Apprehension of a Portuguese ship from Macau
This 1901 diplomatic correspondence from the Consulate of Portugal in Canton documents a dispute concerning the seizure of a Portuguese-registered vessel by Chinese salt authorities. Dated 27 March and 19 April 1901, the dispatches detail events beginning on 23 January when the Governor of Macau inf...
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| Format: | Documents |
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| Published: |
Marco 1901
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| Subjects: |
Canton diplomatic correspondence
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Cargo Release
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Cha-kam port
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Cha-kam to Macau trade route
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Chinese salt authorities
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Colonial Trade Regulation
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Consular Dispatches
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Consular Protest
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Consular Records
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Diplomatic Dispute
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Diplomatic Tension
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Export Prohibition
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Historical Diplomacy
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Invalid Declaration
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Kang Chawan region
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Macau Governor
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Macau jurisdiction
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Merchant Deception
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Portuguese consul
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Portuguese flag protection
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Portuguese-registered vessel
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Salt Flour Sugar Cargo
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Smuggling Declaration
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Vessel Confiscation
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Viceroy of Canton
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Documents
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/8Z6E3D3Z/viewer_8Z6E3D3Z.html |
| Summary: | This 1901 diplomatic correspondence from the Consulate of Portugal in Canton documents a dispute concerning the seizure of a Portuguese-registered vessel by Chinese salt authorities. Dated 27 March and 19 April 1901, the dispatches detail events beginning on 23 January when the Governor of Macau informed the Portuguese consul of the confiscation of a boat carrying salt, flour, sugar, and other goods from Cha-kam to Macau by Chinese salt inspectors, who had taken the vessel to Canton. The consul immediately lodged a formal protest with the Viceroy of Canton, demanding the return of the boat and its cargo. Subsequent discussions with officials revealed that the shipment constituted smuggling: although the export of salt was prohibited in China, the merchant involved had declared Cha-kam—a Chinese port, not French territory—as the origin, falsely claiming the cargo was bound for Canton under Portuguese flag protection before diverting to Macau. The consul discovered that Cha-kam was not part of French-controlled Kang Chawan, rendering the declaration invalid. Despite confirming the illicit nature of the operation, the Viceroy ordered the release of the vessel and cargo due to diplomatic goodwill, with his secretary remarking that only the bilateral relationship allowed for such leniency. The consul, initially unaware of the deception, requested the return be conducted without Chinese customs interference and that the vessel be towed to Macau by a Portuguese launch. Telegrams exchanged between the consul and the Governor of Macau confirm the vessel’s eventual arrival. This document provides insight into Sino-Portuguese colonial relations, customs enforcement, and maritime trade practices in early 20th-century South China. |
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