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This 1900 diplomatic correspondence from the Consulate of Portugal in Canton comprises a series of transcribed reports and notes addressed to the Portuguese Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, concerning the political and military situation in southern China during the Boxer Crisis. Dated between April and October 1900, the documents were authored by Joaquim Belisário Carvalho Gurgel, Commander and Portuguese Consul, and relay assessments of key Chinese officials, particularly Li Hongzhang (Li Hung Chang) and his successor, Viceroy Two Kuang (Dukang). The reports analyse Li Hongzhang’s political influence, his attempts to maintain neutrality between the Qing court and foreign powers, and his efforts to prevent southern involvement in the northern uprising. Detailed observations are provided on military preparations in Canton, including the role of the "Black Flag" forces, troop deployments, and the perceived weakness of local defences. The text examines the activities of secret societies, such as the "Boxers" and possible "Bogers," their potential alignment against foreign interests, and the broader threat of revolutionary unrest. It further addresses the precarious position of missionaries, whose actions are seen as exacerbating tensions, and evaluates the vulnerability of the foreign settlement at Shamser (Shamshuipo), highlighting strategic deficiencies in its defence. The documents also reflect on inter-imperial dynamics, referencing American, British, French, and Japanese involvement, and conclude with assessments of likely conflict trajectories, evacuation plans, and the fragile stability maintained in Canton under contested leadership.

This 1900 Portuguese consular report from Canton (Guangzhou), composed of multiple dispatches dated between April and August of that year, provides a detailed assessment of the city’s military defences during the late Qing dynasty. Submitted by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ellinistos, the document examines the structure, armament, and strategic layout of coastal fortifications along the Pearl River (Chu-Kiang), divided into three defensive groups: the Bocca Tigris at the river’s mouth, Nampoá (Wanpoa) midway upstream, and the port of Canton itself. It enumerates 22 forts equipped with 109 modern artillery pieces, predominantly Krupp, Armstrong, and Whitworth guns ranging from 15 to 24 cm, while distinguishing obsolete riverside batteries as historically significant but militarily ineffective. The report includes an unverified inventory of ammunition stocks and notes the potential use of torpedoes and river obstructions for defence. Additionally, it analyses the composition and effectiveness of land and naval forces in Canton, contrasting Manchu troops under Tartar generals—intended to monitor local Chinese authorities—with locally recruited Chinese units such as the "Black Flags" and forces under Vice-Rei. The text critiques the poor discipline, recruitment practices, and combat readiness of regular troops, estimating approximately 10,000 regular soldiers and over 20,000 irregulars. Armament is noted to include repeating rifles, likely Mausers, though precise numbers remain uncertain. The document also references accompanying sketches of the river’s navigational route and fortification placements, underscoring its value as a strategic intelligence record produced amid wartime secrecy.

This 1900 diplomatic memorandum, originating from the Portuguese Embassy to the Holy See in Rome, documents negotiations between the governments of Portugal and France concerning the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Hainan Island in southern China. The text records that Hainan had been provisionally placed under the Diocese of Macau by the Holy See in 1875–76, but due to limited clergy and logistical challenges, the Bishop of Macau had not effectively evangelised the island. In light of the Paris Foreign Missions Society’s growing capacity within the Apostolic Prefecture of Guangdong, the French government proposed transferring Hainan back to Cantonese ecclesiastical authority. Portugal conditionally assented, requiring in exchange the extension of the Bishop of Macau’s jurisdiction over the district of Chao Hing (Gao Hing), adjacent to existing territories under his spiritual control. The agreement was to be implemented *provisoria tantum ratione*—on a provisional basis only—with territorial delimitations subject to prior approval by the Holy See. The document includes multiple memoranda from 1898–1900 exchanged between diplomatic representatives in Lisbon, Paris, and Rome, including communications involving Mr Avoye, Mr Delcassé, and the Apostolic Nuncio. It reflects the intersection of colonial diplomacy, ecclesiastical administration, and imperial interests in late 19th-century China, illustrating how religious jurisdiction served as both a spiritual and political instrument in Sino-European relations.

Repartição de Fazenda Provincial de Macau - 軍事部、澳門工程公所及澳門教區向澳門省公鈔局收納處呈交的出納活動憑單裝訂本，以大西洋國海外匯理銀行分行作為公共庫房的資金交付、競投合同保證金、制服款項及薪酬扣減，並發出第15號格式收據，註明 "由 … 交付的資金"

