In early August 1841, the exact time was 9:00 am on August 10. The British fleet, which had sailed for nearly four months, finally moored in the ocean outside Coloane Island, Macau. Macau has a history of only over 200 years, which can be seen in classics.Before that, it was little more than a deserted island.It was the Portuguese who first disturbed the tranquility of the island.Their merchant ships drifted from west to east in the monsoon, and then dissipated in various ports along the coast of China.Usually they don't park here, they just take shelter here when encountering typhoon or bad weather.After a long time, this place has become the place where these foreigners stop. Not only the Portuguese, but also the Dutch, Spaniards, and British people also like to stop here, and then sail north or continue to drift east. .The so-called Australian character, interpreted according to Chinese characters, refers to the place where the sea bends and can berth a boat.At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the westerly wind was getting stronger and there were more outsiders. There were Langbai, Guanghai, Wangdong, Qitan, Shizimen, Humen, Jixi, and Tuen Mun in the Pearl River Delta. These places are collectively referred to as Australia. Therefore, the word "Australia" cannot be separated from foreigners.

After many foreign merchant fleets were moored in good ports, they liked Macau even more, so it developed day by day, while other places gradually fell into disuse.It is said that Liguria, a seaport city on the west coast of Italy, was the first free port in the world. If it is true, Macau was 12 years earlier than its establishment in 1547.Macau was opened as a port during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. In 1529, Lin Fu, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi in the Ming Dynasty, asked Emperor Jiajing to allow Portuguese businessmen to come to the Tianchao market, saying that there were four benefits. Xu Fulang's machine market had four benefits: the benefits of China, the salt money is the biggest, the water in the mountain villages, the begging Begging is at the end of the day, and only fills the regular amount. When there is a flood or drought, the people are persuaded to pay for millet, and they will not change their old views.In addition to the tribute of the fan ships, it is beneficial to have all the extractions, and it is also beneficial to promote the imperial use.The two have been using troops for years, and the treasury is depleted every day, so as to pay for them, so as to be prepared in case of danger, and benefit both.Guangxi province is all dependent on Guangdong.Today, there is a small issue, that is to say, it will not be done, and it is said that it is close to the people. It is unavoidable to plan. If there is a different time when the ships are in circulation, the public and private will be spared.For the old profit of trade, if a company chooses the good one, it will be given at the price, and secondly, it will be bought and sold by the people. Therefore, if the small people hold the goods for a penny, they can get the peppers and trade them around.

Before the Portuguese were allowed to dock their ships in Macau, the Ming government had strictly ordered Guangdong not to trade with foreign barbarians, and Guangdong was in a state of desolation at that time.After the Portuguese merchant ships came to Macao, Guangdong officials suddenly had a whim, advocating the replacement of salaries with foreign goods, and reported to the emperor to allow trade, so the place became more and more lively. In 1535, the Portuguese bribed Xiangshan officials of the Ming Dynasty with a lot of money, hoping that Portuguese ships could dock in Macau.Because Macao is under the jurisdiction of Xiangshan County.Huang Qing, commander of the former Shandu in the Ming Dynasty, approved the Portuguese request, so this place became the berthing place for foreign ships.

In 1553, the Portuguese merchants pretended that the ship hit a rock and sank, and the sea water entered the warehouse. The tribute goods to the Ming Dynasty were soaked in water, and they applied for whether they could go to the island to cool the soaked goods.At that time, Macau was called Rihaojingao, probably because the Hao River flowed out of the island.Shiwangbai, a seaway in Guangdong, was also bribed by the Portuguese, and local officials allowed foreign ships to berth.After foreigners came to the island, he did not stop them. In this way, Macau became the first foothold for foreigners in China.Portugal was the first Western country to do business with China.They were 240 years earlier than the first British Magorney envoys who came to China to ask for business.

Although British civilian merchant ships followed in the footsteps of the Portuguese and started business in coastal towns in China, Special Envoy Magorny was the first person to formally deal with Chinese officials. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the rulers in the Forbidden City in Beijing were busy with Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and Nurhachi in the north, a large area of ​​sea and coastline in the South China Sea was quietly developing an economic form that was completely opposite to the feudal society. And gradually become a trend. When the Portuguese arrived in Macao, the local residents were mainly fishermen living in the Nanwan area, and their residences were just some simple huts made of yellow mud.After the Portuguese rented Macao as a foothold, they settled in Nanwan and built Western-style buildings and fortresses.Therefore, someone wrote in a poem: "In the north and south Shuangwan, all the Tibetans live in buildings."The so-called "fans" already refers to not only the Portuguese family, but also the Dutch, Spanish, and British people who flocked into Macau to occupy a place.

