A. H. Wilzer

“ First and foremost, if Macao is to remain a port of any importance whatever, it is necessary that Portugal should permit the Colony to undertake the dredging of the approaches to the port. The next most important step would appear to be the establishment of a bonded warehouse, in which goods could be placed on arrival under the charge of responsible persons, so that the banks might be induced to make on them advances necessary to expedite the movement of shipping. ”

“ The chief cause of difficulty is the fact that Hongkong and Macao have become refuges for the pirates and their bases of operation. In each place they have their chiefs, and in each they form themselves into organised bands, each with its special designation, and from each they send forth parties to levy blackmail. The rich merchant living in a populous hamlet or a town, the poor potter in the open country, and the agriculturist farming the land — each is victimised in turn. ”

“ The causes which led to the establishment of these stations were the enormous quantities of opium that were smuggled from Hongkong and Macao into China. Fleets of junks, engaged in this illicit trade were accustomed to rendezvous in both places, from which, if circumstances favoured them, they would slip away quietly with their cargo; but, if they could not do that, being well manned and heavily armed, they were not only able, but ready, to match themselves against any preventative force that could be sent to intercept them. ”

“ British merchants, when opium is brought into port, will be obliged to have it taken cognizance of by the Customs, and deposited in bond, either in a warehouse or a receiving hulk, until such time as there is a sale for it. ”

“ As soon as a junk arrives at Kongmoon banks are ready to make advances against the cargo, which enable the consignees to expedite the vessel's discharge and to purchase return cargo at once, with the result that a larger number of voyages can be made in the year and capital turned over more frequently. In consequence, a larger portion of the west coast trade tends each year to leave Macao in favour of Kongmoon. ”

“ Permission to import arms is granted by authorities, when the application is made by responsible persons. Without such official sanction import is forbidden to foreigners under the Treaties, and to Chinese under special and severe regulations. Unless, therefore, strict control is kept over junks in this respect, they would be able to sell their armament inland and to replenish it on their return to Macao, with the result that the evil-disposed would be able to supply themselves freely with arms of precision. ”

“ The liberal manner in which the foreign inspectorate of Chinese Customs has treated the Chinese merchants of Macao, by abolishing taxes on their trade and granting them concessions—a treatment which has given a large impetus to trade. ”

“ The Governor of Hongkong having long complained of the interference of the Canton Customs revenue cruisers with the junk trade of that Colony, the Chinese Government agrees to the appointment of a commission, to consist of a British Consul, an officer of the Honkong Government, and a Chinese official of equal rank, in order to the establishment of some system that shall enable the Chinese Government to protect its revenue without prejudice to the interests of the Colony ”

“ The evil, however, is rapidly increasing, and must be dealt with in the near future, if Macao is to remain a port at all. Chinese merchants aver that, owing to the annually decreasing depth of water in the outer anchorage, the trade formerly enjoyed by Macao with the Chao Chow Prefecture has been diverted to Hongkong. Finally, native traders maintain that the absence of banks which would advance on a junk's cargo as soon as it reached port militate strongly againgst Macao's trade. ”

“ From this blackmail very large sums are realised, and form a fund for the bribery of the foreign police, for the purchase of arms, for the issue of compassionate allowances to the wounded and the families of the killed, the balance only being distributed among the members. The ramifications of these gangs are deep and stable, and their fraternity very numerous; and in every respect they differ altogether from pirates and desperadoes elsewhere. ”

“ Arms also continue to be smuggled in large quantities into the interior by passengers or gangs of coolies, specially engaged for this purpose, who pack among their luggage rifles and revolvers which have been previously taken to pieces to facilitate hiding. It is impossible to search all passengers and coolies, and the handsome profits gained prompt them to run many risks. ”

“ Such a railway, if it were not too heavily handicapped at the outset by the large outlay of capital required to provide the bridges to cross the net-work of creeks and rivers in the delta should be successful, and would certainly prove of great advantage to the traders and travelling public in the many large towns of the district that it would traverse. ”

“ It was first observed in the least sanitary and most densely populated Chinese quarters, whence the germs spread all over the place, chiefly through infected rats. The rats invaded some of the best situated and thoroughly disinfected foreign houses on the hills, where, in their hasty flight for safety, they had sought refuge, and were found dying or dead in the woodwork of the ceilings and in the roofs. ”

“ These only organise together when they contemplate a coup, and distribute there and then among their members any loot they may secure; while, in the case of the Hongkong and Macao pirates, if they wish to hire vessels, the Chinese authorities have no power to intervene; if they wish to purchase arms, the Chinese authorities have no power to prevent them; if they propose to act in concert, the Chinese authorities have no power to intercept them ”

“ Opium, cotton goods, woollen goods, metals, raw Indian cotton, Japanese matches, kerosene oil, and rice.
The principal exports from China into Macao are: Eggs, palm-leaf fans, mats, pigs, poultry, silk piece goods, sugar, tobacco leaf, and timber.
The total tonnage—entries and clearances—of junks passing the Lappa Stations has averaged annually during the last decade 870,000 tons; and the value of this trade Hk. Tls. 16,000,000. The revenue collected on behalf of the Chinese Government during the same period amounted to about Hk. Tls. 400,000 a year. ”