The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-30

| Inc emplOym00U Oh 6uCn nHUlNS enlulelb wan
recognized as n necessity by, the Portuguese
from the moment they secured n footing on the
n InGT1 f GSSs': i5 Ths to G fg5S, prS wstnh P tSs iir@
establishment OF the Mogul Empire. gave, them
salI a cFTpbtn a Sr IN w sIssr to %h fsrf tb out Md 6seIr Enc me
pirc laid upon the peninsula OF Hndosta1 after
1000 held such schemes in allowance during
MoGul, Empire rendered possible a revival OF
struggle which ensued. England emerged as
the sovereign power in India.
'.
The drain upon Portuga! for the maintenance
of her armies and fleets in Asia, although far
beyond her normal resources. was for a time.
hut only for a time, repaid by an approach to
a monopoly Of the 1ndo-European trade. TIL
volume Of that trade may be inferred from
the statement that S06 Portuguese ships we're
employed In it between 1907 and 1872. and
that the ordinary cost Of construction and
eauipment Of n single vessel intended for India.
with the pay Of the Captain and crew for one
voyage. was calculated at S2O.3SO. Such re-
turns do not include ships captured in Aslatic
seas or built in Indian dockyards, and. IL their
accuracy be assumed. the total number OF ves-
sells engaged in the trade can scarcely have
been less than 1000 during the century OF
the Portuguese approach to a monopoly. The
annual fleet which brought nome the Indian
'"lk''S hhll''lNN III u buiIly udyS vi Nv
Portuguese twenty sail. Regarding
the value of the trade it seems 70 be more diff
cult to form an estimate. because the Portu-
guese cavaliers and chroniclcrs. regarding the
achievement Of their nation in India as a ro-
nance of military prowess and of missionary
zeal. kept the commercial aspects as much as
possible in the background. Sir William Hun
ter has. therefore. been compelled in his re-
searches to rely upon casual notices rather
than elaborate statements. II is certain that
the first cargo brought home by Nasco da
CANA was rerkoned to have repaid the whole
cost Of the expedition sixty-fold. Again. Cabral
returned to Lisbon in 1901 with a freight ot
precious spices. perfumes, porcelain. pearls.
ruhies and diamonds. In 1904 Albuquerque
followed with forty pound OF large pearls and
400 Of the small. a diamond OF wonderful
bigness" and other costly articles. The
gains OF Legitimate trade were augmented
by the profits Of piracy. for every Moslem or
heather ship was treated as n fair prey. A
single Calirut vessel in 1901 yielded among
other treasure 100 costly pearls. In 1903
another capture contained an idol Of gold
weighing thirty pounds. with emeralds for
eyes. a huge ruby on his breast. and rart Of
him covered with n cloak of gold set with
jewels In return for gems and for the pep
per. ginger. cinnamon. mace. nutmeGs. cloves,
drugs. dyes. porcelains. carved work. art prod
uets and textile fabrics OF the Fast. tho main
commodity sent from Portugal. as from the old
Roman Empire. was silver. But she also ex-
ported woollcn fabrics. to a large extent
woven from uElish tleeces on Flanders looms.
linens. red cloths Of state. Genoa velvet. cut
lerv, metal work. hardware. corals. glass.
mirrors and chemicals.
Besides the direct with Portugal
the port-to-rort trade. from the Malabar coast
to the Persian Cult on the one side, ,.Edto Ma
lacca and the Fur East on tho other. yielded
large returns. one of tho most profitable
staples Of interchange was opium obtained
from Arabia and Egypt. 1t seems that opium
had been known in China from at least the
eighth century A. u: Duarte Edward Bar
hosa found Chinese lunks taking it in the time
NJ Albuquerque as a return freight from Ma
lacca to the Middle Kingdom. 1t was soon dis
covered that opium could be grown in India. and
Francisco de Albuquerque proposed in 1913
that its importation from Arabia should be pro-
hlbited. or should be made n monopoly OF the
Portuguese sovereign. When the Arabian
supply was cut of in reprisal for the Portu-
guese assault upon Alden. Alfonso dc Albu-
querque recommended that the peoples OF
The Azores lie sown in all the fields OF
Portugal. because a shipload would be used
yearly in India. and the cultivators would gain
much. and the people Of India are lost without
It if they do not have it to eat 1t was not on
the sou or PORTUGAL. however,. that the wealth
Of Asia was to iva reached Nor did the at
INIT 10 r,,,h "a, i,,an, aa,i 49, ,s.;ss
tt"'f'' w. t"'' 'n' Kun hc'i9 " A'Iica.
although a taptain-tienera bearing the title OF
"Connueror Of the Mines was appointed for
the purpose. yield permanent results. The
rIunderot NoSIem ships. tributes and ransoms
from the coast Hens. and. above all. sea trade.
formed from first to last the sources OF Portu-
gal 5 reVehu" from the East. As regards the
hom" sea trade, indeed. one Portuguese ship
brought back in lh'2) n freight worth, at a
moderate computation. 100000. besides jew
els 40; -"rk"n"d in the account. If we turn TO
the porE-tu-rnrt trade in Asiatic waters we
learn that thc voyage from Goa to China or
japan yielded 10 III" Captain Of a vessel for
freight alone Sll2,HUO. and from Goa to Mo-
zambiGue S22.NOO. besides the gains from pri-
waite trade. which M" said to have been equally
great. As regards the profits of piracy. or
seizure of mont hristian ships. Il single Cap
tain sold prizes during the space of two years