Your search

This document comprises a translation and verification of an article from the Chinese-language newspaper *Ling Man-chi-pau* (*St. Louis Daily*), issue No. 143, dated 28 July 1891, produced by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton. The text addresses rumours circulating in foreign press reports suggesting that Portugal might sell its colony of Macau as a means of settling governmental debts, a proposal allegedly extended from discussions in the Portuguese elected chamber regarding the sale of African colonial territories. The translation clarifies that while Deputy Dr Almeida had proposed the sale of certain African possessions, no such suggestion was made concerning Macau. The document underscores that Portugal cannot legally alienate Macau and emphasises the emotional and historical ties of the Macanese people—particularly those of Portuguese descent born or long resident in the colony—to their homeland. It dismisses the rumour of Macau’s potential sale as baseless and attributes its propagation to ‘fraudulent historians’. The translation was officially verified by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton on 29 July 1891, serving both as a corrective to misinformation and as a reassurance to the Portuguese community in Macau. This primary source offers valuable insight into late 19th-century colonial policy, imperial identity, and the geopolitical perceptions surrounding Portuguese holdings in East Asia.

This 1891 diplomatic despatch, authored by Demetrio Cinatti, Consul of Portugal in Canton, constitutes a formal protest addressed to Sir Ly, Viceroy of the Two Guangs under the Qing Dynasty, concerning the destruction of Portuguese missionary properties in Hainan during civil disturbances in 1884. The document details the legal and historical grounds upon which the Portuguese mission’s claim for restitution is based, refuting Chinese provincial authorities’ assertions that the destroyed chapels were locally owned Christian structures dating from the Ming dynasty. Drawing on ecclesiastical law, treaty obligations, and empirical evidence—including financial records, prior compensation precedents, and official correspondence—the consul demonstrates that the chapels in Giang-tó (Siang-tô) and Wang-fo were constructed in 1795 by Portuguese missionaries on legally acquired land, maintained through foreign ecclesiastical funding, and remained under the exclusive ownership of the Catholic Church. The text further establishes that local officials were fully aware of these institutions, citing administrative actions from 1854 and 1880 as proof of official recognition. It condemns the Hainan authorities’ failure to protect the properties despite treaty guarantees, their fabrication of local consent, and their contradictory claims regarding the events. The despatch also invokes Portugal’s strict neutrality during the Sino-French War (1883–1885), contrasting it with the targeting of its missionaries, and appeals to the Viceroy’s sense of justice and diplomatic reciprocity in demanding full reparations.

This 1891 diplomatic document, originating from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton and dated 29 June, comprises a despatch enclosing anti-religious placards distributed in Guangdong during June of that year. The text includes translated excerpts of polemical broadsides targeting Christian missionary activity, particularly focused on derogatory depictions of Jesus Christ and foreign religious influence. The placards employ scatological and sacrilegious imagery, alleging abhorrent rituals involving human body parts and framing Christianity as morally corrupt and alien to Confucian values. Accompanying these is an engraved illustration of a crucified pig containing human organs and a child, alongside depictions of decapitated Europeans, underscoring the intensity of local hostility. The document further contains a formal notice issued by Demétrio Cinatti, Portuguese Consul in Canton, warning Portuguese subjects of rising tensions and the potential spread of unrest from the Yangtze Valley to Guangdong and Guangxi. Reference is made to a minor incident involving a Portuguese national that had been exaggerated within Chinese communities, prompting heightened diplomatic vigilance. The material reflects anxieties among foreign residents and consular authorities amid growing anti-missionary sentiment in late Qing China. Endorsed and verified by consulate officials—including Deydón Lizalde and D. Emaldi—this record serves as a primary source on Sino-foreign relations, religious conflict, and colonial-era perceptions in southern China at the end of the nineteenth century.

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 is a formal ecclesiastical dispatch dated 1 June 1891, issued by António, Bishop of Macau, to the Governor of Macau and Timor, in response to an official inquiry concerning the destruction of Catholic chapels in Hainan during the 1884 persecution. The document details the historical presence of Portuguese missionaries in Hainan since their initial establishment in 1630 by Father Bento de Mattos, including the founding of chapels in Kim-tchau-fu and interior settlements. It outlines the expulsion of Jesuits in 1769, the re-establishment of the mission in 1795, and subsequent French involvement until their withdrawal in 1876, after which Portuguese missionaries resumed control. The Bishop refutes claims that Chinese Christians owned or destroyed the chapels, asserting that all properties were constructed and maintained with mission funds—totaling nearly 3,000 taels by 1890—and thus belonged exclusively to the Catholic Church under canonical and treaty-based rights. He rejects the validity of forced apostasy declarations and denounces the Viceroy of the Two Quangs’ evasive responses to diplomatic inquiries, drawing parallels with prior cases involving French, British, and Spanish claims. The text includes detailed expenditures, administrative correspondence, and arguments for indemnity, emphasizing that just reparation is essential for the resumption of missionary activity. Attached documents substantiate financial outlays and diplomatic efforts, positioning the dispute within broader Sino-foreign treaty relations and colonial religious policy in late 19th-century South China.

