STATE OF FOREIGN TRADE.

67

engaged in the opium traffic, that if any native came by his or her death in the course of this illicit trade, they would be subject to prosecution and trial in the same manner as if they were within the jurisdiction of her majesty's courts at Westminster; and that, should any vessel be seized by the Chinese government engaged in these contraband dealings within the Bocca Tigris, her majesty's government would in no way interfere for their protection.

Gloomy had been the horizon of the China trade for some years, but at the end of 1838 it had become overclouded to a most alarming degree; though the oldest and wisest heads could not foresee the storm that was about to burst. Very probably the attempt to introduce an hospital-ship at Whampoa with the arrival of a ship in the previous year, laden with opium, had excited fears at the court of Pekin, to which no doubt it had been reported that the opium trade would again return to the "inner waters." Many of the foreign merchants were anxious that a stoppage should be put

68

A NECESSARY INFERENCE.

to the illicit trade at Whampoa, fearing that collisions would take place, and a general inconvenience to all trade ensue; but when the government and the Hong merchants were inactive,—as the British merchants had no right to control,-obedience could not be expected from all, nor could any particular individual be expected to give up a trade that others might reap all the advantages.

How far Captain Elliot's notice was judicious must be left to the reader's consideration. But it has ever appeared to me that it is the duty of the Chinese government to enforce its own revenue laws, and that we have no right or business to assist the Chinese authorities. It had been the practice of the East India Company, established by long experience, never on the ground of expediency, policy, or other pretext, to assist the Chinese in any difficulty; and the Chinese government might and would naturally conclude, that if Captain Elliot had power to drive the boats and schooners out of the "inner waters," he could equally force the receiving-ships to quit the "outer waters,"

CHINESE WILL HAVE OPIUM.

69

and by these means striking at the root of the opium trade in the Canton River: for to suppress it is utterly impossible, until the whole character of the Chinese nation becomes altered.

Opium they will have; and experience has proved that all the obstacles and difficulties thrown in the way of the trade have only tended to increase it, and extend it along the whole coast of China.

It would be just as easy to put down beer and gin drinking in England; and I much question if there are not as many English gin sufferers as there are Chinese opium sufferers, for the opium is used by them in the least deleterious manner, viz., by smoking.

But, as I have before observed, it is not the question of health or morality with the Chinese; it is, that our imports have given a great balance in our favour, as is shown in the following table:

Our purchases for the year ending June 30, 1838, for teas, silk, and all other arti

£.

3,147,481

cles, amount to Our sales of opium, metals, and cotton, to 5,637,052

Balance in favour of British

. 2,489,571

70

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

which was generally paid in sycee,

the export of which, in 1837-8, amounted to nearly nine millions of dollars.

Thus we see what was the chief and true reason for attempting to stop the trade in opium, and accordingly the edicts previously or subsequently to this year, enlarged more on the abstraction of the sycee than on the morals of the people.

CHAPTER III.

CONTINUATION OF THE OPIUM QUESTION. Provincial Government communicate direct with Superintendent-Large Passage-boats-Keshen's Memorial -Chinese strangled before Factories-Arrival of Lin -His Edict-Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce -Mr. Dent refuses to enter the city-Degraded state of Howqua-Meeting at the Consoo-hall-WeiyuenMr. Inglis accompanies the Weiyuen-Interview at the Temple of the Queen of Heaven-Captain Elliot's Circular-He proceeds to Canton-Flag re-hoisted -Public Meeting-Servants ordered away-Guards placed round the Factories-Pleasure-boats seizedOpium demanded-Mr. King-Present of Provisions -Notice of Hong merchant.

With the claws of an eagle, the heart of a kite,
Let flattery, and cunning, and falsehood unite,
To deceive all above us, oppress all below-
And we shall have fortune, whoever has woe.

DAVIS's translation of the "Sorrows of Han,"

THE above character, drawn by a prime minister's own hand, may be justly applied to the greater number of mandarins in China.

On the 1st of January, 1839, Captain