Arquivo da Província do Santíssimo Nome de Jesus das Filipinas - Valladolid

This is a diplomatic dispatch from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton, dated 11 January 1898, addressed to the Portuguese Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The document details measures taken by the Viceroy of Canton to prohibit the export of rice from China to foreign destinations, directly affecting the Portuguese colony of Macau. With local supplies limited to only several days’ consumption, the Governor of Macau responded by halting re-exports to preserve subsistence levels. Following diplomatic representations made by the Consul in accordance with instructions from the Governor of Macau, the Viceroy permitted the resumption of rice exports specifically to Macau, while maintaining restrictions on shipments to other foreign ports. The correspondence highlights the critical reliance of Macau on Chinese rice supplies and underscores the efficacy of colonial intercession in mitigating food security crises. A supplementary note from De S. So commends the Governor’s prompt and effective intervention during this episode, particularly in relation to provisioning the vessel *Sever*, attributing successful resolution to diplomatic diligence. The dispatch illustrates the operation of late-nineteenth-century colonial diplomacy within the broader context of Qing administrative policy and regional trade regulation. This document serves as a primary source for the study of Sino-Portuguese relations, colonial governance, and food supply logistics in late Qing China and its adjacent territories.

Arquivo da Província do Santíssimo Nome de Jesus das Filipinas - Valladolid

This 1897 diplomatic despatch, issued by the General Consulate of Portugal in Shanghai (No. 38B, 5 November 1897), transmits confidential correspondence between Consul General Joaquim Maria Trindade Valdez and the Portuguese Minister in China concerning a protest by the Diplomatic Corps in Peking against Tung-ly-ga-mou’s prohibition on the establishment of *bukchins*—indigenous Chinese money shops—for the circulation of silver currency. The restriction is attributed to a misapplication of treaty provisions. The document includes an annexed report dated 26 October 1897, authored by Valdez in his capacity as Dean of the Consular Corps, which contextualises the issue within broader challenges to monetary reform in late Qing China. It details efforts by Viceroy Zhang Zhidong to standardise a national silver dollar, undermined by provincial emulation and lack of centralised regulation, resulting in multiple non-uniform coinages and persistent reliance on Mexican dollars. The report further references the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895), which permitted free importation of foreign coinage, complicating Beijing’s attempts to control minting machinery imports. The annotation in red ink summarises the diplomatic protest, while marginalia in blue and black ink, archival numbers, and official stamps reflect administrative handling. This primary source offers critical insights into Sino-foreign treaty port diplomacy, late-Qing monetary policy, and transnational financial governance at the close of the 19th century.

This 1897 Vatican archival document comprises a series of formal ecclesiastical letters, financial records, and administrative transcripts concerning the episcopal appointment of José Emmanuel de Carvalho to the See of Macau, a Portuguese colonial diocese within the Chinese Empire. The material includes papal bulls issued by Pope Leo XIII, financial accounts from 1899 detailing expenditures related to the apostolic provision, and sworn oaths of fidelity, alongside descriptive reports on the ecclesiastical and territorial status of Macau. The Cathedral Church of Macau, dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is recorded as suffragan to the Archdiocese of Goa, with a structured chapter, active parishes, a seminary, and defined revenues. The appointment process reflects the patronage rights of Charles I, King of Portugal and the Algarves, under the Luso-Vatican agreement of 1886. Despite Carvalho’s lack of a doctoral degree, a papal dispensation is granted based on his demonstrated learning, moral integrity, and prior service as Professor of Ecclesiastical Sciences and Promoter in the Episcopal Curia of Viseu. The documentation further outlines canonical requirements, including the oath *ad limina*, provisions for consecration, and faculties conferred upon the new bishop. Financial records itemize costs totalling over 4,300 florins associated with processing the apostolic letters through diplomatic channels. This collection constitutes a critical primary source for the study of late 19th-century colonial ecclesiastical administration, church-state relations in the Portuguese Empire, and the Roman Curia’s role in transnational episcopal appointments.

This 1897 report, originating from the Portuguese Consulate in Shanghai, provides a detailed account of the social, economic, and institutional condition of the Portuguese community—predominantly Macanese—in late 19th-century Shanghai. It highlights the challenges faced by the Consul General, who operated without formal support staff despite extensive responsibilities under extraterritorial jurisdiction, including legal, notarial, commercial, and diplomatic duties. The document notes the doubling of the Portuguese population to around 800 over the previous decade, with increasing numbers registering with the consulate, reflecting growing trust in Portuguese protection since the 1887 arrangements with Macau. Approximately twenty wealthier Macanese traders, aligned culturally and commercially with Portugal, are identified as a key economic cohort. The text analyses three major community institutions: the "Recreio" Club, fostering national identity through cultural activities; the Mutual Aid Association, providing financial and social support; and the Jesuit-led "Shanghai Catholic Circle," which also serves as a social hub but is criticised for undermining Portuguese national education due to its use of English curricula and exemption from state oversight. The report laments the absence of proper Portuguese-language education and critiques the continued economic subordination of skilled, literate Macanese workers—employed widely in clerical, commercial, and technical roles—to British enterprises, despite their multilingual abilities and collective earning power exceeding £1,300 monthly. Drawing on the Rochdale cooperative model, it advocates for government-supported cooperative societies across Portuguese communities in Asia to achieve economic autonomy and reinvigorate colonial-commercial ties.

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