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

  • Robert Montgomery Martin
Date:
[1847?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    6/96 (page 4)
    N.E. monsoon, and in the adjacent harbour of Capsingmoon, at the entrance of the Canton river, during the summer months. The smuggling boats were fast sailers, well armed, manned with forty to fifty stout rowers, and ready to fight when attacked by the Chinese government revenue cruisers—which was not unfre- quently the case. The opium was purchased for cash in Canton from the English owner or consignee by Chinese brokers, who then received an order on the captain of the depot or receiving ship at Lintin, to deliver so many chests to the bearer. These deliveries were generally made at night, to elude the mandarin cruisers. As the trade increased, English receiving vessels were stationed at eligible places along the east and north coasts of China. The consumption of Indian opium (independent of Turkey opium) was, in Patna&Benares. Chests. Value. Dollars- Malwa. Chests. Value. Dollars. Total. Chests. Value. Dollars. 1816-17 2,610 3,132,000 600 525,000 3,210 3,657,000 1826-27 3,661 3,668,565 6,308 5,941,520 9,969 9,610,085 1832-33 8,290 6,570,729 15,403| 8,781,700 23,693! 15,352,429 1837 about 40,000 chests, valued at. 25,000,000 Thus, in twenty years, the consumption of this fearfully perni¬ cious drug had more than ten-fold increased, and, according to the then exchangeable value of the dollar, an annual drain of the pre¬ cious metals amounting to about four million pounds sterling ensued, although the exportation thereof was prohibited by the government of China. The dissoluteness and destruction caused by this extensive use of opium; the corruption consequent on the large bribes paid to the mandarins by the Chinese smugglers of the drug; and the constant, open, and universal defiance of the imperial laws, gave much alarm and disquietude at Peking. The imperial government discussed the subject in three points of view :—1st. Moral, in relation to the health and virtue of the people ; 2d. Financial, on account of the constant and heavy drain of gold and silver from China; and, 3rd. Political, by means of the effects produced from the two previous arguments: viz., destroy¬ ing the people, and diminishing the means of resistance against foreigners, who were now visiting every part of the coast of China. The number of smokers, at three candareens = 17-rVV grains per man daily, was about three million, and as it was a very expen¬ sive vice, and could only be indulged in by the wealthy classes, and those high in the employ of government, the demoralizing effect produced on the nation generally may be readily conceived. No language would convey a description of the sufferings of those to whom opium has become a necessary of existence; no picture could impress the fearful misery which the inmates of an