General Discourse on Maritime Borders, Part II

Page 1, Front

Small boats make a business of smuggling. Since the third and fourth years of the Daoguang era original: "Daoguang" (道光); specifically 1823–1824, there were only five or six receiving ships original: "dun chuan" (躉船); stationary hulks anchored offshore used as floating warehouses for opium. The former Governor-General, Ruan Yuan, secretly memorialized the throne to request a temporary policy of containment original: "jimi" (羈縻); a traditional diplomatic strategy of "loosing and reining in" to manage unruly groups without direct conflict while gradually planning for its total prohibition.

Recently, however, there are approximately seventeen or eighteen of these ships. They linger throughout the year, transferring and delivering new batches of "smoke" opium. Foreign ships sail into Lumen, then turn into Jiaomen. Using the opium paste original: "tu" (土), literally 'soil' or 'earth' they carry, they transport it to Whampoa and Shenjing place names.

They have established hideouts to serve as secret support and employ "Fast Crabs" original: "kuaixie" (快蟹); fast, multi-oared smuggling boats as escorts, distributing the goods to the distribution brokers original: "yaokou" (窰口), literally 'kiln openings'; clandestine wholesale outlets for opium in the provincial capital. The bandit boats that deliver the smoke also known as "Scrambling Dragons" are manned by dozens of followers who pull the oars as if they are flying, proceeding with cannons and weapons lined up for protection.

In recent years, the foreigners who stay through the winter original: "yadong yi" (押冬夷); foreign merchants who remained in Macau during the off-season in Macau have been traveling back and forth to the provincial capital, seeking out their own trades with various ships. Consequently, the profits of the local brokers have been further divided.

Furthermore, ships from Tianjin, Fujian, and Zhejiang generally negotiate their prices in the provincial capital and then take delivery of the "soil" at the receiving ships. As for the tribute ships and official vessels of other high-ranking officials that secretly carry the drug across the mountain passes, who knows how many there are each year? Such is the multitude of those trafficking in opium.

Regarding opium, only that of the "Company" original: "Gongban" (公班); referring to the British East India Company circulates throughout the various provinces of Guangdong; it is similar to "White Skin" original: "baipi" (白皮); likely referring to Malwa opium, which was often wrapped in white cloth or skins, distinguished from the "Black Earth" of Patna opium. Every white...