Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 1183

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

1050

MACAO

activity of the place, however, so far as the Portuguese are concerned, is a thing of the past. There is still a fair native trade carried on, the value of which, according to the Chinese Customs returns from Lappa, in 1995 amounted to Tls. 12,169,878; the net total of the year's trade including the junk trade between Macao and Hongkong is given as Tls. 16,858,584. As the harbour is fast silting up, however, most of the native trade will soon desert the place unless efficient dredging operations are inaugurated. Some work has recently been done in this direction, but the operations have been on a small scale. The Home Government, some time ago, approved of an extensive scheme for the improvement of the harbour, but nothing has since been heard of the scheme. Owing to its being open to the south-west breezes and the quietude always prevailing, Macão has become a frequent retreat of invalids and business men from Hongkong and other neighbouring ports. The principal hotels are the Boa Vista, and the Macao Hotel. While neighbouring centres of population have in recent years been visited by plague Macao has continued to enjoy immunity from this scourge.

The Hongkong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company run two steamers daily between Macão and Hongkong, leaving the former port at 8 o'clock a.m. and 2 p.. and Hongkong at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Another Company runs a regular steamer daily between Hongkong and Macao. Between Macao and Canton there is a daily steam service, Sundays excepted. The distance from Macao to Hongkong is 40 miles' and to Canton 88 miles. Macao is connected with Hongkong by telegraph. The population of Macao, with its dependencies of Taipa and Colouan, according to returns made in 1896, was-Chinese, 74,568; Portuguese, 3,898; other nationalities, 161; or a total of 78,627. Of the Portuguese 3,106 were natives of Macao, 615 natives of Portugal, and 177 natives of other Portuguese possessions. Of the foreigners 80 were natives of Great Britain. In November, 1901, an Envoy Extraordinary arrived from Portugal, his mission being to arrange with the Chinese Government for a delimitation of the boundary of the Colony. The line of demarcation submitted by the Envoy included certain islands which the Chinese Government refused to acknowledge as being part of the Portuguese colony, and the Envoy, while not successful in gaining this point, secured a concession for a railway from Macao to Canton. The convention, however, did not meet with the approval of the Cortes at Lisbon, and Sen- hor Branco came to the East again in 1904. In November a new agreeinent was arranged with the Chinese Government, but the Government at Lisbon regarded the terms as far from satisfactory, and refused ratification. It was announced in the local press that a syndicate of Chines and Portuguese capitalists had subscribed a capital of four million dollars for the construction of the railway, but there are no indications at present of a commencement being made with the work, and it is generally doubted whether a railway through a district so well provided with waterways would prove remunerative. A New Commercial Treaty was arranged with China in November, 1904. Since the Boxer trouble Macao has been garrisoned with European Portuguese troops.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1907 — Page 1183

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