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.

This official ecclesiastical dispatch, dated 1 June 1891, from António, Bishop of Macau, to the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires in China, forms part of a formal correspondence initiated in response to inquiries regarding missionary activities and Christian communities in southern China during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. The document, certified by both the General Secretariat of the Government of Macau and the Portuguese Consulate in Canton, provides retrospective information on three key incidents involving Catholic missions under the Diocese of Macau. It references the Jiang-tê incident of 1853–1854, detailing French consular intervention with the Canton Viceroy to resolve damages against Christians, though the source of the $200 compensation remains unclear. The text also outlines the acquisition of land at Hoi-haw for the Hainan mission through Joseph James Poynter, registered at the British consulate, illustrating external financial support from Macau. Additionally, it reports abuses against Christians in Coloane, Ngao-ca, and Siem-tin-san in February 1884, resolved through diplomatic representation by the French consul to the Tao-tai, resulting in restored peace. The document serves as a primary source on ecclesiastical administration, cross-colonial legal jurisdictions, and Sino-foreign relations in late Qing China, reflecting the interplay between religious missions, local resistance, and consular diplomacy in the South China coastal region.

This 1891 diplomatic dispatch, dated 23–24 June and originating from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton, documents escalating anti-European and anti-missionary unrest in southern China amid a broader wave of hostility spreading from central regions. The Viceroy of Canton, responding to inflammatory placards and public agitation, requested foreign consulates to suspend missionary activities to prevent violence, while an attempted arson attack on a missionary residence heightened tensions. With no warships present for protection, the consular corps coordinated emergency evacuation plans, designating the British consulate as a rallying point. A separate incident involving Agostinho de Jesus, a man of uncertain origin regarded as Portuguese, aboard the steamer *Honan*—in which he allegedly attacked a Chinese passenger—sparked exaggerated rumours of murder, prompting fears of mob retaliation. The situation was defused by preventing the steamer’s landing and dismissing the individual. The document attributes the wider disturbances not to organised political resistance by the Cau-lau-hui secret society, but to bands of disbanded soldiers and brigands exploiting anti-foreign sentiment to justify plunder. Authorities in Canton responded with repression, imprisoning those criticising Europeans. The anonymous correspondent, likely a Portuguese consular official, urges reinforcement of the naval presence in Chinese waters, arguing that existing forces are inadequate to protect Portuguese interests across Shanghai, Canton, Macau, and Hainan, particularly given the fragile security climate and potential for renewed violence linked to compensation claims.

This is a collection of official Qing dynasty proclamations and imperial decrees from June to July 1891, translated by the Portuguese Consulate in Canton for diplomatic dissemination. The documents include a proclamation issued on 4 July 1891 by Mang, acting Treasurer of Kwang-tung and First-Class Mandarinate official, and Ngo, Second-Class Mandarinate official and Criminal Commissioner under the Provincial Judge of Kwang-tung, addressing the circulation of anonymous anti-foreign religious placards and pamphlets in urban and rural areas. It reaffirms state-sanctioned tolerance of foreign missionaries, warns against public unrest, and urges local populations to maintain order and avoid complicity in disturbances. Complementing this is an imperial decree dated 23 June 1891, transmitted via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which responds to the arson attacks on Christian churches at M-hu (Fu-hui), Tau-yang (Kiang-su), and M-sue’ (Hu-fei) earlier that year. The decree asserts the government’s obligation under treaty provisions to protect foreign missions, attributes the violence to a coordinated bandit conspiracy exploiting sedition for robbery, and commands provincial authorities across Hu-kwang, Kiang-su, Ku-hui, Hu-peí, and Quiangos to arrest and execute perpetrators, suppress false rumours, and safeguard missionaries. Officials are instructed to expedite unresolved mission-related legal cases and ensure protection of foreign lives and property in treaty ports, with negligence subject to imperial scrutiny. Translations and certifications were carried out by Eduardo Marques, Interpreter, and Edmundo Marques, Consul, at the Portuguese Consulate in Canton between 26 June and 5 July 1891.