ר
TAK
HONG KONG TIMES.
4
HONGKONG, TUESDAY, DEC. 80, 1873.
THE LAST OF THE MACAO GOOLLE
TRADE.
THE many wrongs that have been connected with the coolie traffic from Macao, bavo becn put to an end at last, and we may congratulate Portugal on having severed herself from a business so very infamous as the one we allude to. By a proclamation, daĻed the 27th instant, H. E. Visconde de Sain Januario, Governor of Magno, acting under the orders of his Sovereign, has put a stop to a trade that las proved immensely lucrative to the many engaged in promoting it, and, however this desirable result may have been brought about, there is nothing but satisfaction to be felt at its taking place, although somewhat late in the l&y.
One of the paragraplis of the proclamation referred to, calls attention to an article in the Emigration Regulations providing for the stoppage of the so-called emigration within Huree months, from which we might infer that it might cither be allowed to continue antil The full three months had expired, or the trafütle might be stopped immediately; and one would feel rather inclined to be dubious as to the further lease of life to be accorded to the coolic traffic, but the assertion that "The Chinese Emigration hitherto carried on in the port of Macao is henceforward prohibited,” is reassuring, and we conclude that--foe various vessels lying in the Macao roadstead waiting | į for acolies may unfurl their sails and seek for tlifferent employment.
It is evident that Portugal is convinced, by this time, that though good, honest regulations could be made to govern the emigration from Macao, that it was'not equally possible to bare these regulations duly observed, and consequently, with a sense of justice that there were, at one time, grave reasons to doubt she had, she has decided upon having no more infamy cast upon her on the Coolie question,
It is possible that we are rejoicing before we have any very great cause so to do; it is, perhaps, not improbable that Macao may be re-opened as a mart for Coolie labone, but we have hopes of better things, and nutil we see Macno carrying on the Coolie trade again as of old, we shall steadily refuso to credit that a return of the formor daya is in any way likely. The question that, now occurs to us is, has the Coolie trade been killed by this last act of Portugal, or is it likely to flourish as strongly as over. To our mind its prospects are very bad indeed. The action taken by the Chinese authorities at different times has been such as would prelude them from entering upon any agreement, ovea apon the most advantageous. terms for themselves, with either the Coolie brokors or traders, whereby a certain number of coolies should be shipped annually for Porn and Havana, and consequently the trade as it I has been carried ou is, in our opinion, virtually terminated. In fact the only thing that can be done now is for either Spain and Pera to obtain some small foot-hold on the Coast of China, whom he traffic, now supposed to be dead, would be found to be scotched only.
The stop taken by Portugal on this long vexed question will affect to a great estont, we should imagine, the negotiations now going on between Id-lung-chang and E. E. Capt. Garcia y Garcia, materially strengthening the position assumed by the former; so much so, that we should not be by any means surprised to learn that the two diplomatists above mentioned have been unable to agree upon any terms. Whether such a result would be beneficial or otherwise to the able bodied power classes, of China, is a question that can bo satisfactorily solved by time only, bat merely as an opinion, we think that some arrangements made upon asound basis, between Peru and China, would be better for anch men as All the position of coolies than if there were no agreement whatever as, iu the one ouse there would be supervision of some sort whilst in the other sciai-independent mandarina stationed along the Coast over whom the Government supervision is very light might undertake to enrich themselves without considering the honourableness of the maunor in which it was done.
Q
December 30th, 1873.
MACÃO.
(From qur own Correspondent.)
As I told you in my last, the coolio trade is finished, aud, I hope, for ever. The Govaruar since his arrival has often informed the home authorities of the utter hnpossibility of refovating the systers, and rent out the sbuses. With people, ealous in the nefarious modas operandi, reform is totally out of the question. The recent energetic pressure pat bo bear on the Lisbon Government by the Court of St. James, coupled with unbiased dispatches from Macan, in which plais trubbe wore said, havo at last moved the King to wire the death warrant, which, like a band-shell, was made known hero on Saturday at huli past two in the afternoon, -half R hour before the closing of the public lepartments. At 8 o'clock the whole town was in a state of commotion--like sa excitement in the floursc or daring the late monetary crisis in New York. Agents, who have already transacted the business of the day, wear immediately for their brokers to reoever the advances made in the maraáng sad to sanus) the contracts. Barracvouers locked oginst at the Cam- tavites, who in their turn, released the waboiled, which, in the coclic-trado phraseology, mesus "unprepared to may the fatal pes," and, fortseeing a tempest not lar distant, pack their brapa for iremoliate departiora, The officials, who derive upwards of two hundred per ceal. their pay, from the coffers of the superintendency, looked rather blae, and will have to be content with the pultry sum allowed them by tha regulation, which le annately enough to keep body and Boal togetirer. Thirty-five to forty thenaand brokers and employées of the trade are now left out of employ- ment, and it is estimated tint 300 houses will soon be vecated! Therefore, you need not be surprised in hear loud cries by ohuehasires and ex-chuchueiros aguinet the new order, and against the person who czasied ít, Legismate trade here is almost ml; coolie-trade having enervated the people, all industry died away one after the other aulil no other basiness a known but that in human beings. What this burge anny of idler will do to get a living, I do and know, nor do I pity tham now in their disappointment, for my fostings have long boon with those who have hen ensuurt by them inte captivity and certain deaths in Havana, Peru and in Eie dreadful caverna ni the guano islands.
The ecolic brokers bring the chief supporters of the gambling bouses, now that their bankrupt is apparent, some of then dem of iniquities are being closed, und in their sad pawnbroker's shop- this amning bestination that fermenis misery and poverty-wilt be established. Last night the bibles were almost deserted and the bidg were so inciguitiestly small, that astuuished the pisyers, who had the shop shut up long before the accustomed time.
By the present sica mer some of the Agents and others interested in crolie ship "Chandlers" sake their departure from Macas, sud to morrow's beat will carry despatches for the French Mail steamer announcing bbo compliance with the King's mandate as well as a long opposition of the probable future of Macne without the obnoxious traffic.
The following Peravian ships are in the roads: *Cullen," "Isaia)," Ornole," Luisa Canevaro," **Macro," "Colombia," "Nuova Providencia," "Agostina," "Lala," "Feru," "Providencau," "Fray Bentos;" their aggregate tonnage being 12,000 toas, One of which will, probably, take the sweeps of the barracoons, rumboring in all abans ô50), of which several are infiems and evipples, and, therefore, aufit for any work whatever.