Your search

This document is a diplomatic correspondence from the Consulado de Portugal em Cantão, dated 1898, addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon. The letter reports on the prohibition by the Vice-Rei of Cantão of rice exports from China beyond the amount required for domestic consumption, citing official measures taken under imperial authority. The Portuguese consul notes that this restriction affects trade and supply, particularly concerning provisions for residents in the colony, and highlights the difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies due to these prohibitive regulations. The text references the involvement of higher authorities, including the Minister of the Navy, and expresses the consul’s intent to communicate further details to the Portuguese government. The document includes a formal closing with religious invocation and bears the signature of J. M. e L. S., likely the consular official. The content provides insight into colonial trade dynamics, administrative responses to food scarcity, and intergovernmental communication during late 19th-century Sino-Portuguese relations. It reflects tensions between local governance and foreign commercial interests within the context of Qing-era economic policy and European consular diplomacy in southern China. The handwritten date in red ink remains partially illegible, but the year 1898 is confirmed. This archival material offers valuable evidence for scholars studying imperial trade restrictions, consular reporting, and the socio-economic conditions in Canton during the period.

This abstract presents a transcription of a historical document, dated June 1878, detailing export statistics from Brazil's Carioca region. The document, formatted as a formal report, records trade data for the first quarter of 1878, focusing on artisanal goods, tea, chicken eggs, and manure. Key figures include specific quantities of exported items such as "batifis" and "etilas" (Chinese porcelain), medicinal products, paper, rebo residue, rebo fabric, and prepared materials. The report highlights the economic significance of these exports, particularly in relation to the rebo industry, which was supplemented by legumes, medicines, starches, and tobacco. Located in the Carioca region, this document provides valuable insights into 19th-century Brazilian trade patterns, emphasizing the interplay between local production and international markets. Researchers will find this transcription essential for understanding the economic dynamics of the period, particularly the role of artisanal and agricultural exports in shaping Brazil's early industrial economy.

This consular dispatch, dated 5 November 1897, was issued by Joaquim Maria Travassos Valdez, Portuguese Consul General in Shanghai, to the Ministry of State and External Affairs in Lisbon. It concerns a prohibition issued by the Tsung-li-yamen—the Qing dynasty’s foreign affairs bureau—banning the installation of mechanized coin presses (bukchins) for silver coinage, on grounds of treaty infringement. The communication includes transmittal of confidential correspondence between the Portuguese Legation in Beijing and the Shanghai Consulate, originally forwarded from Macau on 10 October 1897, which details diplomatic efforts to contest the restriction. Central to the exchange is the regulation of machine exports to Chinese entities, particularly the requirement for customs permits to prevent unauthorized minting operations. The document highlights inter-imperial diplomatic coordination among foreign powers operating in China, reflecting shared commercial interests in circumventing Qing monetary controls. It references the initiative of former Viceroy Chang Ching-tung to introduce a standardized silver dollar in Canton and Muchang, which achieved limited legal tender status across four provinces—an early attempt at monetary reform amid growing fiscal decentralization. The correspondence underscores the tension between expanding foreign economic influence and the Qing state’s attempts to assert sovereignty over currency production during a period of intensified semi-colonial penetration. An endorsement by the Consul General certifies the authenticity of the enclosed records, reinforcing their administrative and evidentiary value.

This 1897 consular report, authored by Joaquim Elias Fonseca Valdez, Portuguese Consul in Shanghai, provides a detailed account of the socio-economic development and institutional consolidation of the Macanese community in Shanghai during the late nineteenth century. The document notes a significant demographic increase, with the Portuguese colony nearly doubling in size over the preceding decade, attributable to migration from other Chinese ports and a growing willingness among Macanese residents to register under Portuguese consular protection—marking a shift from earlier practices of concealing Portuguese affiliation due to the lack of a formal treaty between Portugal and the Qing Dynasty. The expansion of consular services—including civil registration, notarial functions, and property titling under Portuguese jurisdiction—enhanced legal security and fostered greater community integration within the foreign concession system. Economically, the Macanese were predominantly engaged in commercial, administrative, and clerical positions, leveraging their multilingual abilities and Western-style education, though industrial participation remained limited. A key focus of the report is the establishment of a cooperative society modeled on the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers (founded 1844), presented as a vehicle for economic self-reliance and collective advancement. The consul emphasizes the cooperative’s potential to promote financial independence and recommends official Portuguese support for similar initiatives in major regional hubs such as Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. By advocating for institutionalized economic cooperation, the report reflects broader aspirations for strengthening Portugal’s commercial presence in East Asia through its diasporic communities.

This 1895 official correspondence, authored by Joaquim Belisário Caldas, Chief Counselor of the Portuguese Consulate in Canton (Guangzhou), addresses a high-ranking official of the Portuguese Empire regarding the insolvency of two establishments named "Hotel Victoria" in Hong Kong and Canton. Although operated by Chinese proprietors, both businesses were registered under Portuguese legal protection—a common practice enabling Chinese entrepreneurs to circumvent restrictions on commercial activity within foreign concessions by affiliating with Portuguese nationals. The letter outlines the administrative procedures for declaring bankruptcy in colonial jurisdictions, emphasizing the challenges of financial oversight in extraterritorial settings. Caldas reports unsuccessful efforts to recover outstanding debts, noting only partial restitution: $81.00 was collected through the representative of Colonel D. Brenau, Vice Colonel Bourne. Unclaimed funds were subsequently transferred into state revenue in accordance with fiscal protocols. A notable issue involved approximately $9.50 in small-denomination receipts (ranging from $0.15 to $0.20), submitted without identifiable claimants. Given the absence of clear ownership, Caldas recommends depositing these sums into the consular treasury pending potential future claims, subject to formal approval by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The document provides critical insight into late 19th-century colonial economic structures, particularly the reliance on nominal foreign sponsorship for local enterprises and the complexities of cross-jurisdictional financial administration. It also illustrates bureaucratic responses to commercial failure in treaty-port China, where overlapping legal regimes and informal economies complicated accountability.

This 1892 diplomatic dispatch from Demetrio Cimatti, Portuguese Consul in Canton (Guangzhou), to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, provides a critical assessment of proposed tariff reforms concerning Macau’s commercial integration into the Portuguese imperial economy. The report examines three parliamentary initiatives—by Deputy Horta e Costa, Count de Castro, and Legislative Bill No. 84—advocating a 50% reduction in customs duties on goods originating in Macau when imported into Portugal and its territories. These measures aimed to stimulate local industry and strengthen Portuguese maritime trade, yet Cimatti raises substantial fiscal and strategic objections. He warns that the anticipated revenue loss could exceed 300 contos de reis annually, with limited economic return due to Macau’s constrained industrial base and minimal domestic production capacity. Historical precedent, such as the ineffective 1889 tax incentives for Macau tea exports, underscores his skepticism about the efficacy of such protectionist policies. Cimatti argues that the primary beneficiaries would be foreign merchants exploiting the preferential regime, rather than Portuguese producers or shippers. Moreover, he highlights the inability of Portuguese shipping lines to compete with established foreign carriers, undermining the goal of fostering national maritime commerce. The consul further cautions against incorporating reciprocal clauses in future trade agreements that might extend similar concessions to other colonies or foreign entities, potentially eroding metropolitan fiscal autonomy. Emphasizing Portugal’s broader financial constraints, he recommends targeted relief only for specific Macau industries proven capable of sustainable growth.