History: The British Trace in Macau

When the Portuguese settled in Macau in 1557, Macau could be classified as an enclave and it became the first western gateway into China. The Portuguese was a commercial monopoly in China until the East India Company (EIC) established direct commercial relations with China after the voyage of the Macclesfield (1700). Macau was also used by the British as their home until they colonized Hong Kong. As trade took place mainly in the factories of Canton during the autumn and winter months, Macau was seen as a resort for the summer residence between trading seasons. The English trade rapidly surpassed the Portuguese trade, and the temporary home of the supercargoes became crucial to the economy of the enclave. The European presence in the Macau-Canton circuit gave way and Chinese Pidgin English becomes a symbol of cultural exchange.

In 1613, the EIC Established a factory in Hirado (Japan), from where it tried, in vain, to establish direct trade with China until 1623. Up to 1635 the oldest allies in Europe were rivals in Asia, and in that year, they joined efforts to fight against the Dutch power. Up to 1700, several ships tried to establish direct trade with China, but without any success. While EIC factories sent ships to Macau as part of their local strategy, without the knowledge of their London directors. In Europe, the Company used diplomacy to convince Portuguese kings to allow English ships to stop and trade at Macau, a strategy that did not succeed because Lisbon also wanted to defend its interests in Macau and its monopoly in China.

After 1700 the British no longer needed the Portuguese to connect with the Chinese merchants, and the Macau authorities were forced to adapt to a new context: the arrival of Western competitors and the development of the Canton Trade System. If the British trade took place in Canton, the interests of the EIC were also looked after in Macau through the economic relations with local traders and the Portuguese authorities during the spring and summer months. By 1750 half of the ships that arrived at the Pearl River delta were British.

Macau was a support platform for and an extension of the Canton market, and from an early stage the city had served several functions for the British, such as:

- the only permanent gateway into China where ships could find a pilot to travel to Canton;

- a linguist and a permission to continue their voyage;

- a meeting place for crews;

- a destination of much of the EIC’s China correspondence;

- a place where ships were reloaded and repaired;

- a place to translate Chinese documents, gather information about Canton, and trade (il)legal merchandise;

- a ‘neutral’ refuge while problems in Canton were solved;

- a place of residence, rest, recovery and learning about the Chinese culture and language(s) for traders, travellers and missionaries.