receives a very respectable consideration, for winking at these illicit transactions. The military and naval officers sometimes get up a sham fight, in order that they may have to report their vigilance and strictness to Peking; and when the smugglers are remiss in paying the accustomed bribes, they now and then seize a boat or two, to keep them regular and submissive. Thus, it is evident, that the imperial government is absolutely powerless, in aiming to prevent the introduction of opium; and that the traffic does and will increase, notwithstanding the most violent and sanguinary edicts to the contrary. Surrounded by corrupt and venial officers, the emperor's best efforts, if indeed, he use any, are entirely nugatory; and bribery laughs at imperial proclamations, which universally forbidding and never punishing, become, in fact, so much waste paper. Every one acquainted with China knows, that as long as the appetite for opium exists there, the traffic cannot be put down by the present inefficient police; and should the naval and military force of China be resolved to use their utmost efforts to prevent the introduction from abroad, they cannot overcome the force of well manned and armed European vessels, nor elude the vigilance of the fast-crab and scrambling-dragon native smugglers.[1]
To the foreign community of Canton we would appeal, did we not fear that most of them are now
- ↑ Late accounts from Canton inform us, that the Chinese government were taking very vigorous and decisive measures to break up the opium trade at Lintin. The receiving ships had been compelled to quit their usual anchorage, and to remove to a place forty miles to the eastward. More edicts had been issued: and it was expected that the superintendent of British trade would be appealed to, with the assurance that the whole of the foreign trade should be stopped, unless the orders of the native government were complied with, and the smuggling of opium discontinued.
