Lisbon Oct 21 1886
My Lord,
In virtue of a Royal decree dated the 15th instant and published today, the District of Timor is declared independent of the Province of Macao for all administrative and political purposes, and is constituted into a separate Colony, which will however continue to receive from the Macao Treasury an annual subsidy of 60,000 Patacas (dollars).
I have etc,
(sd) H. MacDonell
The Marquis of Salisbury K.G.