Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 1004

B70

MACAO

right hand stands the old fort San Francisco; and on the left, that of N. Sra. de Bom Parto. Seen from the roads or from any of the forts crowning the several low hills, Macao is extremely picturesque. The public and private buildings are gaily painted and the streets are kept very clean.

In the town there are several places of interest. The Gardens and Grotto of Camões, once the resort of the celebrated Portuguese poet Cameos, are worth seeing, as, also, are the noble façade of the anicent Jesuit church which used to form a part of the college of San Paulo, burnt in 1835, and the Avenida Vasco da Gama. The crusading ardour of Portuguese in all their voyages of discovery in the East is evidenced at Macao by the large number of Churches which still exist. The Cathedral is a large plain structure having no architectural pretensions, and the various parish churches are stucco edifices, simple without and unassuming within.

Owing to its being open to the south-west breezes and to the quietude always prevailing, Macao has become a frequent retreat for invalids and business men from Hongkong and other neighbouring ports and there are several good modern hotels.

After the cession of Hongkong to the British, the trade of Macao declined rapidly and the coolie traffic subsequently developed there gave it a certain notoriety. This traffic, pregnant with abuses, was abolished in 1874. Fish, fresh and preserved, is the principal article of export, as well as fire-crackers, tobacco and preserves. Essential oils, tea and matting are also exported to some extent. The commercial activity of the place, however, as far as the Portuguese are concerned, is a thing of the past.

As the harbour has long shown signs of silting up, various projects have been prepared for its improvement, but until recently little has been done. A detailed plan of a very big scheme was prepared 30 years ago by Senhor Adolpho Loureiro, but was pigeon-holded by the home Government. The matter was raised again, however, some 10 or 12 years later, and another expert engineer, Senhor Castello Branco, was sent to Macao to make investigations. He made a few amendations to the original plan, but his report suffered the same fate as its predecessor. Then came the great constitutional change in Portugal with the promise of a greater measure of autonomy for the Colonies, and the need of harbour improvement was pressed again, with the result that Admiral Hugo de Lacerda, who had planned and superintended the im- portant harbour works at Lourenço Marques, was sent out to make a report. He has introduced important modifications in the original scheme. Whereas the earlier schemes contemplated only the improvement of the inner harbour, Admiral Lacerda's scheme, while embracing this, provides, as its main feature, for the creation of a harbour for large vessels in front of the city. The work for making the inner harbour better fitted for the accommodation of the considerable fleet of junks which trade between Macao and neighbouring ports and engaged in the important fishing industry is now in a very advanced state of progress. There have been extensive reclamations, and some substantial sea-walls are now in position. By means of a Deauville railway running across the neck of the peninsula, the mud excavated from the inner harbour was dumped on the other side near the Barrier. The main feature of the outer harbour works is a protected anchorage to accommodate vessels drawing up to 23 feet, and a long deep water channel of approach, giving a depth of 14 feet at low tides and 23 feet at high tides. Owing, however, to the nature of the mud used in the reclamations of the Outer Harbour it has not been possible to build on the extensive tract of land, but a Hongkong syndicate has made a proposal to the Portuguese Government, taking over the entire reclamations for development. The scheme has been submitted to Lisbon for approval, and there are hopes that the Central Government will not oppose it.

Another reclamation scheme has in the meanwhile been commenced by the filling in of a large part of the old Praia Grande Bay, as the means for the linking of the old town with the reclamations of the Outer Harbour. It is being carried out by a Macao Chinese syndicate.

The need for good drinking water has long been felt, for the Colony's supplies of water have all been obtained from Lappa Island and from wells within the Colony, and latterly in very small quantities from a reservoir constructed at Guia Hill. concession has been granted by the Municipal Council for the supply of portable

water.

A

Expert engineers were invited to draw up a comprehnsive scheme, and the works were put in hand in November, 1932. Upon completion of the Company's scheme the colony has been supplied with an abundance of potable water.