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Telegram where Biship requests faculties

This 1893 official correspondence comprises a Vatican diplomatic document originating from the offices of the Holy See, dated 20 October, and numbered 14752. It is addressed to the Ambassador of Portugal to the Holy See by Cardinal Mariano Rampolla, then Cardinal Secretary of State. The document acknowledges receipt of a formal note from the Portuguese Ambassador transmitting a petition from the Bishop of Macao concerning two ecclesiastical matters: the approval of the liturgical calendar for the Diocese of Macao and the authorisation of a proper Mass and office in honour of the feast commemorating the translation of the body of Saint Francis Xavier. The text records that these requests were submitted to Pope Leo XIII, who referred them to the Sacred Congregation of Rites—specifically noted as having been previously examined by the Congregation for the Sacraments—for review and deliberation. The endorsement confirms diplomatic protocol through its formal address to the Portuguese Ambassador and concludes with a reaffirmation of papal esteem. The document forms part of a broader administrative and ecclesiastical exchange between the Holy See and Portuguese colonial ecclesiastical authorities in Macau, reflecting the intersection of colonial religious administration and centralised Vatican authority in late nineteenth-century Catholicism. It provides primary evidence of liturgical governance and diplomatic channels within the Roman Curia during the pontificate of Leo XIII.

Official correspondence from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs, First Division, dated 24 August 1903, transmitted in Lisbon and addressed to General Carneiro. The document, authored by Miguel Martins d’Almeida, forwards a petition submitted by the Superior of the College of Overseas Missions, which had already been reviewed by the Apostolic Nunciature regarding matters within its ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The letter requests that General Carneiro intercede to secure approval from the Holy See on those aspects of the petition falling under papal authority. Endorsed with administrative annotations indicating internal processing and final approval on 5 October 1903, the file includes partially illegible, damaged, and uncertain sections, reflecting limitations in textual preservation. This primary source offers insight into early 20th-century ecclesiastico-diplomatic relations between Portugal and the Vatican, particularly concerning the administration of overseas missionary activities within the context of colonial religious institutions. The document serves as evidence of formal state mediation in ecclesiastical affairs and highlights bureaucratic procedures in the governance of Catholic missions under Portuguese influence. Researchers will find this material relevant for studies on church-state relations, colonial religious policy, and diplomatic history in the late Portuguese Empire.

This is a diplomatic correspondence dated 1 June 1891, authored by Demétrio Cinatti, Portuguese Consul in Canton, and addressed to the Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The document forms part of an official dispatch series from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton during 1891 and includes multiple annexes and indices referencing subsequent pages. It discusses Sino-Portuguese relations with particular focus on Macau’s territorial integrity and Chinese administrative encroachments. Key issues include opposition from Chinese authorities regarding Portuguese jurisdiction in Macau, tensions over Green Island (Ilha Verde), and the activities of local mandarins such as Sse and Chang Chi Tung, identified as the Viceroy of Liangguang. The consul reports that obstacles to diplomatic operations have eased due to interventions by the Governor of Macau, enabling access to interpreters. He expresses concern over growing Chinese influence in Taipa and Coloane, noting the significant disparity between the small European population and approximately 8,000 Chinese residents on these islands, which facilitates covert assertions of jurisdiction. The text highlights fears that Chinese officials may replicate tactics used in northern disputes within southern territories. Administrative practices, including falsified inspection reports by mandarins, are detailed as mechanisms to erode Portuguese sovereignty. Additional matters include the Hainan question, where delayed responses from the Viceroy reflect increasing indifference toward foreign claims, and anti-Christian unrest in northern China, attributed to secret societies and popular rumour. Economic observations note high rice prices in Guangdong and reliance on cheaper Siamese imports. The document also references ecclesiastical disputes over property rights in Hainan, asserting that chapels destroyed in 1884 were built and maintained at mission expense, thereby entitling Portugal to indemnity. Later sections address anti-foreign agitation in Canton, including inflammatory placards and arson attempts against missionary residences, prompting consular advisories and calls for naval reinforcement. The proposed appointment of a Chinese consul in Hong Kong is reported as withdrawn due to colonial opposition. Finally, press reports alleging Portugal’s intention to sell Macau are refuted, with emphasis on treaty prohibitions against alienation and recommendations for economic development instead. The material provides critical insight into late 19th-century colonial diplomacy, jurisdictional conflicts, and cross-cultural tensions in southern China under Qing administration.

This 1891 diplomatic dispatch, originating from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton and addressed to a high-ranking official in Lisbon, constitutes a formal report on political, administrative, and territorial tensions between Portuguese and Chinese authorities concerning Macau and its dependencies. The document details the shifting stance of local Chinese officials following communications from the Portuguese Ministry of the Navy, noting a cessation of objections to consular requests for interpreters. It highlights the influence of Viceroy Chang-chi-ting—a key anti-European figure—and his role in formulating opposition to Portuguese interests, particularly through a memorial submitted during Sino-Portuguese treaty negotiations. The text raises concerns over Chinese encroachment on Macau’s jurisdiction, citing the arrest of bailiffs on Taipa Island and the circulation of administrative notices asserting Chinese authority over local populations. Reference is made to the Green Island (Ilha Verde) dispute as precedent for covert jurisdictional claims. The author warns against potential threats to Coloane and Taipa, where Portuguese military presence remains limited amidst a significantly larger Chinese population. Administrative practices, including falsified inspection reports submitted to the Tsung-li Yamen, are presented as evidence of systematic efforts to erode Portuguese control. Additional matters include unresolved diplomatic notes on Hainan, delays in Sino-Portuguese negotiations, persecution of French Catholic missions in northern China attributed to anti-Manchu secret societies, and observations on rice trade dynamics affecting Macau. The document provides critical insight into colonial diplomacy, jurisdictional contestation, and power asymmetries in late 19th-century South China.

In official correspondence from Canton during June and July 1891, the Portuguese Consul, Demetrio Cinatti, reported to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on multiple issues. A primary concern was Chinese jurisdictional encroachment on Macau's dependencies, particularly the islands of Taipa and Colovane, by officials from Chinsan acting on the principles of Viceroy Chang-chi-tung. The Consul also detailed efforts to secure reparations for Portuguese Catholic mission chapels destroyed in Hainan in 1884, a claim supported by detailed historical arguments from Antonio, the Bishop of Macau. In late June, Cinatti described escalating anti-foreigner and anti-missionary tensions in Canton, including inflammatory posters and an arson attempt, which prompted the foreign community to plan for a potential evacuation and the Consul to request the gunboat "Diu" for protection. Subsequent reports in July noted the withdrawal of a proposed Chinese consulate in Hongkong and the Consul's actions to counter a newspaper rumor, originating from a proposal by deputy Ferreira d'Almeida, that Portugal intended to sell Macau.