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and explained in what respect the Portuguese and Chinese versions differed.
He then proceeded to say :-
"It was upon the recognition of its own sovereignty that, I am told, the Chinese Government has now made a stand. Its objection is styled by Senhor do Amaral as an attack on the sovereignty of Portugal; but the Chinese are also understood to object to the continuance of merchant Consuls in violation of Article VIII, which provides that the Portuguese Consuls shall be bona fide Government servants, and not engaged in trade.
"The Chinese were, of course, ready to exchange the ratifications, could the Portuguese Minister have removed their well-founded doubts as to the Portuguese construction of Article IX. Senhor do Amaral, it seems, withdrew without any discussion, protesting that he had heard of no objections on the part of the Emperor until the day he met His Majesty's Representative.
"The Prince of Kung, in the despatch his Highness has communicated to me, maintains that notice of the objection taken was given to Senhor do Amaral nearly a year ago.
"The quarrel has just thus much interest to us, that, in the present weak condition of China, any Power that can send two ships to sea can do her serious injury, and Macao is a sufficient base for the provision of war supplies to the disaffected of Canton, who are numerous enough, even were nothing more ambitious attempted by the Portuguese."
In reply to the Portuguese protest, the Chinese Government informed the Portuguese Minister that China was prepared to exchange ratifications of Senhor de Guimaraes' Treaty of 1862, provided that Portugal would admit that there were reserved to China the rights of sovereignty at Macao, which, Mr. Wade stated, were, in his opinion, incontestably secured her by the Chinese text of the Treaty; and Mr. Wade, No. 8; provided that bona fide Consuls, that is, Consuls not merchants, be appointed by Portugal.
Mr. Wade added that the intentions of the Chinese Government, should Portugal yield the claim over Macao, asserted only in 1849, did not, as he was privately informed, go beyond the establishment of an office for the surveillance of native craft; by the trade in which, then, the Imperial revenue suffered severely;
But the Portuguese Minister still demanded an exchange of the Treaty in full, and there the matter has rested ever since.
1868.
In 1868 it was rumoured that it was the intention of the Portuguese Government to cede Macao to the United States or to China.
1870.
On the 2nd September, 1870, an Ordinance was issued by the Governor of Hong Kong for the extradition of certain persons, fugitives from justice from Macao, and it was stated therein that the expression "Governor of Macao" should include the person for the time being administering the Government of Macao; and that the expression "territory of Macao" should extend to any place within the jurisdiction of the Government of Macao, and should include the high seas, but no mention was made either of Portugal or of China.
1879.
On the 1st January last Mr. Morier was instructed to ask the Portuguese Government to recognize Mr. M. Murray as Vice-Consul at Macao, and he did so; but Sir T. Wade suggests that, under certain circumstances, he should be empowered to assure the Chinese Government of the readiness of the British Government to withdraw its Consular Agent until some arrangement can be come to between China and Portugal.
But as the following countries would appear to have now, or to have had formerly, Consuls resident
"Gotha Almanach," 1874, p. 735. in Macao, viz. :-Belgium, Brazil, Spain, Hawaiian 1880, p. 863. Islands, Italy, Netherlands, Peru, Siam, and the
United States (Macao being inserted in the "Gotha Almanach," under the heading of Portugal, “Colonie Macao"), there would appear to be no valid reason why the English, of all foreign Powers, should be the only one which should be deprived of the
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