Near Jinhuimeili Street in the middle section of Nanwan, the place called Yuzaitou in the past, Chinese officials once set up a tax hall with a fence and a high platform, which was very prominent. It was not until the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty that the tax hall and flagpole were removed. In 1887, the Portuguese signed the "Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peace and Commerce" with the Qing government, officially occupying this place by the Portuguese. After Macao was opened as a port, foreign businessmen came from thousands of miles away, and Chinese and Western goods converged here, and its status became more and more important.The local residents of Macau did not only rely on fishing for a living, but also began to run businesses and trade with foreigners.As a result, Macau has become a land of fishermen.When a large number of fleets from Western Europe and other countries come east, they must stop in Macao, or hold the goods here, and then try to transship them to Japan, North Korea or Southeast Asian countries.Or lead to the mainland on the spot, and distribute foreign goods to southern Guangdong or the north.Tea, porcelain, and mineral resources from the mainland, as well as silk and ginseng from the Japanese or Koreans, were also transported to Western Europe or beyond through Macau.

Macau was not only China's first port to the outside world at that time, but also occupied an important position in the history of world business. Since the nineteenth century, the maritime superiority of Portugal and Spain has been gradually replaced by Great Britain.Macau has become a scale to test the strength of Western powers.The fleet of British ships cruising in the China Sea is getting bigger and more frequent, and it has become the most important scenery in Macau Port. At that time, Wanren Mountain was raised on the sea, and anyone with such majesty, needless to say, must have been done by the British Fleet flying the rice-shaped flag.It was indeed a British warship.

Leading the fleet was Pudingcha, the new plenipotentiary and commercial supervisor who succeeded Elliot, the British plenipotentiary in China. The new commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Balck, came to Australia on the same ship.Pottinger, a legendary figure of the British army in the East India colony.Born in 1789, he joined the Imperial Navy at the age of 12. At the age of 14, he served in the British Army in India as a trainee officer.He was evaluated as hardworking, clumsy but not stupid.At the same time, he loves to be unconventional, he does things arbitrarily, lacks team awareness, and likes to go alone. From 1801 to 1811, he was ordered by the British East India colonial authorities to venture to the areas controlled by the Persian and Indian authorities and use force to open up the battlefield. He once shocked the British Isles and thus attracted the attention of the British rulers. From 1836 to 1840, he was appointed as the chief executive of India's Sindh Province. In 1840, he won consecutive victories in the war against Afghanistan, was promoted to rear admiral, and was named a baron by the British royal family.

This time he came to China, he was ordered by the resolution of the British cabinet on April 30, appointing him as the governor of Hong Kong.His Majesty the King himself summoned him.The 22-year-old queen has just married her cousin Prince Albert, and the blushes of happiness seem to have not faded.Pudingcha was deeply impressed by the queen's youth and beauty.The queen extended a pair of slender hands to him, and he almost fainted when he kissed the queen's jade-like fingers in a kneeling posture.Although these are a pair of typically perfect women's hands, they are full of the power of the British Empire.He couldn't help thinking that the queen's showy hand was actually the claw of a powerful and magical lion, and he was the sharp nail on the claw.Many years later, on the coat of arms of Hong Kong, the image of a fierce lion wearing a crown and holding the Pearl of the Orient in its front paws apparently appeared. I don’t know if this image is related to the imagination of the first Hong Kong Governor Pu Dingcha that day. It doesn't matter.

The queen said to him in her soft and slightly shy inquiry tone: Will you be responsible to me and go to far away China to exercise the rights of the British Empire?You're the first official there, if you will.You will replace Elliot the Plenipotentiary who is fighting in China.Your mission is to use strength and wisdom to make the rulers of China unconditionally accept all the demands of the British Empire, occupy Hong Kong in legal form, and force them to recognize the legality of British commercial activities and opium trade. Do you know what I mean?Puting Chanonuo retreated. All the imperial courtiers stared at him enviously.He felt the weight of the Isle of England on his shoulders.He came to China with a heavy mission.

