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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.
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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.