CO129-553-5 Japanese activities in Macao and Canton 31-1-1935 - 22-11-1935 — Page 132

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of Macao declined rapidly, and it was because in 1849

that the Governor of Macao in face of the growing competi-

tion of Hong Kong decided to make Macao a free port, that

he took the decisions against the Chinese Customs, etc.,

resulting in his assassination, In 1862 Portugal attempted

to regularise the position at Macao by securing formal

recognition of her possession of the territory, but the

Chinese Government refused to ratify the Treaty in which

a clause to this effect had been embodied. In 1887,

however, the Lisbon Protocol was concluded in which

Portugal agreed to co-operate in the prevention of Opium

smuggling measures with China in return for confirmation

by China (Article 2) of the "perpetual occupation and

government of Macao and its dependencies by Portugal".

Further, Portugal undertook (Article 3) never to alienate

Macao without agreement with China.

This Protocol was followed later in 1887 by a

Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between Portugal and

China, confirming Articles 2 and 3 of the Protocol, but

stipulating that Commissioners should be appointed to

delimit the boundaries and that pending such delimitation

"everything in respect to them shall continue as at

present without addition, diminution or alteration by

either of the parties"

•

не

The boundaries had never been delimited and this

suspended question has been a constant source of friction

with China. In 1901 the Portuguese submitted a proposed

line of demarcation including certain neighbouring

islands which the Chinese Government refused to a cknowledge

as being part of the Portuguese Colony. In 1909 Boundary

Commissioners were appointed by both Governments, but

China