MISCELLANY. 
75 
by the Chinese government; but that prohibition is merely an empty 
sound, which, in fact, means nothing. The whole, or at least the 
greater part of the mandarins use it, and it is not at all unlikely that 
his Celestial Majesty himself makes one of the number of its devotees. 
The truth is, the Chinese government, whatever it may say, has no 
wish to put a stop to its introduction. It is necessary, however, to pub- 
lish every now and then strong threatening edicts against it, which are 
only consigned to oblivion in the pages of the Peking Gazette, and 
have no effect whatever in restraining the Emperor's loyal subjects. 
It is now the opinion of all intelligent foreigners, and also many of the 
more enlightened amongst the Chinese themselves, that the importa- 
tion of opium ought to be legalised, and it should be admitted at a 
small duty, as, by this means, much of the demoralising effects of 
smuggling would be got rid of, and a considerable revenue would flow 
into the coffers of the Chinese treasury. 
Many instances of the feeble kind of opposition which the Chinese 
government employ to stop the opium trade, occurred during my resi- 
dence in the country. Sometimes an admiral, renowned for his valour, 
was sent with a number of war-junks to a particular station, where 
the opium ships were anchored, for the purpose of compelling them to 
leave the Chinese shores. Gongs were beat, guns were fired, at a 
respectful distance, however, and the junks came down with all that 
pomp and parade which the Chinese know so well how to assume, 
and which seem to form a principal part of their warlike operations. 
In the mean time the litde opium vessels were seen quietly at anchor, 
apparently paying but slight attention to all these threatening demon- 
strations. Presently a message was sent from the admiral, ordering 
them to get up their anchors and stand out to sea, and never more to 
dare to enter the waters of his Celestial Majesty under the penalty of 
being completely annihilated. 
A summons like this in former days might have had some weight, 
but now it had none ; and the only answer the messenger carried 
back was, " that the foreign vessels were well armed, and that they 
would not leave their anchorage.'' This was quite sufficient to cool 
the courage of the admiral, who was now in a dilemma; he durst not 
fight the barbarians," and if he did not manage to get them out of 
the way, his character for courage would suffer when the affair was 
represented at head-quarters. He therefore altered his tone, and re- 
quested the captains, as a great favour, to leave the anchorage and move 
outside for a day or two only, after which time they might retum to 
their old quarters. This was agreed to on the part of the captains of 
the opium vessels, and on the following morning they got under weigh 
and went out to sea. The Chinese, who were on the look-out at the 
