NAVAL DEPOT AT HONG KONG. 299 



seen, a monnraent to his memory has heen erected. It was from Macao, in the days of its 

 opulence, that many of the commercial expeditions of the Portuguese were dispatched to Japan ; 

 and at Macao, too, the church of Rome had one of its most powerful ecclesiastical cstahlishments, 

 sustained by the dread might of the inquisition, which, in former times, exercised in the east the 

 full force of its dark and cruel discipline. Now, however, the opulence and enterprise of its 

 merchants are gone, and the awful dominion of the haughty ecclesiastics and their bloody 

 tribunal has lapsed into the weak hands of a few impoverished priests, who meekly appeal to 

 the pity, and barely live upon the bounty, of the reduced Portuguese population. 



Since the construction of vessels of greater draught than those of former times, few that visit 

 Macao can enter the inner harbor ; it, however, is sufficiently deep for those vessels engaged in 

 the coasting trade, sailing imder the Portuguese flag, and called Lcyrchas, which are a sort of 

 nondescript of curious rig and construction. The Chinese junks are also enabled to enter the 

 inner port, as are occasionally a brig or schooner. The storeship Southampton, drawing 

 thirteen and a half feet, anchored inside. Thirteen, and at high tides fourteen, feet can be 

 carried into this inner port, and about as much into a small harbor opposite the city, called the 

 Typa. It was in the Typa that the Portuguese corvette, Don John the Second, was lying when 

 blown up, when the United States slooi^-of-war Marion, being at anchor near by, rendered much 

 service. The Portuguese ship is generally supposed to have been blown up purposely by the 

 gunner, who had been punished in the morning by the captain for neglecting some necessary 

 preparation to do honor to the day, which was some national anniversary. 



ShijiS of war and large merchant vessels, resorting to Macao, anchor, as has been observed in 

 a previous chapter, in the road, at a distance of from three to five miles from the city ; this 

 makes the communication with the shore at all times inconvenient, and in blowing weather 

 altogether impracticable. This, together with other reasons, prompted the Commodore to 

 recommend the removal of the naval depot to Hong Kong. Commodore Perry, on this subject, 

 gave his views at length, in a communication to the Secretary of the Navy. He there stated 

 that, in consideration of the inconvenience and consequent delay, with the increased expense of 

 landing and shipping at Macao articles sent from the United States for the use of the squadron, 

 and especially the coal, that he at once saw the necessity of having a depot at Hong Kong, 

 which had been originally the naval station ; but as, at the time of the agitation of the Oregon 

 question, a rupture had been supposed to be imminent with Great Britain, it had been removed. 

 No such troubles now threatening, there could be no doubt that government property would 

 be safer at Hong Kong than at the badly defended town of Macao. Hong Kong has all the 

 advantages of anchorage, as vessels of the largest size can be moored in smooth water, within 

 seven hundred yards of the land, allowing of the conveyance of articles of all kinds, in all 

 weather, with great facility, from shore to shij), and ship to shore. The only objection to be 

 urged against Hong Kong was its unheal thfulness ; but this did not apply to those afloat, who 

 were exempt from the evil effects of the injurious causes which jjrevailed on land. Hong Kong 

 has the additional advantage of being the market for all the various provisions which may be 

 required by a naval squadron, and has conveniences for the refitment and repair of vessels. 

 Pending the action of the naval department, the Commodore made every necessary preliminary 

 arrangement, by obtaining depots for coal and other supplies at Hong Kong, and then ordered 

 the coal vessels and storeships to discharge their freight at that port. 



The Commodore found Macao an exceedingly agreeable place of residence, as the picturesque 



