Chinese Imperial Navy and Portuguese warships working together against piracy 1809-1810

The Imperial Chinese navy wasn’t (hardly) able to do anything against the piracy on large scale. Several accounts by foreign travellers are showing clearing the weakness of the Chinese navy. (1) It became even necessary to ask the Portuguese settled at Macao for help. In the Asiatic Annual Register for September 1810 is a news item coming from Bengal, published dealing with this problem. It’s a long account but really interesting and in fact shocking.

P. 37: “SEPT. 7.- Late letters, received from China, give the satisfactory information of the extinction of the late formidable system of piracy, which long had bade defiance to the government, had carried terror to the very heart of the empire, and visited its shores with rapine, pillage, murder, and every species of outrage. The weak, miserable government of China, despairing of being ever able by any application of their own forces to restrain, far less to overcome, the piratical fleets, found it necessary to resort to the Portuguese, at Macao, to whose exertions they are indebted for the overthrow of a power, that menaced the safety and existence of their government. A particular account of the interference of the Portuguese, and of their operations against the pirates, has been transmitted by a gentleman resident at Macao, a summary of which may perhaps be acceptable to a part of our readers. At length the government of Canton frankly acknowledged their inability to subdue the pirates, whose fleet amounted to between 3 and 400 war boats or junks, armed with from 12 to 20 guns each, and from 50 to 200 men, infesting the sea-coast and canals that water this province; carrying on a perpetual warfare against the peace and property of the inhabitants, both onshore and afloat: no vessel could trade upon the coast with safety. The pirates frequently landed, and laid contributions upon the towns and villages; and after plundering the inhabitants, set fire to their houses. Their steps were marked with wanton barbarity, sparing neither age nor sex; old men and women, and children, were indiscriminately butchered. These enormities called for the exertions of the Chinese government: a fleet of upwards of 40 sail of junks, carrying from 14 to 20 guns each, were equipped, and sent in pursuit of the rebel fleets; but upon the very first rencontre, 28 of the Imperial war junks struck co the pirates, and the rest saved themselves by a precipitate flight. The success of the pirates had the effect of increasing their numbers; fishermen and others flocked to their standard in crowds. One division of their fleet attacked and carried an American schooner, and they would have made prize of a much larger vessel under the same colours, had she not' run for shelter under the guns of the fort of Macao. The usual intercourse between Macao and Canton was interrupted by the pirate boats, which frequently blockaded the different passages, to the great detriment of a valuable branch of commerce. Added to all this, Canton itself was threatened with serious danger ; and the pirates went so far as to declare their resolution to displace the present Tartar family from the throne of China

p. 38: and to restore the empire of the ancient Chinese dynasty. This menace, and the growing strength of the rebels, operated with full force on the fears of the Chinese government, and the viceroy of Canton hastened to conclude a convention with the city of Macao, for the destruction of the rebel fleet. The following are the articles of this convention: His excellency the viceroy of the two provinces of Quangtong and Quangsi, and governor of the city of Macao, being equally convinced of the necessity of putting an end to the depredation of the pirates of China, who without fear infest the seas bordering on the two cities of Canton and Macao ; and thereby to restore public tranquillity, and security to the trade and navigation of those parts, have mutually resolved to conclude a convention for equipping a garda costa, or cruizing squadron, to be manned by the forces of the governments. They have, for that purpose, named as their representatives; viz. his excellency the viceroy of Canton, nominates three mandarins, (whose names and titles are set forth at full length in the original;) and ihe government of Macao names as its representatives, Miguel de Arriga Brum de Silveira, Dezembergador Ouvidor, or chief judge at Macao, Knight of Christ, and Joze Joacquim de Barros, Capitao Mor do Campo, knight of Christ, and actual procurador of the senate, who after having exchanged their respective full powers, have concluded and agreed upon the following articles :

Art. 1. There shall be immediately established a garda costa, consisting of six Portuguese aimed vessels, united with an imperial squadron, which shall cruize for the term of six months from the Bog, (Bocade do Tigre) to this city; and from this city to Hiansang through the gulf, in order to prevent the pirates from entering the canals which hitherto they have chiefly infested, exercising every cruelty and the most horrible devastations, in the villages and towns on the sea-shore.

Art. 2. The Chinese government agrees to pay the sum of eighty thousand tales towards defraying the expences of the Portuguese ships. It shall not be permitted to retract the fulfilment of this article, should the intended expedition from an) unexpected cause be defeated.

Art. 3. The government of Macao shall equip, with men, arms, ammunition, &c. the six vessels above stipulated, with all practicable dispatch,

Art. 4. Both governments, and their respective forces, employed on this service, shall mutually co-operate with each other, in promoting the object they have both in view.

Art. 5. All prizes, taken from the pirates by the combined forces, shall be equally divided between the Portuguese and imperial squadron.

Art. 6. When the object of the expedition is attained, all the ancient privileges of Macao shall be restored to it.