Pudingcha has never been to China, but he is no stranger to China.For many years he had been serving in India and had nearly 30 years of colonial adventures in the East.India and China are close neighbors, and they are both cultural powers in the East. Although Pu Dingcha, who was born in the army, has a low level of education, he has always been in awe of this.However, judging from Pudingcha's adventures, what he admired most in his heart was not culture, but force. At 9 o'clock, after Pudingcha's fleet anchored, he did not step off the ship.He and the new commander of the expeditionary force, Balk, still sat on the bow of the ship, and ordered his men to fire salutes to show that he was different from other generals and ministers. He brought the King's order, which said: When the governor arrives in Hong Kong to take office, or returns from England after his leave, or leaves Hong Kong after his term, the warships and forts must fire 17 guns to salute him. Pottinger stands out in a white uniform and a three-cornered hat with a plume.He is tall and tall, with a round face, prominent shield dome, always frowning, and piercing eyes.He is usually silent and likes to be alone.Years of military career have made him develop a personality like a gun, only active in battle. According to the plan, the salute can only be fired at the handover ceremony, but both he and Balck think that after nearly four months of voyage, the salute may not be damp, so it is better to practice it, and Macao is under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese, so as to Knock the mountain and shake the tiger, and shake their prestige.Because the Portuguese did not perform well in the Sino-British war, they often provoked it, and they were suspected of taking advantage of it. The military band brought along with the ship played the British national anthem, and the atmosphere of the British Empire immediately permeated the whole of Macau.Sitting on the bow of the boat, Pu Ding observed that the Portuguese officials hurried over to greet them in the sedan chairs of the locals, surrounded by soldiers...boom...boom...the salute was fired. The cheers of the British soldiers sounded from the ship. Amidst the sound of military music, gunfire and cheers, Pottinger and Balck slowly walked down the gangway of the ship... After lunch, Pudingcha, who had a short rest, had an exhibition match with the Portuguese official Matasa (translated name) who came to greet him. It was not they themselves who participated in the performance, but their respective guards.During the meal, Matasha saw that the British were carrying guns different from Mausers, and felt strange, so he asked Pudingcha whether this kind of guns were better than Mausers? At that time, in the armies of various European countries, the most common and popular weapon was still the Mauser.This is the so-called fast gun in the land combat weapons at that time.There is no rifling in the barrel of the Mauser gun, and the bullets go straight. If the distance is within 50 meters, the shooting effect is the best. If it exceeds 100 meters, the shooting effect will be halved. If the target is 200 meters away, the bullet basically cannot reach the target.Even so, on the eastern battlefield dominated by cold weapons, this weapon still gives people great shock and deterrence. In 1510, the fifth year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty.In this year, the rebellion of King Anhua, the imperial clan of the Ming Dynasty, was suppressed, and the weapons used by both sides to fight on the battlefield were still broadswords and spears. At this time, in Europe, Mauser guns had been used fluently, and the tactics and tactics derived from them were being perfected day by day.As the jungles of industrial civilization have sprung up in Europe, wander around in them for a long time, and all kinds of eccentric ideas will sprout.It was Kasper Corner, a Viennese, who first found the Mauser unsatisfactory.He first discovered that arrows with feathers shoot farther than arrows without feathers, and the hit rate is much higher. From this, he was inspired to prove that the rifling in the barrel has a stabilizing effect on the bullet.When shooting, the rifling in the barrel allows the bullet to continuously rotate as it flies, so that it flies farther and has a higher hit rate.The high-speed rotation of the bullet is to utilize the characteristic that the high-speed rotational symmetry body has its axis to keep a certain direction, just like a high-speed rotating top is not easy to tilt, so that the bullet keeps its head forward and will not turn over.In this way, the resistance of the bullet is relatively reduced, the accuracy is relatively accurate, and the ballistic trajectory is much smoother and more standardized than that of the bullet fired by the Mauser. This resulted in a far superior rifle than the Mauser.The rifle was born in the hands of Casper Corner.The year is 1510. After the birth of the rifle, it was not promoted in continental Europe immediately. It was once declared by Christianity to be a demonic object, so its use was postponed for