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The owners of Lackham in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries ...

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<strong>The</strong> Manor <strong>of</strong> <strong>Lackham</strong> IV : 19 th & 20 th century <strong>owners</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong> two engagements <strong>and</strong> “for his gallantry he was awarded two special<br />

certificates <strong>and</strong> was twice mentioned <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gazette 118 ”<br />

This was <strong>the</strong> conflict known as “<strong>The</strong> Opium War 1839 - 1843” . <strong>The</strong><br />

Opium War, though named after a s<strong>in</strong>gle substance, was fought over<br />

cultural, diplomatic <strong>and</strong> trade differences between Brita<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a.<br />

Simplistically put, British merchants were <strong>in</strong> a trade deficit <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir trade<br />

with Ch<strong>in</strong>a because <strong>the</strong> British bought vast amounts <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese spices,<br />

silk <strong>and</strong> tea but <strong>the</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese didn’t want anyth<strong>in</strong>g like that amount <strong>of</strong><br />

British goods. British merchants <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>in</strong>troduced opium from India.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese already had an opium problem, but <strong>the</strong> Indian material was<br />

far more potent <strong>and</strong> addictive <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> merchants “sold it at great pr<strong>of</strong>it<br />

to an <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly addicted Ch<strong>in</strong>ese populace” 119 .<br />

Ch<strong>in</strong>ese <strong>of</strong>ficials, exactly like <strong>the</strong> authorities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK <strong>in</strong> modern times<br />

<strong>and</strong> for exactly <strong>the</strong> same reasons, became <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly uncomfortable<br />

with <strong>the</strong> problems <strong>of</strong> crime, fecklessness <strong>and</strong> social irresponsibility that<br />

resulted from opium misuse. An Imperial Commissioner for <strong>the</strong><br />

Destruction <strong>of</strong> Opium 120 was appo<strong>in</strong>ted. Despite <strong>the</strong> western merchant’s<br />

unhapp<strong>in</strong>ess with what <strong>the</strong>y saw as <strong>in</strong>terference with trade, he journeyed<br />

to <strong>the</strong> only port where trade with outsiders was allowed 121 , <strong>in</strong> March<br />

1839, <strong>and</strong> set about destroy<strong>in</strong>g 20,000 chests <strong>of</strong> opium. Ch<strong>in</strong>ese<br />

merchants could not henceforth trade <strong>in</strong> opium on pa<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> death.<br />

This was seen by Brita<strong>in</strong> as an unwarranted attack on free trade,<br />

destruction <strong>of</strong> British property, <strong>and</strong> dangerous <strong>in</strong>terference with British<br />

subjects. None <strong>of</strong> which, it was felt, could be tolerated. Troops were<br />

sent out from India to re<strong>in</strong>state “free trade” <strong>and</strong> by July 1840, British<br />

warships <strong>in</strong> South Ch<strong>in</strong>a had carried a force <strong>of</strong> 4,000 men (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g an<br />

artillery corps, sappers, <strong>and</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eers as well as 3 regiments <strong>of</strong> foot),<br />

118 O’Bryne, W (1849) Naval Biographical Dictionary p1002 <strong>The</strong> London Gazette<br />

entries have not yet been located.<br />

119 “<strong>The</strong> Opium War” at<br />

http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armycampaigns/asia/ch<strong>in</strong>a/opiumwar.ht<br />

m upon which this section is largely based.<br />

120 L<strong>in</strong> Tse-Hsu<br />

121 Canton<br />

40

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