Art. 7. This convention is to be considered as ratified by the signature of the subscribing parties, in virtue of their full powers.

In faith whereof we have signed these, presents, and caused the seals of our arms to be affixed thereto.

Done at Macao, this 23rd day of November, 1809. Miguel de Arriga Brom da Silveira. Joze Joaquim de Barros. Sealed by the Mandarins Shin-Kei-Chi. Ches and Pom. No sooner was the convention signed, than the distinguished zeal and activity of the Dizembargador Ouvidor, Miguel de Arriga Brom de Silveira, were successfully called into action. The government was unprovided with the requisite number of ships, officers, seamen, stores and provisions; yet such were the exertions of the Dizembargador, that in the course of five days, he had six vessels taken up, and as completely equipped as the resources of Macao would admit. The following is a list of the names and number of men and guns, of the different vessels employed, all which were placed under the command in chief of Joze Pinto al Conforoedo d’Azevido e Souza, captain of artillery:

p. 39: Inconquistavel, 26 guns, 160 men(2); Palla, 18 guns, 130 men (3); Indiana, 24 guns, 120 men (4); Bellisario, 18 guns; 120 men (5), St. Miguel, 16 guns, 100 men (6) and brig Princess Carlotta, 16 guns, 100 men.(7). The chief deficiency of this little squadron was in shot and other naval stores. Application was made for a supply of those essential articles, to the honourable East India company’s supra cargoes, at Canton. The select committee acquiesced in the request, and the requisite stores, ammunition, &c. were supplied from the company’s ships, with a liberality peculiar to the English, and in conformity to the friendship and alliance subsisting between that nation and the Portuguese. The Macao squadron being thus enabled to put to sea in a state of complete efficiency were joined by sixty war junks of the Imperial Chinese fleet. The pirates fled at the approach of the confederate fleet, but in many instances they were obliged to come to action; and in all these rencontres they were defeated with considerable loss: the blunt of the different actions fell upon the Portuguese, who derived little or no assistance from their allies. Harassed by this species of warfare, Qua-a-pou chay, one of the pirate chiefs, made a proposition, in the course of January last, to surrender himself and his fleet, consisting of about l00 junks and 8000 men. His terms of surrender were accepted. In February, a negotiation was opened between the viceroy of Canton, and the pirate chiefs for their surrender, which, after some weeks was broken oft. Hostilities were then renewed by the Portuguese with their former activity, and the Pirates in consequence found themselves reduced to great difficulties; they were pursued into the canals and recesses, and often forced to abandon their boats. At length, on the 12th of April, the Portuguese squadron so manoeuvred, as to cut off the retreat of the grand pirate fleet, commanded by A-juo-Chay, the most daring of their leaders, who, seeing no possibility of escape, judged it prudent to treat for his surrender. Advice was instantly forwarded to the viceroy of Canton, who forthwith repaired to Hiansang, where he was met by M. Arriaga: the propositions from the pirates were fully considered. The high and honourable character of Miguel de Arriaga, commanded unbounded confidence, and both the viceroy and the pirate chiefs left to him the adjustment of the whole affair. In three days every point was settled, a general amnesty was granted to the pirates, and their whole fleet, consisting of upwards of 270 war junks, 16,000 young men, 5,000 women, armed with 1200 pieces of ordnance, besides small arms, surrendered, and were delivered up to the viceroy. Thus terminated the system of piracy, which has been the scourge of China during the last twenty years. On the 21st of April, Miguel Arriaga returned to Macao; and on the following day, the six Portuguese cruizers entered the harbour, amidst the acclamations of the people. Salutees were fired from the ships and forte, the bells were rung, and a Te Deum was celebrated as a thanksgiving for. the happy issue of the expedition.”

Sources

Antonio Marques Esparteiro. Catalogo dos navios brigantinos (1604-1910). Lisbon, 1976.

E. Samuel. The Asiatic Annual Register, or, a view of the history of Hindustan, and of the politics, commerce, and literature of Asia. Vol. XII. For the Year 1810-11. Edition September 1810, p. 37. London, 1812. Digitized by Google.

Notes

1. See on this weblog “The Chinese navy as described by the missionary Charles Gützlaff in his book published in 1834”, “The Chinese navy as described in August 1836” and “The Chinese Imperial navy according to W.W. Wood in his book published in 1830”.

2. Esparteiro: Inconquistavel, ship of 400 ton, armed with 26 guns, fitted out 1809-1810.

3. Esparteiro: Palas, ship, armed with 18 guns, fitted out 1809-1810.

4. Esparteiro: Indiana, mentioned 1810, armed with 24 guns.

5. Esparteiro: Belizário, brig, armed with 18 guns, fitted out 1809-1810.

6. Esparteiro: S. Miguel, ship armed with 16 guns, fitted out 1810.

7. Esparteiro: Princesa Carlota , brig of 120 ton, armed with 12 guns, built by the Senado de Macau in 1807, lastmentioned 1810.