several centuries. It was not gradually used in the European battlefield until the beginning of the 19th century... Pottinger was the first to use the rifle while fighting in India and Afghanistan.Those Indians and Afghans still used bows and knives.During the 13th or 14th century, they were taught by the Mongolian army in China. Perhaps Genghis Khan's horse team and bow, arrow, knife and ax left a deep impression on them. Now they all follow the footsteps of the Mongolian army, only around the horses The horse team makes a fuss.In the camp, they often wear leather hats with ear brims, felt boots and leather boots. Each of them has only two offensive weapons, two bows, two quiveres, a machete, a handaxe, and one with an iron hook. A spear used to pull a man off a horse.In addition, there are always knots ready to bind people.These were the adversaries and enemies that Pottinger encountered, and indeed, even with a musket, Indians and Afghans were terrified in the presence of rows of gunmen. As a soldier, Pottinger seldom fought with other With the support of Mauser guns and iron cannons, his army can be said to be invincible. In the autumn of 1840, when Pu Dingcha returned to China and was canonized by the British king as a baron, his subordinates recommended to him the rifle that had been sealed for nearly 300 years.Putingcha was overjoyed. During his short vacation trip, he carried out many experiments with the gun in the mountains, and he was secretly surprised by the power and accuracy of the rifle.He didn't understand why such army guns had been abandoned for three hundred years, and why they were discovered only today, three hundred years later, which seemed to have a mysterious hint.The sensitive Pudingcha realized that the rifle would bring new miracles to his military career... According to information, the current Chinese army is still mainly armed with cold weapons and a small number of matchlock guns.A man named Bingham once described the situation of the Qing army recruiting Shui Yong in this way-on the square in front of the merchant house...the prefect of Guangzhou and other high-ranking officials were present, accompanied by merchants, salt merchants, and Chaozhou merchants.People who aim at six yuan a month gather in large groups around the sheds.In front of the prefect of Guangzhou, a large open space was kept by the officials.Those who volunteered to join the army were ushered into the clearing.At this time, in order to prove their qualifications to join the new army, they had to lift a double stone wheel about five feet long, with a round or wheel-shaped piece of granite on each end of the stone wheel, with a total weight of about one hundred catties.They are to pick it up with both hands from the ground and lift it over their heads until their arms are straight.I have seen several people reach this position, hold the stone wheel with only one hand, and maintain the original position for several seconds... The dream of winning battles with natural brute force has been the basic plot that has lingered in the Chinese army for thousands of years, from Qin Huang to Han Wu, from Yue Fei to Genghis Khan.In the face of the rumbling European chariots with industrial and technological strength as shells, China's national defense strength appears pale and vulnerable. It is precisely because of this insight into China's national defense strength that Pudingcha feels that he has a chance to win. He will turn China into the second India and Afghanistan, and he will make the rulers of the Qing Dynasty prostrate at his feet. To be a vassal will make thousands of people in this big eastern country tremble when they hear his name. He will make the entire British Empire cheer for his unrivaled martial arts, and let Queen Victoria crown him again... As a future plenipotentiary representative of China, he proposed to the cabinet, requesting to buy a large number of rifles immediately, and recommended this gun to British arms dealers, hoping that they would develop imitation British model rifles as soon as possible.He said: The distant Chinese battlefield will urgently need this shocking new weapon... When uninformed Portuguese officials questioned his rifle, he felt it was in his favor. Several small sedan chairs and a group of people came to a barren hill on the island.The Portuguese official Matasha asked his men to measure the distance and mark it at 200 meters.Mataisa believed in his musket, and he also believed in his shooters.Mataisa insisted on not using a target, and let the shooters shoot at each other at both ends.Pu Dingcha knew that the Portuguese were absolutely defeated, but he deliberately refused to say that doing so was a barbaric act. If it spread, it would damage the reputation and the reputation of both countries. After talking for a long time, Pu Dingcha smiled and said, we have a word first, and we will not be responsible for life or death.I don't know much about the performance of this new gun. If our side suffers losses, I and my subordinates will never blame you.Since your Excellency has repeatedly asked for direct shooting, you must be sure