The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-15
THE PILOT.
From the Boston .atlas.
THE EARLY HISTORY OE CHINA
FIRST NuROPEAN LNTERCNuIssE

/
| guese, in 1916, first arrived in Canton. They
appear to have early made an unfavorable i'm
preston upon the minds of the Chinese. who
were soon disguised by their grasping avaricc.
| They were afterwards still more unfavorablv
regarded when they came to be competitors
with the Dutch and the English The hostility
OF the people OF different nations, but who APP
peared to the Chinese to be all alike, naturally
created Ia the minds OF the latter ieaIousv If
men SO dlstrustful Of each other, and who were
| in constant hostIlities one with another. Their
conduct was the more marked, from the contrast
which 1t exhibited with the peaceable deport-
ment OF their predecessors, the Arabs
| The first places Of resort to the Portuguese
were the islands at the mouth of the Canton
river. The vessel despatched by Alfonzo Albu-
| querque, the Captain-ge neral of Malacca reach
ed one OF these, under the command of Peres-
| trello, and, as his Eoyage proved very success
| full, it had the effect of engaging others in sImI
lar enterprises. Being distinguished as the first
person who ever conducted ship to China un-
der European flag, he was followed in the en-
suing year by fleet of eight vessels, under the
command of Perez de Andrade who on reach
ing the coast was surrounded by iunks of war,
and his movements watched with suspicion He
was, however, permitted to proceed with two
OF his vessels to Canton; nd, while successful
| ly negotiating for a trade, received accounts
that the remainder Of his fleet had been attacked
by pirates. Some of his vessels returned with
| cargoes TO Malacca; the remainder sailed in
| company with some Junks, belonging to the Loo
clloo Islands, for the province of Foidien on the
east coast, and succeeded in establishing colo
ny at Ningpo The Portuguese subsequently
brought their families to that port, carving on
galniul trade with other parts of China, as well
as with Japan. But in the year 1916 the pro-
vincial government, provoked by their i'll con.
duct, expelled them from the place; and thus was
forever lost to them an establishment on the
continent OF China, in enc of the provinces of
the empire best adapted to the ends of European
trade
The general behavior of the Portuguese had.
from the first, been calculated to obiterate the
favorable impression which the Chinese had
received from the justice and moderation of
Perez de Andrade. Only shortly after his visit,
squadron, under the orders of his brother
Simon, was engaged in open hostilities, having
established colony at San Shan, near Macao.
| (vulgarly called st. Johns, and erected fort
there: they were finally defeated by Chinese
naval force, but continued to commit acts of
piracy on the native trading vessels Subse
| quently to this career of violence, and during
the more recent periods of their connexion
with China at Macao, the Portuguese appear,
on the other hand, TO have entertained too ex-
IRENE an apprehension of giving umbrage to
the native government; and while they imagi-
ned they were securing favor to themselves,
their conduct has often served to encourage
Chinese encroachment.
The first Portuguese embassy, and Of the FIRST
| from any European power by sea, to Picking.
mas Pirez, the object being to establish facto-
ry at Canton, as well as Macao. Advices, how
ever, had preceded him of the i'll conduct and vi
| olence of Simeon de Andrade; and, after course
of humiliation, the unfortunate Pirez was sent
back under custody to Canton, the provincial
| government OF which place thus early showed its
| jealousy of any attempt on the part of strangers
to communicate with the court Pirez. on his
arrival, was robbed of his property, thrown into
prison, and ultimately, it is supposed, put to
death. The various embassies, which have since
followed in three successive centuries, to Picking,
have met with different kinds of treatment but.
in whatever spirit conducted, they have been e.
qually unsuccessful in the attainment of any i'm
portant points of negotiation.
l. In the following year Alfonso de Melo arrived
in China, ignorant CT the events which had Ia
ken place, and having altogether six vessels un-
der his command. sEThese,n a Portuguese 'wri-
ter observes, osent on shore for water, but re-
turned with bloed." They became Immediately
involved in conflicts with the Chinese, who put
to death upwards of twenty prisoners that fell
into their hands; and the squadron shortly after
wards sailed away from China.
Previous to the arrival OF Europeans on its
shores, the government of the country gave every
encouragement to foreign commerce, and at a
very early period Chinese iunks proceeded to
the coasts of the peninsula OF India Statistical
records exist to the present day, having refer
ence to foreign intercourse, which display per-
feet knowledge OF the advantages of trade and
form striking contrast TO the indifference which
the present Tartar government affects to feel
| towards it. Subsequent to a temporary prohbi-
ton of foreign trade, certain Fooyuen Of Can
ton thus addressed the Emperor:-sA great part
of the necessary expenses of both the govern
ment and the people of Canton Is supplied by
the customs levied ON merchants; and if foreign
ships do not come, both public and private con-
Germs are thrown into much embarrassment and
distress. 1t is entreated, therefore, that the
Franks be permitted to trade. Three or four ad-
vantages result therefrom. In the first place,
besides the regular tribute of the several foreign
States, small per centage has been taken from
the remainder, adequate to the supply of the
provincial expenditure. Secondly, the treasury
appropriated for the annual supply of the army
In Canton and Quong-sy is entirely drained, and
our dependence Is on trade to provide against
exigencies. Thirdly, the contiguous province
has looked to Canton for supplies, being unable
to comply with any demands made on it; but
when foreign ships have free intercourse, then
high ana low are all mutually supplied. Fourth
ly, the people live by commerce. A man hold
ing a quantity of goods sells them, and procures
what himself requires: thus things pass frem
hand to hand, and, IN their course, supply men
with food and raiment. The government is
thereby assisted, the people enriched, and both
have means afforded them on which they may
depend" Admissions of similar nature, and Of
very late date, contained in addresses from the
provincial government to Picking, have proved
that the Chinese authorities are by no means un-
mindful of the revenues derived irem the Euro
pean trade.
1t was about the middle of the sixteenth CEN
fury that the Portuguese established themselves
at Macao, the only European colony that, with
very limited success, has been planted on the /
coast of China; it seems that they had Temporal
ry shelter ON the shore as early as 1887 BY
bribery and solicitation, leave was obtained for
erecting sheds to dry goods, which were intro
duced under the name of tribute. The foreign
ers were by degrees permitted to build substan-