澳門與1837年馬禮遜號事件

In 1837, with the aim of escorting 7 Japan shipwreck drifters home, the unarmed American trader Morrison sailed from Macao to the Japanese port of Uraga, only to meet bombardment at the port by local Japanese authorities. This historical incident had a profound impacts on Japan’s Seclusion Orders before the happening of Perry’s Black Ships. This incident involved the competition between Japan, America and Britain in East-Asia. At that time, Macao, as an East-Asian base of western countries, played a crucial role in this incident. The British and American forces intertwined at Macao along with the involvement of other forces. With information being exchanged among forces at Macao, secret intelligence of Japan even led to a change of the Shogunate’s foreign polices. In addition, Macao also played a non-negligible role in providing shelter and being a transit for Japanese shipwreck drifters.