Macao, W. P. Jones Consul
September, 30 - 1864
I have the honor to submit my annual report for the year closing as above. Macao is a short irregular narrow peninsula of the great island of Keang Shan constituting almost the entire southwestern shore of the Gulf of Sintin the estuary of the Canton or Pearl river.
A flat sandy isthmus more than a mile long though scarcely forty paces broad connects it with the main island. Across the middle of this isthmus lie the ruins of an ancient barrier wall marking the Portuguese limits.
The city is situated in north latitude 22 12 longitude 113 31 east from Greenwich and is thus almost due south from Canton distant about ninety miles and due west from Hong Kong some forty miles. Immediately west of it the great West river Si Kiang enters the sea freighted with immense traffic which should find here its most natural communication with foreign commerce.
Under present restrictions but a small portion of it comes hither and that for the most part illicitly. This grand island of Keang Shan lying between the wealth laden Canton and West rivers and upon the sea should certainly under good government.
Lecome the Manhattan of southern China Situated barely within the northern tropic a picturesque promontory projecting boldly into the sea and fanned by the southwest and northwest monsoons.
Macao enjoys a salubrious and generally delightful climate that renders it the sanitarium of China. The equability of the temperature is remarkable the mercury never so far as I have experienced rising to above Fahrenheit 100 in the shade or falling below 36o. The mean maximum in a series of years for July the warmest month was 87 the minimum for January the coldest month 46o. (...)
The entire population of the Macao peninsula by calculation based on a late census is estimated at 105,800, classed as Europeans 800, Creoles and Mestizos 5,000, Chinese 100,000.
With such a climate and such a system of manuring as produce four crops per year it is still wonderful what an amount these frugal and industrious natives gather from the small area of arable land within this petty territory.
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Of course Macao is too insignificant in extent to render its agricultural products of any commercial importance. Like Hong Kong this is a consuming not a producing colony, a mere coast station for distribution into and collection of exports from China proper as such its market abounds with all the fruits and staples of this fertile tropical clime from the neighboring shores and island while its own gardens supply it bountifully with European vegetables and contribute of the same to the markets of Hong Kong and the open ports north.
The industrial energies of Macao are employed principally as follows viz In drying sorting firing and boxing tea a large business preparing and cassia and their oils for exportation bottling and casing it in gold beating and sugar refining in making Chinese cigarettes for the coast and straits trade a large business making vermilion umbrellas, fire crackers, incense sticks, camphor wood trunks, desks and bureaus bamboo and ratan work.
It is impossible to ascertain the amount of capital invested in these employments but it is safe to say they engage fully one fifth of the Chinese population or about 20,000 persons.
In the early part of the seventeenth century immediately preceding the exclusion of foreigners from Japan the commercial prosperity of Macao excited the wonder and envy of all Europe.
Many of the mansions of the merchant princes of those days almost palatial in their extent still remain to attest the opulence of their first masters and maintain some air at least of the city's ancient importance and glory.
It cannot be denied that the impolicy of the Macao authorities in persistently demanding heavy import and export levies long after they had good reason to know that these very duties were impelling the English and other traders to run the risks of smuggling rather than submit had much to do with hastening and aggravating their misfortune.
On the other hand the existing abolition of all imposts, the extreme liberality of the present authorities, together with low rents and exemption from taxes the much greater security to life and property here than in the other China ports under the superior police force and regulations of this colony are now promising to effect a favorable reaction in its favor.
Since the closing of the custom house little or no effort has been made to collect the statistics of trade until since the accession of the present governor.
Since the first of January last all masters of vessels have been required to furnish the captain of the port manifests of inward and outward cargoes with estimated value. Of course while the Macao government has no direct pecuniary interest in the correctness of these figures and the jealousies of merchants induce them to conceal their transactions from each other the manifests can be regarded as mere approximations much below the actual values. From these data to which the truth would I am fully persuaded add at least a third we learn that the imports during the first six months of 1864 amounted to an average rate of above five millions per annum being more than the exports of all China in 1830 or any year previous that I find reported except 1805 which were about the same.
So that were the profits of this trade what they once were Macao might still be opulent. The inner harbor of Macao is one of the safest havens on the China coast being perfectly land locked but unfortunately a sand bar renders its entrance impossible to vessels of heavy burden.
The Macao roads are entirely safe and commodious but some four miles distant which when a high sea is running proves a serious disadvantage. His excellency the present governor promises to dredge the bar hindering entrance to the inner harbor which it is hoped will be accomplished at an early day.
There is no American capital employed at Macao except in merchandising and this is done at present principally through agents of firms at Hong Kong what direct American trade may have hitherto existed at Macao having been totally arrested by the accidents of war.
The purchases of American houses made at this port during the preceding year probably reached the sum of 350,000 entirely for European trade or if for shipment to the United States to be delivered at Hong Kong whence they were invoiced I have no doubt that would several enterprising American firms taking advantage of the present liberal policy of this government resolve to establish houses at Macao they might transact a very profitable business.
in Commercial Relations of the United States with Foreign Countries. 1865
