguese and Chinese detachments embarked.Hagen, F. M. de Graca, M. Ally, O. Von Der and left the island, on which there are now no soldiers.
Happily the Conncil of Government, consist- ing of the Judge, Dr. Alvaro Fornellos, the Secretary-General, Dr. Alfredo Lello, andLieut.- Colonel Prophyrio de Souza, was able to deal with the difficulty which had arisen and secure a solution acceptable from all points of view. It was Dr. Lello who undertook the direction and principal responsibility of the delicate negotiations.,
Thus was concluded a difficulty which caused some anxiety to the inhabitants of this colony "on-account of the imminent peril of a collision between the Portuguese and Chinese soldiers had
the island been militarily occupied But if on this occasion, thanks to the good sense of the Viceroy of Canton and to the tact and
prudence of the officers charged with the Government of Macao, principally the Secretary-General, whose services on this occasion, were invaluable, it was possible to avoid in time a grave imminent peril, it would not be prudent to always comit on pacific and satisfactory solutions of incidents of
therefore important that our Gov, and it is there or port to settle this question of delimitation as speedily as possible in order that there may disappear
In any case it is certain that, Portugal desiring to preserve Macao as a Portuguese possession, it is desirable that there should be a well defined international understanding as to its position in order to avoid surprises and pn- expected perils. Portugal is too fully occupied with her vast possessions in Africa where lies the future of the Portuguese nation, and where the difficulties she has to encounter to maintain her dominion, her prestige, and her important national interests are not few-to be able to devote her attention perpetually to the petty questions of Macao. It appears to us therefore that it would be well to settle the delimitation of Macao speedily, with such advantages as it may be possible to obtain, thus terminating a dispute which has already lasted longer than it cret to have done, considering its small national im- portance for Portugal.
PUNJOM MINING CO., LIMITED.
Heyde, P. Witkowski, J. M. E. Machadh, F. Mahomed.
The SECRETARY read the notice calling the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen, before address- ing a few words to you in connection with the object of our meeting to-day I will ask Mr. Blamey to read his report. I am sorry that this report was not circulated amongst the shareholders earlier. It was intended that it should be out by Friday, but I am told it has not yet come to the hands of some of the share holders. In that case I am very sorry and think it might be advisable, that Mr. Blamey should read his report now and I hope you will give it your earnest attention.
Mr. BLAMEY then read his report, dated April 14th, 1997, as follows is Deposits the Directors wish to be advised regarding the expenditure at the mines in the near future and
"After the many disappointments experienced in Panjom and the repeated holding out of hopes to the shareholders which have not been realized, one has naturally, a great hesitation in again giving an opinion on this question. If we have erred, however, it has been in good company, for some of the greatest authorities on mining have not been more fortunate or more often right in their conclusions. To me there is but one way to account for the falling off iu value in our ore at Punjom as depth is attained, and in this even I cannot give the. reason any more than can other men than I who have tried to solve the problem.
"I only know that in some districts in Austra- lia (and I believe in other gold producing countries, too) there are poor zones in which the reef becomes too poor even to pay the cost of crushing, and this, too, notwithstanding the fact that they had been rich at and near the surface, and had paid the shareholders many thousands (in some cases hundreds of thousands) of pounds in dividends. The depth at which met with vary in certain these poor zones are u districts, but it is a fact worthy of notice that in those traversed by a number of reefs having no connection with each other, the poor ground
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