ated in an island at the
mouth of the river of Canton. It was formerly a very rich and populous
city, and capable of defending itself against the power of the adjacent
Chinese governors, but at present it is much fallen from its ancient
splendour; for though it is inhabited by the Portuguese and has a
governor nominated by the King of Portugal, yet it subsists merely by the
sufferance of the Chinese, who can starve the place and dispossess the
Portuguese whenever they please. This obliges the Governor of Macao to
behave with great circumspection, and carefully to avoid every
circumstance that may give offence to the Chinese. The river of Canton,
at the mouth of which this city lies, is the only Chinese port frequented
by European ships, and this river is indeed a more commodious harbour on
many accounts than Macao. But the peculiar customs of the Chinese, only
adapted to the entertainment of trading ships, and the apprehensions of
the Commodore lest he should embroil the East India Company with the
Regency of Canton if he should insist on being treated upon a different
footing than the merchant men, made him resolve to go first to Macao
before he ventured into the port of Canton. Indeed, had not this reason
prevailed with him, he himself had nothing to fear, for it is certain
that he might have entered the port of Canton, and might have continued
there as long as he pleased, and afterwards have left it again, although
the whole power of the Chinese Empire had been brought together to oppose
him.

The Commodore, not to depart from his usual prudence, no sooner came to
an anchor in Macao road than he despatched an officer with his
compliments to the Portuguese Governor of Macao, requesting His
Excellency by the same officer to advise him in what manner it would be
proper to act to avoid offending the Chinese, which, as there were four
of our ships in their power at Canton, was a matter worthy of attention.
The difficulty which the Commodore principally apprehended related to the
duty usually paid by all ships in the river of Canton, according to their
tonnage. For as men-of-war are exempted in every foreign harbour from all
manner of port charges, the Commodore thought it would be derogatory to
the honour of his country to submit to this duty in China; and therefore
he desired the advice of the Governor of Macao, who, being a European,
could not be ignorant of the privileges claimed by a British man-of-war,
and consequent