PALL
MALL GAZETTE.
[APRIL 12, 1880.
THE CHINESE CLAIM TO MACAO.
A telegraphic letter to the Standard from Lisbon says that the news extracted' from the Pall Mall Gazette, and sent by the Havas Agency, that China is likely to claim Macao from Portugal bas produced no little commotion. Deputy Arrobas put a question to the Government in connection with this telegram, and Señor Braamcamp, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and President of the Council of Ministers, said that Government had received no information on the subject; and, moreover, that the statement was in contradiction with the good relations existing between Portugal and the Celestial Empire. But (the Standard cor- respondent continues) notwithstanding this assertion on the part of the authorities, the editor of a very well-informed paper, the Diaris da Manha,
says:--
We are assured that news has arrived here confirming the telegram of the Pall Mall Gazette. China claims Macao, Governor Graca, on taking possession of his post, informed the authorities of Pekin of his intention to go there to negotiate a treaty. The. authorities of Pekin, instead of replying, sent instructions to the Viceroy of Canton, ordering him to take possession of Macao. The Viceroy went to Macao, as is known, and sent back word to Pekin that he had taken possession of the city without resistance : that the Govenor came on board to render obedience, promising the future payment of tribute on the part of Macao, and that he, the Viceroy, through mere compassion, had permitted the Governor to go his way in peace, and allowed the Portuguese to reside in that territory. It is stated that the Governinent is aware of this fact,
The Berlin correspondent of the Standard, telegraphing last night, says: "The King of Siam, co-operating with Russia, promises to give active support to Portugal in the event of the Macao quarrel bringing on hostilities."
The statement made a little while ago in the Pall Mall Gazette that the Chinese were laying claim to Macao seems, according to the correspondent of the Standard at Lisbon, to have produced some sensation in that city; and the story told of the manner in which the Viceroy of the "two Kuangs" carried out the instructions from Pekin is thoroughly in accordance with Chinese procedure in sach matters. This official, it seems by the despatch of the Portuguese governor to the Ministry at home, made his appearance at Macao quite unexpectedly in great state, and was received with all honours. Liu-Can-i, the Viceroy, laid stress upon the fact that although the Portuguese had had intercourse with China longer than any European nation yet there was no treaty between the two Powers. There would, however, so he was pleased to say, be no difficulty whatever in settling a treaty which should 12 not forgetting put the Portuguese on the same footing as other nations, that acquired rights should be respected." In fact, he was most pleasant in his assurances, thanked the governor for his courteous reception, and departed as he had come, after a stay of three hours. Having returned home he at once communicated to the Pekin Government the fact that in pursuance of their instructions he had visited Macao, had been received by the governor with all humility, that Portugal had promised to pay tribute, and that in fact Macao had returned to Chinese possession. The Portuguese official, at least equally charmed, informed his Government that nothing but advantage could accrue to his country from this so friendly visit. As a matter of fact China does claim Macao, and the Portuguese are likely to have some trouble in resisting the claim, as they The roundabout assertion of the are not secured by treaty rights. position of China at this particular time, however, looks like a part of a Jarge and deliberately conceived policy to recover all possessions taken from her during the last few hundred years. But the Portuguese posses- sion of Macao, of course, is specially obnoxious to the Chinese. The
practice which prevails there of kidnapping wretched Chinamen into the barracoons and the until lately hopeless attempts of the Chinese authorities to obtain justice have left behind them a heritage of annoyance which they would gladly avenge upon the Portuguese if an opportunity occurred. At the same time it is worth notice that the attitude of China towards Europeans generally is becoming unpleasant.
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