Opium in China / extracted from China; political, commercial, and social.

  • Martin, Robert Montgomery, 1803?-1868
Date:
[1847?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Opium in China / extracted from China; political, commercial, and social. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/96 (page 3)
    ORIGIN OF THE OPIUM TRADE WITH CHINA. from improbable, tliat the opium traffic may again lead to a war between China and England. Opium was first used in China medicinally, and a small quantity was grown in the southern province of Yunnan. It is probable, that, subsequent to the Tartar conquest (a.d. 1644), a great de¬ terioration of morals took place throughout the empire, and the complete subjugation and despotism exercised by the conquerors destroyed public energy and private enterprise, leaving to the wealthier classes no other source of enjoyment than what may be temporarily, but dearly, obtained from sensual indulgence. This is also manifest in the opium-consuming countries of Turkey and Persia; indeed, wherever the vital and ennobling springs of human a.ction are subdued, baneful passions take root, and among a materialist-people like the Chinese, almost devoid of religion, and without hope of the future, every species of present enjoyment necessarily ensues. The fatally delicious intoxication of opium offered, therefore, a transient pleasure and oblivion of woes, which it was difficult to resist. Previous to 1767, the importation of the drug from India (which country, and Turkey, are almost the only countries where it is ex¬ tensively grown) into China, did not exceed 200 chests a year. This increased to 1000 chests yearly, the trade being chiefly in the hands of the Portuguese. In 1773, the East India Company made a small venture of opium to China. In 1780, the English entered into the trade, and established two small depot vessels in “ Larks, or Blackbutter Bay,” southward of Macao, wffiere the opium, worth in Bengal 500 rupees a chest, was sold to the Chi¬ nese for 500 dollars. In 1781, the Bengal government freighted an armed vessel with opium, the proceeds of which were paid into the East India Com- panyY treasury at Canton. In 1794, the English stationed a large vessel laden with opium at Whampoa, where she remained fifteen months unmolested. The consumption in the year 1800 was probably about 2,000 chests, when the importation was prohibited by the Emperor ; who also interdicted the cultivation of the poppy in Yunnan. Subse¬ quently, a general order was issued to all governors and deputy governors throughout the empire, to exert themselves in suppress¬ ing the use of opium, and directing them to send in their opinions on the best mode of doing so. The Emperor peremptorily in¬ structed the governor of Yunnan not to use “ empty words,” but to put the people in fear, prevent the production of opium, and at the end of every year report progress to His Majesty. Heath, transportation, and confiscation of property, wrere decreed to be the punishments due to those who smoked,retailed, or cultivated opium. Notwithstanding these severe prohibitions, the consumption of opium increased rapidly in China; and armed depot vessels be¬ longing to several private English merchants, wrere stationed under shelter of the island of Lintin, in the Canton river, during the