Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting
Transcription
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_001 ===
20º 171 S. 1877
CONSELHO GERAL DE PORTUGAL
EM
SHANGHAI
345
Shanghai 5 de Novembro de 1897
V 868
18-12-97
Nº 38 B
lito
Ilmo. Exmo. Snr.
Indice
Protesto do Corpo Diplomático em Peking, contra a
proibição do Tsung-li-yu-men
da instalação de bukchins
para a circulação da moeda
de prata por errada
aplicação dos tratados.
Tenho a honra de passar
as mãos de V. Exa. as inclusas
cópias das correspondências ultimamente trocadas entre este
Consulado e a Legação de
Portugal na China, sobre assum
fato que reputo de alta importância.
Deus guarde a V. Exa.
Ilmo. Exmo. Snr
Ministro e Secretário
d'Estado dos Negócios
Estrangeiros
Joaquim Maria Torga Veloso
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_002 ===
Legação de Portugal na China, Japão e Siam No. 56 —
Confidencial — Macau 10 de Outubro de 1897.
S. Exa. Sr. — Em 1 de Julho p.p. foi recebida nesta legação uma nota do Dong-by-yamen
data de 1 de Junho anterior em que o Governo do be
leste Império solicitava ao de Portugal a proibição
da venda de cunhar moedas, aos subditos chine
zes que não se mostrarem habilitados com licença
do Comissário das alfândegas imperiais para
as adquirirem — Desta nota depreende-se que
a fiscalização portugueza tem de exercer-se em ter
ritório Chino e em território portuguêz: No primei
ro, de modo que os subditos portuguezes não ven
dam clan destinadamenteemente as machinas aos sub
ditos chineses e no segundo, evitando-se que os
negociantes, portuguezes ou chineses, façam equ
al venda ou regularisando-se esta por forma
que tal commercio só possa ser feito entre os mesmos
negociantes e os chinas que tiverem licença para
adquirir aquellas machinas — Enquanto a
venda no território portuguêz Macau e suas de
pendências pertence exclusivamente ao governo
d'esta Colonia a regulamentar-a; pelo que res
peita à venda na China precisa é que esta Le
gação esteja d'acordo com o que fizerem ou tive
rem feito os representantes das diversas poten
cias estrangeiras junto do governo imperial, he
lo que em peço a V. Exa. que, por intermédio dos
Consules residentes n'essa cidade ou por outro
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_003 ===
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_004 ===
e de todos é sabido que não vale a pena a uma falsi---
ficação, pois nas actuaes sapecas o ferro tem
substituido quasi todo o cobre, e ao dimensões d'
ellas teem se tornado minimissimas. Não res---
pondi logo à confidencial de V. Exa., porque embora eu
conhecesse o estado da questão, não queria enviar
lhe a resposta, antes de feitas as indagações
que eram recommendadas, mas havendo me
ellas confirmado as minhas ideias, tomarei ago---
ra a liberdade de o fazer com certo desen---
volvimento por me parecer que ella podera
ser negreirida para inteligencia da questão.
Toda a gente conhece hoje os esforços feitos pelo
antigo Vice-Rei de Cantão, "Chang Ching Tung" pa---
ra introduzir na circulação monetária o dollar
fabricado sob a sua protecção nas casas de moeda
fundadas por elle em Cantão e Muchang, porque a
1ª: é certamente uma das melhores do mundo:
assim como todos reconhecem a necessidade da
China crear uma moeda nacional de prata, ne---
cessidade tanto mais imperiosa quanto maior se
tende o desenvolvimento do commercio, da na---
vegação e das vias da communicacão no Imperio.
Com resultado dos louvaveis esforços do dito Vice-Ri:
que de Cantão foi transferido a Muchang e d'alli
a Nanking, bem como das suas influencias com
o Vice-Rei Li do Petchili, a Corte imperial deu
a sua concerto ao curso legal do seu dollar em
4 províncias. ellas o lherem apenas fãe!...
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_005 ===
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_007 ===
Anexo ao officio d'elli Con sulado N°38B.
de 5 de novembro de 1897
fide dignas que tenho colhido a este respeito, pro---
testar contra a medida solicitada, sob o principal
fundamento de que machina alguma poderia ser
vir à cunhagem da moeda, logo que não fizes---
sem os cambios com os referidos desenhos, mas
provavelmente por querer evitar que com prete---
xto pretex to renascçam de novo as peças à
importação de quaequer machinas embora des---
tinadas a outros fins; por tal motivo, o Corpo consu---
lar d'este porto nunca teve conhecimento offici---
al do ofsumpto, e os Consules não receberam até
hoje instrucções algumas restrictivas de parte
dos seus governos— Devo porém accentuar que
este receio do Corpo diplomático, me parece tanto
mais fundado quanto é certo que visto a China
não ter sabido até hoje crear e metter na cir---
culação uma moeda de prata sua, ninguém
terá provavelmente interesse em importar ma---
chinas especiaes para a sua cunhagem. —
Devo guarde a v. Exa. Shanghai 26 d'outubro
de 1897 — Ilmo. Sr. Ministro Plenipotenciario de S. M. F.
na China, Japão e Siam r. 45 — @ Joaquim
Maria Travassos Valdez, Consul Geral
Estão conformes. Consulado geral da nação portugueza em
Shanghai aos 5 de novembro de 1897.
