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This 1903 diplomatic and ecclesiastical correspondence, originating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal and addressed to the Secretary of State, concerns the contested implementation of a Holy See decree dated 3 February 1903 regarding the reorganisation of ecclesiastical jurisdictions in southern China. The document details negotiations between the Portuguese and French governments, with papal assent, to transfer jurisdiction of Hainan Island from the Diocese of Macau to the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton, in exchange for granting the Bishop of Macau authority over the Shao-King district. A dispute arises due to a perceived geographical error in the decree, which asserts territorial contiguity between Shao-King and Heung-Shan, despite intervening sub-districts—San-Ning, San-Ui, and Shum-Tak—belonging to Kwang-Chow. The Bishop of Macau, João Paulino de Azevedo e Castro, argues that the Holy See’s intention included these sub-districts and the island of Shan-Chau (St John’s Island), a site of religious significance. He attributes resistance from the Apostolic Prefecture of Canton to strategic opposition by French missionaries rather than genuine clerical concern. The text underscores Portugal’s determination to assert its ecclesiastical rights under the Concordats of 1857 and 1886, secure missionary access, and prevent further delays detrimental to spiritual and colonial interests. The document is accompanied by a map and urgent recommendations for clarification from the Holy See to ensure unambiguous jurisdictional transfer.
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This 1903 diplomatic correspondence comprises two official communications from the Portuguese Consulate General in Canton to the Governor of Macau, concerning legal and administrative challenges related to nationality and extraterritorial jurisdiction. The first document, dated 9 February 1903, authored by Acting Counsellor João Damaso da Costa Morais, reports a robbery case involving Li-Cuong (also known as Li-Ka-Ku), a Chinese mandarin recommended by the Portuguese government for a post under its jurisdiction. The author expresses concern over the implications of granting Portuguese nationality to Chinese subjects, including high-ranking officials, noting that such practices are contested by Chinese authorities who reject the legitimacy of these designations, particularly when conferred upon individuals with no physical ties to Macau. The second communication, dated 12 February 1903 and signed by Consul General João Damaso da Costa Moraes, transmits a request from the Viceroy of Canton for the arrest of two Chinese debtors, Chiong-ngo-hong and Kii-ioc-shii, alleged to have fled to Macau to evade repayment of a HK$468 debt owed to Watkins Limited in Hong Kong. Together, these documents highlight tensions surrounding colonial subjecthood, cross-border legal accountability, and Sino-Portuguese relations in late Qing China, offering valuable insight into the administration of foreign concessions and the complexities of nationality policy in the Portuguese enclave of Macau.
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The Boletim do Governo Eclesiástico da Diocese de Macau was a periodical published by the Diocese of Macau.