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Roberts, Edmund (Digitized 12 October 2007) [First published in 1837]. Embassy to the Eastern courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat : in the U. S. sloop-of-war Peacock ... during the years 1832-3-4. Harper & brothers. OCLC 12212199. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Chapter X. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES – MONEY WEIGHTS – COMMERCIAL WEIGHTS – OPIUM – OPIUM-SMOKERS – MANTCHOU DYNASTY
Having heretofore cursorily alluded to the vast sum annually expended in the importation of opium, I now proceed to give a more particular statement concerning the trade, the number of smokers, &c., &c. The opium-trade, which scarcely attracted the notice of merchants previously to the year 1816, has now swollen into great importance, by the rapid and extensive sale of one of the most destructive narcotics which the world ever knew, and which is used in China as a pernicious indulgence, by smoking. The government has passed the most rigorous laws to prevent its importation and use, but as the officers of the revenue boats, from Linting and Cap-shuy-moon to Canton, are bribed, and receive a stipulated fee on every chest of opium, and every other article illegally imported, smuggling is no longer fraught with any material risk, and has at length assumed the appearance of a regular branch of commerce. Once in two or three years, the Chinese admiral is ordered to proceed to the smuggling depots at the island of Linting,
- [147 \ 140 EMBASSY TO THE EAST. [October]
(alias Ling-ting) the "Solitary Vail,"or the "Destitute Orphan," or to Cap-sin-moon, alias, Cap-shuy-moon, or the "Swift water passage," and exterminate the "foreign barbarians." He goes down in formidable array, with an immense number of flags flying; and the sound proceeding from an endless number of great gongs and other noisy instruments, is heard, with a favourable wind, long before his fleet "heaves in sight;" the smugglers are previously informed, of his coming, (for public notice is given many weeks, perhaps months, before he arrives;) the imperial fleet is then hove to, at a safe distance, far beyond the reach of cannon-shot, from three to five miles; the gongs are then beaten with the utmost fury, the trumpets blown, and the thousands of warriors shout and bellow with loud vociferations, to frighten away the monsters, and a cannon-shot or two is fired, perhaps; the "barbarians" then get under way very leisurely with a topsail or two bent, and proceed towards the Ladrone, or Rogues islands, called by the Chinese "Low man-shan," or the "old ten thousand hills;" this satisfies the commander, who returns back, and sounds far and wide, his valorous deeds in alms, (arms,) (for he is one of the beggars who asks a douceur.) Forthwith a courier is despatched to the imperial court, announcing, that the Fankwai, or "Foreign white devils" are blown into "ten thousand atoms," and that their carcasses have been given to the fish, and to birds of prey. As soon as the Chinese fleet "about ship" to return, which is done immediately if possible, down drop the anchors of the " Fankwai," the sails are unbent, the smuggling boats are laden again as usual; and thus ends this ridiculous farce. To show the destructive tendency of this trade in every point of view, to the Chinese empire, a statement is, herewith presented, setting forth the alarming increase of the imports from 1817, to 1833: In the season ending in 1817, three thousand, two hundred and ten chests of Patna, Benares, and Malva opium, containing one hundred and five catties, or one hundred and forty pounds each chest, were imported, which sold for the sum of three millions, six hundred and fifty-seven thousand dollars: in the season ending in 1833, fifteen thousand six hundred and sixty-two chests from India were imported, which sold for thirteen millions, seven hundred and fifty-seven thousand, two hundred and ninety dollars; the whole value of the known import-
- [OPIUM SMOKERS. 141 \ 148]
ations during the time named, being seventeen years only, was the enormous sum of one hundred and fifty millions, one hundred and thirty four thousand, six hundred and sixty-eight dollars: the number of smokers, allowing three candareens of 17.40 grains troy, per day to each, had increased from about one hundred thousand, to about one million, four hundred and seventy-fire thousand, seven hundred and twenty-six. If to the quantity already stated, there is added the importation of Turkey opium, of which we have no regular account, as well as the quantity smuggled by Chinese junks from Singapore, &c., all of which may be fairly estimated at one third more; the number of chests imported in the year 1833, would be about twenty-one thousand, which probably sold for the sum of twenty millions of dollars: the number of smokers may be estimated at nearly two millions. The crude opium undergoes a very expensive process by boiling, or seething and straining, not less than twice, before it is fit for use; it is then made into small pills, or put into the pipe, in a semi-fluid state, and taken off, at two or three whiffs, the smoke being vented very slowly through the nostrils, the recipient lying at the same time in a recumbent posture. Although the Chinese are well aware of its baneful effects, and that it is yearly draining the country of the value of many millions of dollars, yet they say, "it is a Josh Pigeon," (meaning that God hath so decreed it,) and they cannot prevent it A chest of opium, which cost eight hundred dollars, is said to quadruple in price, when prepared for use. Opium is vended as openly as teas, by the foreign merchants; the quantity disposed of, and on hand, and the average price, are printed and published monthly, and are in the possession of every dealer; and the chits, or orders given on the commanders of the ships, are generally sold like scrip, to a great number of persons on speculation, before the delivery is finally completed. The tremendous and horrible effects upon the personal appearance of its votaries, maybe seen daily, about the suburbs of Canton, and of all the pitiable objects the eye ever saw, a confirmed opium-smoker is apparently the most degraded and worthless. When he has once passed the Rubicon, reformation seems to be impossible, the sting of death which is sin, has seized upon him, his feet are already within the precincts of the grave, and he has sunk like Lucifer, "never to rise again." When the effect has subsided, an
- [149 \ 142 EMBASSY TO THE EAST. October]
emaciated, nerveless wretch is seen, with a cadaverous skin, eyeballs wildly protruding from their sockets, the step faltering, the voice weak and feeble, and the countenance idiotic; but when an opium-smoker lies under the baneful influence of the narcotic, the images which flit before his diseased imagination, are exquisite, brilliant, heavenly: it is the [[Nepenthe[[, prepared by the hands of the fair Helen, which so exhilarated the spirits of all who had the happiness to partake of it, that all care was banished for the time being, from their benighted recollections.
Appendix
editIndian opium in China, annual consumption & value by season. Appendix Page 428