The Opium War began in China. Opium is a package of drugs which can be sold cheaply to kill people or for other reasons. British traders have been illegally exporting opium to China. In addition a widespread addiction was constantly causing social problems in the country. In 1839 the Chinese government confiscated all the opium warehoused in Canton, by the British merchants. The fighting between the two sides increased a few days later when some drunken British sailors sailed in and slaughtered a Chinese villager. The British government which did not trust the Chinese legal system refused to have any more men be accused of being guilty.
Lin Tse- Hsu, was the governor of the Chinese Province of Hu-Huang . During his long career 53-year old Lin had acquired a reputation of a man who could be trusted even in a struggle. His high degree of trustworthiness and integrity had earned him the nick name ''Lin the Clear Sky.' and his opinions were highly recommended at the Chinese court of Tao-Cuing. In October 1838 Lin Tse Hsu was ordered to go to the Imperial Palace of Peking where the emperor personally assigned him to get rid of the opium addiction in China.
Lin's first move was to crack down on the opium smugglers . He thought if he could stop foreign smugglers from smuggling, the addiction would be solved. Little did he know opium was produced in China and Brazil. But he did know that opium was carried to China in large British clipper ships. There ship masters sold their opium in secret to Chinese buyers at Clinton Island.
After the foreign merchants unloaded all their contraband, they continued peacefully up Pearl River. Then they sold silk and a variety of legal trade goods. The foreign clipper ships anchored at Canton. Commissioner Lin sent messages demanding smugglers to surrender and turn over all their opium as well as any items stored at Linstin Island. He also asked them to sign a treaty that said they would never bring opium to China or risk death.
The foreigners were given three days to meet his demands. He suspected they would count on the corrupt Chinese officials to help them. Many officials including viceroy and higher ranking officers were secretly accepting bribes called ''squeeze money.''
Even imperial navy vessels were smuggling contraband. On the morning of March 15, 1839, Lin gave the opium traders an example of his seriousness. He ordered a stop to all trades with the western merchants that lived together in small waterfront homes, offices, and trading docks in Canton. Lin's army surrounded the neighborhood building barricades across the streets to stop Chinese from trading at the docks. The foreign community was surrounded and the opium trade was suppressed.
Lin's actions were protested by the British navy in the Chinese port. The merchants had full support from the governor and were not bound to follow the laws of China.
Commissioner Lin laid down the circumstances on the foreign merchants. They could regain their freedom and their right to trade in Canton if they turn over all their opium stored in their ships. Next they must sign a binding pledge to never smuggle opium to China again. Until this was done they could not buy items to export to other places.
On March 27,the merchants surrendered and turned over all their opium.
But did the war really end?
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