245
The remote object of this dissimulating policy appears to me evident; to put pressure on European colonies and to facilitate foreign occupation of Chinese territory by rendering the position of the European colonies difficult.
Indications of this contestation of the Portuguese sovereignty in Macao by the Chinese Authorities, which in their correspondence they fully acknowledge, though otherwise they contest it by their acts. The identity of the Chinese proceedings in regard to Hong Kong seems to me further ground for the supposition here stated. In fact, before Hong Kong was to be established, fiscal stations had been set up in the vicinity of Hong Kong, for the same purposes and under the same pretexts.
It is far from the intention and is inconsistent with the principles & practice at all times maintained and observed by the Portuguese Govt to contest the right of the Chinese Govt to prevent frauds upon its fiscal revenues through means of customs smuggling. Evidence of the sincerity of the feelings of His Portuguese Majesty towards the Chinese Govt is given, besides the facts which I omit, by some clauses of the Treaty of Commerce & Friendship negotiated between the two Govts, which China refused to ratify. I will limit myself to pointing out Art:14 which stipulates the creation of a Chinese Consulate in Macao, with the character and purposes.