China.- Opium.- Crisis in the Opium Traffic: being an Account of the Proceedings of the Chinese Government to suppress that Trade, first edition, slight worming towards end, first two and last two leaves a little frayed at edges (repaired), modern patterned-paper wrappers sewn in Japanese style, by Y.Sakurai, typed label to upper cover, with original printed wrappers mounted on endpapers (rubbed and defective at edges just touching border but not affecting text), [Lust 666; Cordier 1905; Morrison I, 200], 8vo, [Canton], Printed at the Office of the Chinese Repository, 1839.

⁂ Rare record of the Chinese government’s attempts to eradicate the opium trade in 1839, and the cause of the First Opium War. The high imperial commissioner Lin Zexu (1785-1850) was sent by the Emperor to Canton (Guangzhou), the centre of the opium trade, to resolve the crisis. Lin targeted foreigners, especially the British, who were the primary culprits in perpetuating the illegal trafficking, and his hardline policies caused British resentment and hostility: threats of capital punishment for the selling and smuggling of opium, seizing of warehouses, destruction of opium at Humen, and detention of British merchants suspected of illegal trading. The British reaction and arming of their ships was orchestrated by Charles Elliot (1801-1875), Chief Superintendent of the trade of British subjects in China, and his written responses are included in the work.
Library Hub records only 3 copies (BL, SOAS and Senate House Library).