Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-04
parties who have brought the loss on themselves by their

forfeited property which stored In the vessels al LIN
tin, Her Britannia Majestys Superintendent Of Trade
Capt Elliot stepped in to protect British subjects from
the threatened losses which their conduct had justly
brought upon them in direct conravention OF the sen
ments of the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign AT
fairs Capt Elliot called upon British subjects TO deliver
UP the smuggled opium him for the Of the British
Government and pledged the faith Of his Government to
remunerate them In answer to his call the enormous
of 90 283 chests delivered to him from the
accumulated quantity hand accumulated because, ow
ing the stringent which in operation to
suppress its consumption the amount OF sales had peen
greatly lessened and this quantity delivered over
to the Chinese Commissioner by her Majestys Supern
tendent under protest. And this unauthorized act OF
the Superintendent based the claim made upon the
Chinese Government for the value Of the opium The
value of the opium which delivered up at the then
deprecated prices was estimated at about tlooo,ooo
sterling. At the time the Chinese Commissioner
required bond Of all the foreign merchants that they
would not hereafter engage in this traffic That pledge
was in the following language:
" They beg represent that being made fay aware
Of the Imperial commands for the entire abolition OF the rafnc
in opium the undersigned foreign merchants hereby pledge
not to deal in opium, nor to attempt to introduce
1t into the Chinese Empire
sit is said that there only British subject OF
all those who gave this pledge the Chinese Commits
soner that kept and reckless Of consequences were
Of those engaged in this trade that while the TO-
reigners shut in Canton pending these negoa
tons they felt in jeopardy of their lives they
prosecuting the traffic the eastern coast thereby
increasing their danger After the opium had been de-
yered to the Commissioner at the mouth OF the Gan
ton river the foreigners wWe permitted 70 retre 20 Ma
Gao but after they had retired of those who had
given their bond not to traffic in opium resumed the trade
as soon as new supply arrived selling it at enhanced
prices owing the abstraction of such large quantity
from the market.
ap, n.s 1smpeFor sent down nan
date that the whole quantity valued at 900 ster
ling should be destroyed. This most eftectualy
done near the place where it stored up when delv
cred oyer mxngit with lime and salt in large trenches
the opium having first been puversed after which pro-
cess OF mixing the whole was let out Of the trenches
into the sea- The work occupied period of twenty
days. Such heather Emperor's costly offering to
show his regard for the lives and happiness Of his peo
p and to celebrate he supposed the complete success
of his efforts to put stop to this desolang curse for
he supposed did also the Superintendent of British
trade, who announced to her Majestys Government
that all the opium hand had been destroyed, and
all the foreign merchants had given bonds not to deal
in opium attempt introduce into the Chinese EN-
pre, the traffic in opium entirely abolished. Alas
How deusve the hope How ndelibe the disgrace upon
those who from utter disregard Of their solemn pledge
rendered it SO!
"The consequence of seizing and confscating this
smugged poison and Of other growing out OF
was war with England When the Emperor and his
high officers became fully sensible, by bought expe-
rence of their inability resist the prowess Of the Br
tish arms he concluded treaty with Great Britain
article OF which stipulated that the Emperor of China
should pay 81 600 indemnity for the contraband
opium which he had in accordance with the usage of all
nations, conscaed and e. 000 900 sterling for the
penses Of the war; but in this treaty there was not any
provision or stipulation made against the accursed traffic
account of which the two countries had been involved
in war After the high Chinese Commissioners had sig
ned their acceptance of the terms Of the treaty which
was dictated to them by the British Envoy they eagerly
requested why he British) would not act fairly to-
wards them the Chiaese by prohibiting the cultivation
of the poppy in our dom oons The British Envoy Sir
Henry Pottnger replied our people must become more
virtuous your officers incorru ble ana then you can
uf,r fho1 1n,,, hnri
other people win bring it you if we should stop the
cultivation Of the poppy and in CONCLUSION ,ne Envoy
added You cannot do better than legalize ~ on ior
very shame Who does not blush for this repre-
Of Christian Government in the presence of the Ugh
officers OF great heather people, outragng all their
tons OF right by recommending them to lcgalze the n
quitous traffic in opium? 1t was in effect saying, Your
people will continue to buy it, and we, without any
gard to the niquy of the traffic. will continue to supply
it. When we are thus determined to continue the traffic.
it will cause less injury to your country you egaze it
then II it Is still conducted by this armed smuggling
But in some measure to appease the outraged christian
sentiment OF the United Kingdom it was inserted in
supplementary treaty that if any merchant vessel SHALL
in contraventon of this agreement and of proclamation
to be issued by the British penpotenary repair to any
other ports or places han the Eve pors the Chinese
Government shall be at liberty to conscate both vessels
and cargoes But the Chinese Government having had
to pay dearly for having confscated the cargoes of
smuggling vessels in 1885, has dared to interfere
with the traffic In opium since that the practical re-
suit (and most natural result of the opium war has
been to perfect immunity the opium trade
since The consequences has been that the quantity i'm
ported has been increasing every year. until it has reach
ed the enormous quantity Of nearly IS 900 chests
num- which is nearly double what it was in 1886.
The matter is very seldom referred to in the Pc
king Gazette In 1874 there another effort to induce
the Emperor to egaze the traffic. when he recorded his
decision in these words, worthy Of perpetual remem-
brance: II true, cannot prevent the introduction Of
the flowing poison: seeking and corrupt will,
for proht and sensuay defeat my wishes but nothing
will induce me to derive from the vice and
misery of my people, 1t proposed to the young
Emperor Hienfung in 1853 when he involved in great
financial embarrassments that he should assist his
nue. BY egazing the trade in opium being represent
ed to him that the therefrom would be about
,2000O0 sterling But, after several months delibera
ton the Emperor announced his intention to continue
the policy OF his revered ancestors Honor yes oil
have persevered in righteous policy amid many diff
cultes and SO many aurements to induce tho adoption
OF the opposite policy! What dishonoring reflection
does this conduct Of the Chinese Government make
the East India Company who have persevered for pc
rod OF over eighty years. in deriving from the
production and sale of that which produces poverty and
disgrace disease and DEATH among millions Of infatuated
heathensl Every rghtmnded person will feel that this
is most humiliang chapter in the history Of mankind
Of the utter hopelessness Of aboshing this niquous
traffic in opium BY any Of the hitherto attempted
and it presents, in the strongest possible light the
cessy Of the Of action which have suggested
the only way by which that desirable end be Effected
FROM CHINA.
Letters from Hong Kong Of August 22d state that DO
tical affairs at Canton remained the same critical