All about opium / edited by Hartmann Henry Sultzberger.

Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: All about opium / edited by Hartmann Henry Sultzberger. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    not say carried out, but attempted ; or whether it was in the power of one, or even of both Governments united, “ to put an end ” to the trade, and prevent the culture of the poppy in their respective dominions. Of course, the object contemplated was moral and philanthropic, for the benefit of the Chinese under both aspects. But statesmen and ministers, on whom the responsibility of ad- ministration and government rests, are not able to proceed on such lines without reference to the means and the probable results. And not only is it necessary that in such a case as this they should carefully consider by what practical means the end could be attained, but whether other and worse evils than those denounced might not follow their adoption. Under these circumstances, and in view of the im- portant bearing of this trade on our relations with China, and the material interests of our Indian Empire, it would seem desirable that the chief arguments and facts on both sides should be placed at this time before the public in a compact and readable form. It is true that these may be found in various Blue Books, and minutes of the evideuce %» ' obtained by Special Committees of both Houses of Parliament, and other public documents. But many of these, going back over a series of years, are virtually buried ; and, judging from the speeches at the Mansion House and the successive debates on the opium question in Parliament, there would appear to be great need of some more acces- sible information on the whole subject of our relations with China and this vexed question of opium. I propose, therefore, in the following pages to review briefly all the leading facts most necessary to a right understanding of the points at issue. Some information of a valuable and reliable nature has quite re- cently been afforded by a Yellow Book on “ Opium,” emanating from the Inspector-General of Maritime Customs in China ; and, like all that proceeds from that source under the able and energetic adminis- tration of Mr. Hart, it leaves little to be desired in lucid arrangement. The Statistical Department of the India Office has also opportunely furnished valuable papers, bringing our knowledge up to the latest date, as to the opium revenue, culture, &c. In addition, a further corres- pondence between Sir Thomas Wade, our Minister in China, and Prince Kung, respecting the delay in ratifying the Convention of 1878—the latest attempt on the part of the two Governments to deal with this burning question—has just appeared. Under these circumstances, agreeing with one of the most strenuous advocates of anti-opium agitation, that “ few are acquainted with the facts, and one of the first things is to spread relevant information,” I proceed to do my part in this good work. To understand the present state of the opium question and our re- lations with China in respect to it, something must be known of the past history of both. The foreign trade in opium is comparatively of recent growth. In 1767 the importation of opium did not exceed 1,000 chests, and it continued at that rate in Portuguese hands for some years. It was not until 1773 that the East India Company made its first shipment in a very small way. In 1781, exactly a century ago, they freighted a vessel with 1,600 chests. Sold at a loss to one of the Ilong mer- chants at Canton, and found unsaleable, it was finally resliipped by him o 2