of winning. In order to satisfy your wish, I can only tell my subordinates to make a sacrifice of the right to shoot this time. This is for the tradition and belief of soldiers of the British Empire who are not afraid of danger. The two gunmen stood in the prescribed positions.Both are the best shooters picked in their camps.The matcha shooter is tall and very handsome.Smiling, he stood in the gunner's position, aiming his Mauser at the little Englishman 200 meters away... the whistle blew. With two gunshots, the birds in the bushes were startled, and the birds flew away into the distance with chirping. The two gunmen fell to the ground at the same time... Matasha was sweating.Look at Pu Dingcha, he is still sitting upright... Pu Dingcha feels that the joke should be over.He winked at his subordinates and whistled, and the downed British gunman stood up again.It turned out that the little gunman's shoulders were only scratched, and the bullets of the Mauser gun hit 200 meters, and there was not much power. Therefore, the British gunman was safe and sound... The Portuguese gunman who was shot by the rifle had a hole in his chest, and the bubbling blood flowed out continuously until the sun in the west was red... On August 11, Pudingcha's ship arrived in Hong Kong, which is about 40 miles away from Macau.On this day, Pu Ding checked the gray former plenipotentiary minister Yilu.Elliot only came to greet him politely, welcomed him to the residence where he was staying, and then retreated politely, leaving only Pudingcha in August's mattress... This Elliot! Looking at the back of Yilu walking away, Pu Dingcha read his frustration and full of complaints. As early as April 30, the British cabinet had made a decision to abolish the female lawyer.The reason why he made this decision was that he was a little merciless, and he was tricked by the enemy when he forced the Qing people to sign the alliance under the city, and signed a grass-punching agreement with no legal effect, just like Pu Dingcha, almost As a child, he served in the British Royal Navy.He was descended from the Scotsmen who wore those famous check skirts, and was descended from the equally famous Earl of Minto.His life is inseparable from the English Channel and the ever-expanding maritime frontier.He would have written his loyalty in the longitude and latitude of the Mi Ziqi, and exchanged for the rank of Captain of the Navy.Later, he retired. Ordinarily, he no longer has the opportunity to be written into the history books.But he made his own history. He joined the ranks of the first Commercial Superintendent in China, Lawrence, and soon attracted the attention of Palmerston, the British Foreign Secretary, with his talents. On June 14, 1838, Elliot was formally appointed by the British cabinet as the third commercial supervisor in China and became the leading figure of the British business group in China. When opium smuggling became popular, he strongly advocated its prohibition.When the anti-smoking law was issued, he happened to be in office, and he actually issued a proclamation, ordering those British ships specializing in the opium trade to sail away as soon as possible, and announced the cancellation of protection for the captured smuggling ships, and ordered them to abide by Chinese laws. ...He used to be a military colonel in the navy and vigorously exercised his powers, the powers of business supervision, in order to get the Chinese side's approval.However, he was wrong.China doesn't take him seriously. The British pay attention to pie and gentlemanly demeanor.Gentleman's demeanor is the externalization of the British national spirit and the standard measure of the spiritual pursuit of all levels of British society.Especially the aristocratic spirit, aristocratic style, and aristocratic demeanor have always been the concentrated expression of British values ​​and aesthetic judgments for thousands of years.To be precise, it is a unique spiritual product of the forest of the English nation, which profoundly influences and regulates the actions and thinking of the British. Elliot's appointment as commercial supervisor in China was a major event for him, and it was a personal success.He represents both the individual and the country.When he took office, he notified Deng Tingzhen, the governor of Guangzhou at the time, stating his promotion status, and then asked to be stationed in Guangzhou with corresponding specifications. However, his request was blocked by the Qing government on the desolate waters of Lingdingyang, and it seemed to be in vain. As far as the Qing Empire is concerned, in the whole world, could it be that the land of the king, the barbarians of outsiders, can only pay attention to the tribute every year, how can there be personal value, status and identity?This kind of signal was so weak and insignificant that not only the emperor ignored it, but also the ministers ignored it.Deng Tingzhen felt that this foreigner was playing tricks in front of the officials of the Celestial Dynasty. Not only did he not agree to Yilu's request, but instead he followed Yilu's request and gave strict