Yet, with
all these, it can only defend itself against strangers. The Chinese ever
were, and ever will be, masters of Macao, and that without firing a gun
or striking a blow. They have only to shut up that gate and place a
guard there, and Macao is undone; and this they have actually done
frequently. Without receiving provisions from the adjacent country, the
inhabitants of this city cannot subsist for a day; and besides, it is so
surrounded by populous islands, and the Chinese are here so completely
masters of the sea, that the Portuguese at Macao might be completely
starved on the slightest difference with the Chinese. The Portuguese
have indeed the government over their own people within the walls of
this city; yet Macao is strictly and properly a Chinese city: For there
is a Chinese governor resident on the spot, together with a hoppo or
commissioner of the customs; and these Chinese mandarins, with all their
officers and servants, are maintained at the expence of the city, which
has also to bear the charges of the Portuguese government.[247]

[Footnote 247: The East India Company found all this to be true a few
years ago, when its Indian government thought to have taken Macao from
the Portuguese. Had this account of the matter been read and understood,
they would not have unnecessarily incurred a vast expence, and suffered
no small disgrace at Canton.--E.]

In spite of all this, the Portuguese inhabitants were formerly very
rich, owing to the great trade they carried on with Japan, which is now
in a great measure lost. Yet, being so near Canton, and allowed to
frequent the two annual fairs at that place, and to make trading voyages
at other times, they still find a way to subsist, and that is all, as
the prodigious presents they have to make on all occasions to the
Chinese mandarins, consume the far greater part of their profits. Each
of their vessels, on going up to Canton, has in the first place to pay
L100 sterling for leave to trade. They are next obliged to make a
considerable present, for permission to have their goods brought on
board by the Chinese, to whom they must not only pay ready money for all
they buy, but have sometimes to advance the price beforehand for a year.
After all this, they have to make another present for leave to depart,
at least double the amount of what they formerly paid for liberty to
trade; and they have to pay heavy duties to the emperor for every thing
they buy or sell, besides