Para o posto de hoje seleccionei um pequeno texto publicado num jornal impresso na China nos primeiros anos do século 20 com um 'retrato' resumido do que era o território...
Macao is situated in 22 deg 11 min 30 sec N latitude and 113 deg 32 min 30 sec E longitude on a rocky peninsula renowned long before the Portuguese settled on it for it safe harbour for junks and small vessels. The Portuguese who had already settled on the island of Lampacao and frequented for trading purposes Chin chew Lianpo Tamao and San choan St John's Island where Francis Xavier the celebrate missionary died, first took up their residence at Macao in 1557.
Shortly after their arrival pirates and adventurers from the neighbouring islands commenced to molest them. The Chinese authorities were powerless to cope with these marauders who went so far as to blockade the port of Canton. The Portuguese manned and armed a few vessels and succeeded in raising the blockade of Canton and clearing the seas. The town of Macao soon afterwards began to rise and during the eighteenth century trade flourished there the difficulty of residence at Canton greatly contributing towards it.
Macao is situated in 22 deg 11 min 30 sec N latitude and 113 deg 32 min 30 sec E longitude on a rocky peninsula renowned long before the Portuguese settled on it for it safe harbour for junks and small vessels. The Portuguese who had already settled on the island of Lampacao and frequented for trading purposes Chin chew Lianpo Tamao and San choan St John's Island where Francis Xavier the celebrate missionary died, first took up their residence at Macao in 1557. Shortly after their arrival pirates and adventurers from the neighbouring islands commenced to molest them. The Chinese authorities were powerless to cope with these marauders who went so far as to blockade the port of Canton. The Portuguese manned and armed a few vessels and succeeded in raising the blockade of Canton and clearing the seas. The town of Macao soon afterwards began to rise and during the eighteenth century trade flourished there the difficulty of residence at Canton greatly contributing towards it.
The East India Company and the Dutch Compan festablishments in Macao. Historians are divided in opinion as to whether the possession of Macao by the Portuguese was originally due to Imperial bounty or to conquest. There can be no doubt however that it was held at a rental of 500 taels a year until Governor Ferreira do Amaral in 1848 refused to pay the rental any longer and forcibly drove out the Chinese Custom house and with it every vestige of Chinese authority. This bold stroke cost him his life on 22nd August 1849 for he was waylaid and barbarously murdered near the Barrier of Porta Cerco and his head was taken to Canton. The sovereignty of Portugal over the peninsula was however formally recognised by China in the Treaty signed with Portugal in 1887. The colony is separated from the large island of Heang shan by an arch built in the year 1870 at the end of the narrow connecting sandy isthmus.
Two principal ranges of hills one running from south to north the other from east to west may be considered as forming an angle the base of which leans upon the river or anchorin place. The public and private buildings a cathedral and several churches are rais on the declivities skirts and heights of hillocks. On the lofty mount eastward called Charil is a fort enclosing the hermitage of Na Sra de Guia and westward is Lillau on the top of which stands the hermitage of Na Sra da Penha entering a wide semicircular bay which faces the east on the right hand stands the fort San Francisco and on the left that of N Sra de Bom Parto.
The Cathedral is a large plain structure having no architectural pretensions and the various parish churches are stucco edifices ugly without and tawdry within. Pleasant excursions can be made to the Hot Springs of Yô mak about sixteen miles from Macao accessible by steam launch. In winter snipe are to be found in the neighbourhood and afford good sport.
After the cession of Hongkong to the British the trade of Macao declined rapidly and the coolie traffic subsequently developed there gave it a certain notoriety. This traffic pregnant with abuses was abolished in 1874. Tea continues to be an article of export also fire crackers tobacco and preserves essential oils are also export to some extent. There is likewise some trade in opium, silk filature brick and cement works and other factories have also been established.
The commercial activity of the place however so far as the Portuguese are concerned is a thing of the past is still a fair native trade carried on the value of which according to the Chinese Customs returns from Lappa in 1902 reached Tls 16,898,378 as compared with Tls 14,606,412 in 1901. As the harbour is fast silting up however most of the native trade will soon desert the place unless efficient dredging operations are inaugurated.
Some work has recently been done in this direction but the operations have been on a small scale. The Home Government have however approved of an extensive scheme for the improvements of the harbour but full details up to the time of publication have not been announced.
Owing to its being open to the south west breezes and the quietude always prevailing Macao has become a frequent retreat of invalids and business men from Hongkong and other neighbouring ports conducted hotels the Boa Vista, the Macao Hotel and the Hotel Internacional.
The Hongkong Canton and Macao Steamboat Company runs a daily steamer, sundays except between Macao and Hongkong leaving the former port at 8'o clock am and Hongkong at 2 pm. Another company runs a regular steamer daily between Hongkong and Macao. Between Macao and & Canton there is a daily steam service, sundays excepted. The distance from Macao to Hongkong is 40 miles and to Canton 88 miles. Macao is connected with Hongkong by telegraph.
The population of Macao with its dependencies of Taipa and Colouan according to returns made in 1896 was Chinese 74,568 Portuguese 3,898 other nationalities 161 or a total of 78,627. Of the Portuguese 3,106 were natives of Macao, 615 natives of Portugal and 177 natives of other Portuguese possessions. Of the foreigners 80 were natives of Great Britain. In November 1901 an Envoy Extraordinary arrived from Portugal his mission being to arrange with the Chinese Government for a delimitation of the boundary of the Colony. The line of demarcation submitted by the Envoy included certain islands which the Chinese Government refused to acknowledge as being part of the Portuguese colony and the Envoy while not successful in gaining this point secured a concession for a railway from Macao to Canton. Since the Boxer trouble Macao has been garrisoned with European Portuguese troops.
in The Directory & Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits... 1904.
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