Joaquim Maria Travassos Valdez
Cousa C. Geral
Translation
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_001 ===
20º 171 S. 1877
GENERAL COUNCIL OF PORTUGAL
IN
SHANGHAI
345
Shanghai, 5 November 1897
V 868
18-12-97
No. 38 B
lito
Illustrious and Most Excellent Sir,
The Protector of the Diplomatic Corps in Peking has reported that the Tsung-li Yamen has prohibited the installation of bukchins for the circulation of silver currency, on the grounds of an incorrect interpretation of the treaties.
I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the enclosed copies of the correspondence recently exchanged between this Consulate and the Legation of Portugal in China concerning this matter, which I deem to be of considerable importance.
May God preserve Your Excellency.
Illustrious and Most Excellent Sir,
Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
Joaquim Maria Torga Veloso
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_002 ===
Legation of Portugal in China, Japan and Siam No. 5-6 —
Confidential — Macau, 10 October 1897.
Your Excellency — On 1 July last, this Legation received a note from the Tung-pao-yamen dated 1 June of the preceding month, in which the Government of the Celestial Empire requested that the Portuguese Government prohibit the sale of coinage machinery to Chinese subjects who cannot produce a licence issued by the Imperial Commissioner of Customs authorising such acquisition. From this communication it is clear that Portuguese oversight is required both within Chinese territory and within Portuguese territory. In the former case, to ensure that Portuguese subjects do not knowingly sell such machinery to Chinese subjects; in the latter, by preventing merchants—whether Portuguese or Chinese—from engaging in such sales, or else by regulating these transactions so that they may occur only between merchants and Chinese individuals holding valid licences for the acquisition of said machinery.
While the regulation of sales within the Portuguese territory of Macau and its dependencies falls exclusively under the authority of the colonial government, with regard to sales in China, it is necessary that this Legation coordinate its actions with those taken, or to be taken, by the representatives of the various foreign powers accredited to the Imperial Government. It is on this basis that I request Your Excellency, through the consuls resident in that city or by other means,
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_003 ===
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_004 ===
It is well known to all that counterfeiting is no longer profitable, as in the present coinage iron has almost entirely replaced copper, and the size of the coins has become exceedingly small. I did not respond immediately to Your Excellency’s confidential communication, because although I was aware of the general situation, I wished to conduct the necessary inquiries before replying. Having now completed these investigations—which have confirmed my own views—I venture to reply at some length, as I believe this may assist in clarifying the matter.
Everyone today is familiar with the efforts made by the former Viceroy of Canton, "Chang Ching Tung", to introduce into circulation the dollar minted under his supervision at the mints he established in Canton and Muchang—regarded as one of the finest coins in the world. Likewise, all acknowledge the necessity for China to establish a national silver currency, a need growing ever more pressing with the increasing development of commerce, navigation, and communication throughout the Empire.
As a result of the praiseworthy efforts of the said Viceroy of Canton—who was subsequently transferred from Canton to Muchang and thence to Nanking—as well as through his influence with Li, Viceroy of Pechili, the Imperial Court granted legal tender status to his dollar in four provinces. Yet they have done so only half-heartedly!...
=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_005 ===
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_006 ===
Translation:
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=== 1897 - Consular Letter to the Ministry of State and External Affairs about coin minting_page_007 ===
Annex to the Consul’s Office No. 38B, dated 5 November 1897.
Based on reliable information which I have obtained on this matter, I hereby formally protest against the proposed measure, principally on the grounds that no machine could be employed for coinage without substantial modifications to accommodate the specified designs. However, it is probable that the underlying intention is to prevent, under the pretext of such requirements, the renewed importation of any machinery, even if intended for other purposes. For this reason, the Consular Body at this port has never received official notification concerning this issue, nor have the Consuls, to date, received any restrictive instructions from their respective governments.
I must nevertheless emphasise that the concern expressed by the Diplomatic Body appears to me all the more justified given that, since China has hitherto been unable to establish and circulate its own silver currency, it is unlikely that any party would have a genuine interest in importing specialised machinery for its production.
Respectfully submitted to Your Excellency, Shanghai, 26 October 1897.
Illustrious Sir, Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King in China, Japan and Siam, No. 45.
Joaquim Maria Travassos Valdez,
Consul General
Certified as correct. General Consulate of the Portuguese Nation in Shanghai, 5 November 1897.
Joaquim Maria Travassos Valdez
Consul General