instructions. His words were fierce and his attitude was domineering, which greatly stimulated Yilu's self-esteem. Elliot's aristocratic style was hit, and the idea of ​​seeking dialogue through diplomatic means was shattered.Elliot quickly turned to another path, that is, to take a tough attitude towards the Chinese government without mercy, insisting on resorting to everything by force, and calling back diplomatic power with strong ships and guns. He began to write letters to Palmerston, his country's foreign minister, rebelling against his soft policy, and hoped that the British government would use tough measures to deal with the smelly and tough Qing government. Elliot served in the Royal Navy for many years, from the officer to the captain of the navy.He is a person who often deals with pirates.In the combat history of the British navy, in addition to fighting the fleets of Portugal, Turkey, and Spain, it also fought against the rampant pirates that have been rampant since the Middle Ages.After years of fighting, Elliot made an important discovery that people who often deal with pirates are the most likely to become pirates. Elliot has now become the leader of the pirates. A considerable number of people who came to China to engage in the opium business were engaged in maritime plunder.Especially the English Channel, for centuries, the vast expanse of sea there has actually become the best place to train pirates.It is difficult for ordinary fishermen and truly good people to cross the ocean to reach the China Sea.Those who can complete the journey of thousands of miles basically belong to three types, one is the real water army, that is, the navy; the other is merchant ships; the third is pirates.What the three types have in common is that they are all driven by huge interests, all have the spirit of perseverance and adventure, and all have the extraordinary temperament of cold-blooded animals and the character of wolves. There is ample evidence that the three are interchangeable.As the saying goes, soldiers and bandits belong together, and this is true on land as well as at sea.Elliot recognized many former pirates among the opium businessmen in China.The reason why they gave up the pirate career was because engaging in the opium business was safer, safer and more profitable than pirates. Opium smuggling is another kind of plunder.A different kind of pirate.The British Empire is a great pirate.The opium merchants who came to China were little pirates. Elliot actually became the spokesperson and protector of the pirates.At this time, Yilu is like jumping from a warship to the deck of a pirate ship. In just a split second, he completed the role change. He is no longer reserved, no longer elegant and foxy, and is completely a pirate face. . On March 4, 1839, Lin Zexu, the imperial envoy who was ordered to ban smoking, came to Guangdong.Like a bolt of lightning, the arrival of Lin Zexu illuminated the dreary and gloomy sky in southern Guangdong.Lin Zexu boarded a ship from outside the city of Nanxiong Prefecture and traveled day and night, passing through Shaoguan, Yingde, Qingyuan, Sanshui, Huangding, Foshan, and Huadi, and arrived in Guangzhou on the 10th.After the official boat berthed at Tianzi Wharf, thousands of people joined the shore to welcome them.In Jieguan Pavilion, Lin Zexu met with Deng Tingzhen, Yiliang, Guan Tianpei and other civil and military officials.William Hender, an American who witnessed the welcome scene at that time, once described him in "Guangzhou Fanguilu": He has a solemn demeanor, a slightly serious and resolute expression, a fat body, a black and thick beard, and a long beard... Lin Zexu From the moment I got out of the car, I started working on the smoking ban.He ordered his subordinates to hang two notices at the gate of the imperial envoy's office.It was announced one day: All followers are not allowed to leave the left and right without permission, and the scribes sent by them in Xingyuan will be given food in the mansion, and they are not allowed to come in and out on excuses; ("Lin Zexu's Collection of Official Documents", page 50? Announcement on the second day: All civil lawsuits, except those that are actually related to Haikou, should be reviewed and approved, and have nothing to do with the Haikou incident, should not be accepted, and should not be mixed Delivery. As for the receivable submission, it should also be announced a few days after arriving in the province. ("Lin Zexu Collection of Official Documents" and "Receipt Presentation Draft"? This tense situation blows across the Pearl River Delta like the wind, making it a land and water exchange. Strict, the public sentiment is quite vigilant, and it is suitable to hear the purpose of the special mission to investigate and deal with it. When Lin Zexu first arrived in Guangzhou, Deng Tingzhen, Yiliang, and Guan You spent every day discussing major issues of smoking ban in their apartment, analyzing the geographical situation in the delta area, and finding out the dens and sources of opium smuggling ships.Not only that, he also took a navy ship to Humen and Macao to personally