Bishopric request about compensations
This diplomatic despatch, dated 20 October 1900, issued by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton (Guangzhou), documents escalating tensions and anti-foreign incidents in southern China during the Boxer Crisis. The correspondence addresses communications between the Governor of Macau, the Administrator...
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| Format: | Documents |
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| Language: | Portuguese |
| Published: |
Outubro 1900
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| Subjects: |
Administrator of Bishopric
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Anti-Christian violence
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Anti-Foreign Incidents
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Boxer Crisis
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Cemetery Desecration
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Christian Communities Attacks
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Diplomatic Despatches
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Escalating Tensions
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Foreign Property Damage
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Foreign Relations
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Formal Diplomatic Action
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Governor of Macau
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Indemnities Claims
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Late Qing Dynasty
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Native Christian Converts
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Portuguese Consular Authorities
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Portuguese Consulate in Canton
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Portuguese Grave Damage
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Precise Geographic Locations
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Religious Sensibilities
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Reparations Documentation
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Representatives from Separate Jurisdictions
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Southern China
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Southern China Mission Reports
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Village Looting
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Documents
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/U8ZWE3R6/viewer_U8ZWE3R6.html |
| Summary: | This diplomatic despatch, dated 20 October 1900, issued by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton (Guangzhou), documents escalating tensions and anti-foreign incidents in southern China during the Boxer Crisis. The correspondence addresses communications between the Governor of Macau, the Administrator of the Bishopric, and Portuguese consular authorities regarding attacks on Christian communities and foreign property. It reports that villages inhabited by native Christian converts had been looted and partially destroyed by rebels, prompting formal requests for Chinese authorities to restore order and provide indemnities, which had not yet been paid. The despatch emphasises the necessity of submitting detailed claims, including precise names, locations, and mission residences, to support future reparations, particularly given actions already taken by other foreign representatives. A separate incident is reported involving the desecration of graves in the foreign cemetery near ‘Macau Fort’, including minor damage to one Portuguese grave and a broken tombstone; while material loss was limited, the act is described as a serious affront to religious sensibilities and a potential catalyst for retaliation. The Viceroy’s response, relayed on 17 October, confirms repairs, dismissal of the local mandarin, and criminal penalties, including imprisonment. Additional telegrams detail attempted attacks near Porto Ceres and ongoing unrest. The document provides critical insight into Portuguese diplomatic concerns, colonial ecclesiastical networks, and Sino-foreign relations during a period of widespread instability in late Qing China. |
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