Vésperas da primeira guerra do ópio

Na véspera da (Primeira) Guerra do Ópio eis alguns artigos do jornal The Canton Register com referências a Macau.

A guerra começou em Setembro de 1839 e terminou em Agosto de 1842. Foi travada entre a Companhia Britânica das Índias Orientais e a Dinastia Qing da China, depois das autoridades chinesas terem proibido o comércio do ópio a partir de Cantão e também de Macau. Milhares de caixas de ópio foram confiscadas e os ingleses foram mesmo expulsos de Cantão refugiando-se primeiro em Macau e depois em Hong Kong. 

O navio britânico Nemesis (ao fundo à dta.) atacando juncos chineses em Janeiro de 1841
Pintura de E. Duncan em 1843

11 Junho 1839

Notice, 10th June 1839 – M/s Markwick and Smith are proprietors of the ferries Sylph, Alpha, Union and Rover. The numbers of our passengers has become small and we do not know how long we will be able or allowed to maintain the Canton / Macau service.

For the time being voyages to / from Macau and Canton, touching Lintin, will be $20 per head. Tickets to Kum Sing Mun and Hong Kong will be $25. No cargo is allowed and the attached Regulations of the General Chamber will be enforced. Baggage may be landed at the small Customs House on the Praia Grande but dutiable cargo (goods and silver) must be discharged at the inner harbour Customs House.

We no longer have a representative at Canton. C Lloyd will handle the boats there. Apply to him for passage and pay him for any mail you wish to send. All credit arrangements for cargo to Canton have ceased.

27 Agosto 1839

Astell, the former member of the Company’s Select Committee, met with the Portuguese governor on Sunday 25th August and then circulated British subjects recommending they leave Macau by noon on Monday 26th August.

He fears an attack on our homes. In consequence to his circular, many English assembled on the Praia Grande and spent the night there. Some were armed. In the morning they embarked on boats for the vessels at the Taipa anchorage.

5 Novembro 1839

On the evening of 3rd November we heard that hostilities between China and England had commenced. There has been an action at the Bogue but no details are available.

The boats of HM Ships arrived off the Praia Grande that evening to take off any Englishmen who felt their residence in the Portuguese city might be imperilled (Editor – there are about fifty left). This is a bit surprising for if we go to war with China, we will have to occupy Macau as a base from which to fight.

19 Novembro 1839

Editorial – The attack on the schooner Black Joke has erroneously been attributed to pirates instead of the Chinese government. It was just like the attack on the Bilbaino for which Lin rewarded the arsonist with 200 Taels. Recently one of the Linguists, in the hearing of some British merchants on the Praia Grande, wondered “why is the Commissioner so adamant the Lam Wai Hei murderer be surrendered, when he himself has caused the death of six Lascars and rewarded the men who did it?” When the Britons approached the Linguist and said they believed the attack was the work of pirates, that Linguist scoffed, saying all Canton knew the truth. How can we negotiate with Lin until his role in this attack has been ascertained. We cannot recommence trade until this attack has been disowned by the Chinese government.