follow the smuggling barge to see the opportunity.In the dead of night, Lin Zexu and his subordinates made private visits in disguise, went to the smoke house to investigate the situation of the opium poisoning, and explored the crux of the opium poisoning.Seeing that the rich and beautiful delta was harmed by opium, and the world was miserable like hell, Lin Zexu couldn't help being furious and determined to stop smoking to the end.Through various channels to understand the situation, Lin Zexu gradually became clear about the harm of opium.People in the Guangdong area smoked a lot, and the rise of opium was all caused by the barbarians selling cigarettes.If they didn't bring opium, why would the people in the interior smoke it?So he set the policy of smoking ban as the first priority to cut off opium, starting from the source first. Most of the opium dealers are dormant in Guangzhou, and they should use the method of knocking the mountains and shaking the tigers to force them to hand over the opium they have hoarded. Therefore, on March 18, Lin Zexu ordered the merchants to meet with the thirteen foreign merchants in Guangzhou in the palace of the imperial envoy. Thirteen Banks is the collective name for barbarian merchants designated by the Qing government to engage in foreign trade.There are only eleven of these thirteen lines at this time, and they are: Wu Shaorong’s Jardine Line, Lu Jiguang’s Guangli Line, Pan Shaoguang’s Tongfu Line, Xie Youren’s Dongxing Line, Liang Chengxi’s Tianbao Line, Pan Wentao’s Zhonghe Line, Ma Zuoliang’s Shuntai Line, Pan Wenhai’s Renhe Line, Wu Tianyuan’s Tongshun Line , Yi Yuanchang's Futaihang, and the bright Anchanghang.Among them, Wu Shaorong, a foreign merchant of Jardine House, and Lu Jiguang, a foreign merchant of Guangli Hong, are the general merchants. Lin Zexu sternly reprimanded them for hiding opium, working for opium dealers, colluding with corrupt customs officials, helping foreign businessmen steal silver and other crimes. He immediately ordered the general merchant Wu Shaorong to order the foreign merchants to hand over the hidden opium to the government automatically within three days, otherwise they will be severely punished. Wu Shaorong slipped back to the Thirteenth Office like bereaved dogs, and immediately repeated the envoy's envoy to the foreign businessmen: Looking at the sentiments of the people in the interior, everyone is indignant. If the barbarian does not know how to repent, and only seeks profit, not only the officers and soldiers on land and water, the army is strong, but also calls on the people to be young and strong. The unique shape of Yi is different from that of many widows! ("Lin Zexu Collection of Official Documents", page 59?. The foreign merchants looked at Wu Shaorong with a nervous expression inexplicably, and some even laughed.In China, they are the masters who only care about making money. As long as they don't kill people and sell goods, who can control foreigners?Besides, what is the crime of selling opium?It's not that we insisted on telling you to smoke, you can't control yourself, but you put this shit pot on our heads.The opium trade has traveled all over the world, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan, South Korea, and many other countries. Only you, China, are becoming more and more addicted, and you can no longer do without us.One is willing to fight, the other is willing to suffer, why should we vent our anger on us?If you want to fight, kill, punish, or imprison you Chinese, we are foreigners, we are the British Empire, we are the Portuguese and Spanish Empire...how dare you do it? The foreigners started arguing with each other.Wu Shaorong was so anxious that he was about to cry. Wu Shaorong said, I didn't lie a single word, if I don't report the truth to the government in three more days, I will be beheaded, and you will not have a good life! Seeing Wu Shaorong burst into tears, foreign businessmen began to feel that the problem was serious.Wu Shaorong has always been a very nice person. His cleverness and wit often arouse praise from foreign businessmen. He has never been seen frowning, let alone lost his mind. It must be that he is really in trouble. The foreign merchants focused their attention on the big opium merchants Diandi and Chadton who had been silent. To put it bluntly, our opium has a cost. If the Chinese government can return the cost price to us, then we can consider selling some opium to hide from the limelight. Chadton said, according to our experience, there is no Chinese official who dislikes money, but the new imperial envoy has a bigger appetite, and we can gather up some silver taels according to the usual practice, and Mr. Wu will give this imperial envoy and Governor of Guangzhou and others, we can still continue our business... Wu Shaorong replied with mournful eyes, this Mr. Lin is a person who doesn't like oil and salt.I once promised in person that I would repay my family assets, but he flew into a rage and said, I don’t want your money, I want your head!If you don't follow this Minister's order, I will punish you illegal