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 their enormous presents to his ministers.
SECTION IV.
Residence of Captain Clipperton at Macao, and Returns from thence to
England.
On entering the port of Macao in the Success, Captain Clipperton saluted
the fortress, which compliment was returned. He then went on shore,
where he prevailed on the captain of a Portuguese ship of war, formerly
mentioned, to carry the property belonging to his owners to Brazil. At
this place, the crew of the Success found themselves considerably at a
loss, as the Portuguese commander declared himself entirely in favour of
Captain Clipperton.
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