Office of the Historian

No. 517.
Mr. Lewis to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
Lisbon, February 4, 1874. (Received February 28.)
No. 73.]

Sir: I have just received from the minister for foreign affairs a certified copy of a proclamation issued by His Majesty the King of Portugal, setting forth that great and frequent complaints having been made to His Majesty’s government of the introduction of coolies from China into the port of Macao for transportation to foreign countries, which traffic is not only prohibited by the laws of Portugal, but is repugnant to the spirit of Christian civilization, therefore His Majesty commands that the civil governor at Macao, and all other Portuguese authorities, shall adopt vigorous measures to suppress the traffic aforesaid, and punish all offenders against the law in this respect, and that the repressive measures now employed by the British authorities at Hong-Kong shall be employed by the Portuguese authorities at Macao, and the dependencies of Portugal under the jurisdiction of the civil governor at that place.

I am happy to be able to add, that I have good reason for believing that the Portuguese government are in earnest in their expressed determination to suppress this traffic in the dependencies of the kingdom.

With, &c.,

CH. H. LEWIS.
[Inclosure in No. 226 from the consul at Hong-Kong.—Translation.]

Proclamation of the Governor of Macao.

No. 89.

The Governor of the Province of Macao and Timor and its dependencies, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Most Faithful Majesty in China, Japan, and Siam, &c, &c.

In obedience to the orders from His Majesty’s government the following, is enacted:

“The Chinese emigration hitherto carried on in the port of Macao is henceforward prohibited.

“In conformity with the provisions of article 83 of the Emigration Regulations, this determination shall be complied with within three months after this date.

“Let the competent authorities take note and execute the present proclamation.

“Government-house at Macao, 27th December, 1873.

“VISCONDE DE S. JANUARIO,
“Governor of the Province, &c.”