The Trade And Reputation Of This City Increasing, It Soon Became
Populous, Containing Above 1000 Portuguese Inhabitants All Rich; And As
The Merchants Usually Give Large Portions With Their Daughters, Many
Persons Of Quality Used To Resort Thither In Search Of Wives.
Besides
these, there are a number of Chinese inhabitants who are Christians, who
are clothed and live after the manner of the Portuguese; and about 6000
heathens, who are artificers, shop-keepers, and merchants.
The duties of
ships trading from thence to Japan, amount to 300,000 Xeraphins, at 10
_per cent_, being about equal to as many pieces-of-eight, or Spanish
dollars[17]. The yearly expence of the garrison and repairs of the
fortifications is above 40,000 ducats. A similar sum is paid yearly for
duties at the fair of _Quantung_, or Canton. The Japan voyage, including
presents to the King and _Tonos_, and the expence of the embassy, costs
25,000. The Misericordia expends about 9000 in charity, as the city
maintains two hospitals, three parish churches, and five monasteries,
besides sending continual alms to the Christians in China, Hainan,
Japan, Tonkin, Cochin-china, Cambodia, and Siam.
[Footnote 17: The xeraphin, as formerly mentioned, being 5s. 9d., this
yearly revenue amounted to L.52,250 sterling. But the state of Macao, in
the text, refers to what it was 150 years ago. It is still inhabited by
Portuguese, and remains a useless dependence on Portugal, owing its
principal support to the residence of the British factory for the
greater part of the year.
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