The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-28 00:00:00

CHINA.

ORIGIN OF THE WAR.
Before giving an account of China, and the singeaar
reple that inhabit that vast territory, we will furnish a
brief hiatory of the events which led to the quarrel. For
many yemrs opium has been imported into China, not only
from Br tish possessions in India but from various other
quarters of the world, both by Europeans and Americans.
The Chinese authorities ostensibly praahibited the impor-
t at-ion awl use of the article, but, till within the last
twelve letoratha, never took any decisive steps to put an end
•..o the tragic ; on the contrary, tale Chinese officers of all
ranks encouraged the trade, and while they occasionally
issued edicts against it, received a certain per raantage on
every chest as regularly, and almost as openly, as on any
other naicle of foreign commerce; on the other hand the
English Gove,nment, seeing the danger that rnight result
from an .satensire trade 'in a prohibKed commodity, after
the oholit ion of the East India Charter took steps to have
it legalis eel or absolutely prohihited. Various Councils
were Itel(7.in the: laiperid Court at Pekin to discuss the
question whether it should be admitted on payment of a
fined do'.!, and finally the negative was carried by a small
majority. not more, it is said, than two or three members.
Acco-ding to some accounts a majority of the Chinese
®racers of State who were consulted on the subject gave
a decided opinion in favour of legalising the admission cf
opium at a certain duty, but the Minister: of the Emperor
rajaeted their advice. Lard Palmerston as soon as he
.heard the result gave instructions to the British Superio-
tendent at Canton to inform all British merchants and
captains of vessels that the trade was illegal—that " the
British Government could not interfere for the purpose cf
erabling British subjects to violate tha laws 3t the country
to which they trade," and that if they persist they must
ilk.• the consequances. Captain Elliot accordingly took
every possible step to carry .these instructions into effect,
and on every occasion evinced the utmost desire to afford
the Chinese authorities any reasonable satisfaction, and to
s-pirate himself, as the Representative of the British Go•
velm-lent, in the most marked and decisive matine.r from
all convention with the opium smugglers and their pro-
ceedings. A proclamation to this effect was published in
December, 1538. Tile smuggling, nevertheless, was still
carried oil to the same exteot, the Chinese authorities at
E'a'ton conniving at the trade, white the Supreme
Government, like the British iuperintendene, issued pro-
clarialions against it. In February, 1839, however, strict
orders were sent trans Pekin to carry the decrees of the
Gover.,ment into effect, and in aec,rdance with these
orders a Chinese accused of trafficking in opium was
strangled on the 215th of that month, in front of the foreign
factories. All the foreign flags thereupon ceased to be
hoisted, and Captain Elliot ordered all British owned
pessage-bolts not having licenses, to proceed outside the
Pseeeue, and sot return within the same. On the 10. h of
Msieeh the Imperial Commissioner Lin arrived at Canton,
arid .•n the lath he issued two edicts—one to the /long
ftserciente, and the ether to the foreigners; the letter re-
quiring every particle of opium in the store ships, as well
a; that in veszeis without the Chinese waters, to be deli-
vered up en Government on the penalty of death. Cap.
felts Elliot and other residents at Canton, who had never
b en concerned in any opium transactions in their lives,
were seared, deprived of food and drink, and threatened with
execution unless the mandate was complied with in three
d. a. Ito Representative of the Queen of Ergland had
the alter: tative of death or implicit obedience, and to save
lives cheat: the latter, and engaged to deliver up opium to
the vai.ne of two millions and a half sterling, a great
rat which was at the time on the high seas, and en-
tirely lie:encl the reach of the Chinese Government. All
the °pima in these vessels eras delivered up, bat Lin con-
tending that the specified amount was not made good, de-
taned Captain Elliot tinder the same threat of death, and
compelled him to purchase opium to the amount of from
3-6.0001. to 40,0001. to make up the quantity. He was
then released. Some time afterwards an affray took place
between some English or American sailors (for the truth
has not been ascertained), and a party of Chinese, when a
native named Lin Welke lost his life. Commissioner Lin
demanded a British subject in return to be executed for
death of Welke ; and Captain Elliot having made
oay inquiry, without effect, to discover the guilty per-
son, properly refuted to comply. A British merchant
-vessel was attacked by Chinese mandarin boats, some of
her crew murdered, and a British subject cruelly mal-
treated. The convention entered into by the Chinese
Commissioner fur carrying on the uutsidn trade was on
some pretence hiok!rt through. A rencontre took` place
betwevri the Volage and Ilyacintn, British vessels of war,
and a fleet of wtr junks, which ended in the utter defeat
of the Chinese. Several of the junks were sunk, and a
number of Chinese sailors were killed and wounded. All
communication was afterwards cut off by *order of Com-
missioner Lin ; and various attempts were made burn
British ships in the Roads and poison the sailors. To de-
mand redress and compensation for these insttlts and this
vast destruction of property, is the object of the expedition
to Chino.

The following description of this interesting country,
we state confidently, is the most correct hitherto published.
We hare consulted the latest and best authorities, and are
under great oblige( iims to several correspondents, who have
been on the coast, and riven us the latest information
respecting the manners and customs of this remarkable
people. To Mr. Wyld, of Charing. cross, we are greatly
indebted for the copious statistical details, and a consider-
able portion of the interesting account of the ltws,
government, and religion of the country :