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The Imperial Drug Trade

The Imperial Drug Trade, A Re-Statement of the Opium Question, in the Light of Recent Evidence and New Developments in the East, by Joshua Rowntree (1844-1915). Published in London in 1906. (304 pages)

The Publisher has copy-edited this book to improve the formatting, style and accuracy of the text to make it readable. This did not involve changing the substance of the text. Some books, due to age and other factors may contain imperfections. Since there are many books such as this one that are important and beneficial to literary interests, we have made it digitally available and have brought it back into print for the preservation of printed works of the past.

Contents:
Introduction
Preface to the Second Edition

PART I. HISTORY
Chapter I. Early Commerce
Chapter II. The Beginnings of the Trade
Chapter III. The Monopoly of the East India Company
Chapter IV. British Superintendence
Chapter V. The Brewing of War
Chapter VI. The Opium War
Chapter VII. Treaty of Nankin
Chapter VIII. Smuggling Renewed
Chapter IX. The Second War
Chapter X. Legalisation
Chapter XI. The Chefoo Convention
Chapter XII. Opinion in Parliament

PART II. THE ROYAL COMMISSION
Chapter I. The Non-Judicial Commission
Chapter II. Opium Smoking
Chapter III. Burma
Chapter IV. The Straits Settlement
Chapter V. Hong Kong
Chapter VI. China

PART III. PRESENT POSITION
Chapter I. India
Chapter II. Medical and Military Evidence
Chapter III. Unbiassed Witnesses
Chapter IV. Sir Robert Hart and Hon. Chester Holcombe
Chapter V. The Voice of China
Chapter VI. The Missionary Factor
Chapter VII. The Example of Japan
Chapter VIII. The Comity of Nations

Appendix I
Appendix II

INTRODUCTION
...A GREAT controversy has long been waged over the opium trade from India to China. Of late, so far as the Press and Parliament are concerned, it has been practically in abeyance. Men once listened to — Earl Shaftesbury, John Bright, Cardinal Manning, Dr. Temple, Sir Joseph W. Pease, and others — have passed away; whilst the proceedings of the Royal Commission on Opium were admirably adapted to stay further unrest on the part of the general public. Sir A. C. Lyall, in the last edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, explains that "the agitation against the drug was laid for a further term of years by the Royal Commission." If so, the term is probably a short one, and nearly over. In truth, the proceedings of the Commission are only impressive so long as they are not examined and understood. When studied, they will be found to lessen the credit usually attaching to such semi-judicial inquiries, and to reflect on the impartiality of British tribunals appointed for temporary purposes.
...The Commission was indeed effective for allaying the agitation, largely because it synchronised with a change in the thought of the day much more important and difficult to grapple with than the inquiry itself. A recrudescence of materialism in the national life threw ethical considerations for a time into the background. Ideals for the betterment of humanity have not prospered. War has cast its deadly shadow over the comity of nations, and selfishness, if only on a sufficiently large scale, has been greatly exalted. The victory for the moment has rested with the forces of organised wealth. These causes have all favoured non-interference in an exceptionally lucrative branch of commerce, carried on with all the prestige of the British Empire. The Chinese obtain the smoke they love, the Indian Treasury obtains the revenue it needs: why should any one meddle?
...And yet, passive or active, the controversy remains, and will remain, so long as any trade injurious to the morale of one nation is pushed by another for its own profit, — so long as either the Confucian or the more absolute Christian rendering of the Golden Rule has an influence over the minds of men. The signs of the times suggest that the world is getting through the trough of its recent moral depression, — that truer notes than those of armed force and material gain are already asserting themselves amongst the nations. A readjustment of relations between the Eastern and Western peoples is becoming necessary. The opium question, however skilfully it may be kept in the background, accounts for much of the weakness of England in the esteem of China; whilst it represents a distinct divergence of policy between this country and its new ally, Japan. On these broad grounds alone the problem should be faced fairly and frankly. It is only a hackneyed question to those to whom it is unwelcome, whose fears are stronger than their hopes. Its past certainly cannot be regarded with satisfaction by any school of Englishmen. Lord Brassey, presiding over the Royal Commission before it had placed itself in the hands of the Government of India, said, "We .....

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The Imperial Drug Trade