profiteers on the spot, and I will show no mercy!As for the cost price of opium, it doesn't make sense at all.I have been in the opium business for more than ten years at least, and the money I have earned has long been countless, and it is indeed suspected of cheating people's money and killing people's lives. We still obey the words of the imperial envoy, and each of us takes one or two from the stockpile. To make up the number and make a temporary business trip is also a favor for me.To tell you the truth, I have handed over opium worth more than 100,000 yuan. If you don’t believe me, please ask Mr. Ji Lian, the manager of Russell Matheson.Ji quickly nodded in agreement. However, Diandi strongly opposes the payment of cigarettes, making it difficult for foreign merchants to make up their minds.In this way, the discussion was not resolved, and it was delayed until March 21.This day is the last day specified by Lin Zexu.On this day, all foreign businessmen gathered at the foreign business office to study countermeasures at dawn.The foreign merchants sensed the seriousness of the situation from the atmosphere. There were guard posts all around their respective residences, roadsides, and crossings.If you don't follow the order of the imperial envoy, it will be difficult to pass this test.So the foreign merchants restrained their momentum a little bit. At the meeting, Diandi, who has been tested in the shopping malls and officialdom battlefields, still insisted on his own opinion, opposed to the surrender of opium, and suggested delaying tactics, and made a plan after Elliot, the British commercial supervisor in China, came to Guangzhou, and asked everyone to vote by show of hands. The foreign businessmen really voted democratically.There were 25 votes in favor of a delay.There were 14 votes opposed to delaying and advocating cooperation with the government.1 vote abstained.The foreign merchants adopted the proposal of the British. The foreign merchants reported to Wu Shaorong, the general merchant of the Thirteen Banks, saying: Since the order of the imperial envoy is so serious and includes the interests of all parties, they must consider it carefully, but they cannot answer immediately... However, Lin Zexu refused and said: If the opium is not handed over immediately, I will go to the Shisanhang Office in person, interrogate the foreign merchants first, and execute the law on the spot... In "The Imperial Commissioner Lin and the Opium War" written by Zhang Xinbao, there was an objective record of the dialogue between foreign businessmen who asked Wu Shaorong to test Lin Zexu: Question: What happened when you met the imperial envoy today?Answer: We handed over your letter to him, and he handed it over to the Guangzhou government for inspection.When the imperial envoy listened to him read the letter, he said, you are playing tricks on the merchant, but you can't play tricks on him.He announced that if the opium was not handed over, he would go to the office at ten o'clock tomorrow morning to show everyone how he would do it. Q: How many boxes do you want? A: About one thousand boxes. Q: Can you guarantee that this number is enough? Answer: No.But we imagine that if the opium was surrendered, he would be satisfied that his orders were obeyed.But whether more will be demanded, we cannot answer... Question: Does the announcement have to be followed literally?A: If the imperial envoy says so, he will do so.Question: If you tell the truth honestly, are your lives really in danger?When the merchants were asked this question one by one, they all answered yes.Foreign businessmen were finally shocked. The meeting decided to donate 1,037 boxes of opium and hand them over, and at the same time write a letter to protest the unreasonable behavior of the Chinese government! On March 22, Lin Zexu issued an order to interrogate the British opium giant Diandi.At this time, whether it is the Chinese merchants of the Thirteenth Bank or foreign merchants from various countries, they all hope that Mr. Elliot, the British business supervisor who is usually very annoying, will come forward to protect them.Mr Elliot was the Commercial Superintendent of China appointed by the British Empire.The British Empire is the number one power in the world, with its backing, what can China do for me?They look forward to the stars and the moon as they look forward to the early arrival of Elliott to support them.Especially as the situation deteriorates further.当林则徐闻知颠地竟抗命不来，言说必须担保他24小时内安全返回等等，如果不答应其要求，他坚不受命云云，林怒发冲冠，传来讯息：如果颠地胆敢不听传询，将被强行拘拿问罪！ 颠地闻言魂飞魄散。 洋商们顿有兔死狐悲之感。 他们开始安排后事，开始计议如何脱身，如何打点囤积的鸦片和成箱的银钱……洋商们开始害怕了！ 他们对着1839年3月23日的沉沉夜色，向着澳门方向不断念叨： 义律先生，你在哪里…… 义律正在澳门看潮涨潮落，在九澳山头看云卷云舒。他要的就是这个效果。 他要让历史舞台上的追光一直追随着他，让人们的目光一直关注着他。让那些平时对他不恭敬的本国商人一一那些多半由海盗和下流胚组成的经商者们从此俯首帖耳，让那位不懂外交理数的邓廷桢和他的主子道光皇帝都知道他义律的显赫位置，他们都曾多么可耻地践踏了他的自尊心，他的绅士风度，他的贵族气派，现在必须让他们偿还这一切！ 他在澳门静观着时局的变化，心里默算着出场的最佳时机。他要在千呼万唤中突然出现，要在众里寻他千百度时蓦然亮相，要在滚滚激流中做中流砥柱……总而言之，他在待价而沽。果然，他寻找到了出场的最好时机。 3月22日，他在澳门接到林则徐的传谕抄本，立时组织了密集的火力予以反击。 首先，他命令所有停泊在广州附近洋面上的英国船只，开到香港，挂上英国国旗，置于英国军舰的保护之下。果然，那些平常不听招呼的商船此时一呼百应，都聚集在他的大旗之下，像葵花向阳一样围绕着义律，这使他充满自豪感。 其二，他气势汹汹地写信质问曾对他不屑一顾的邓廷桢说：你们的军队和战船以及其他武装纠集起来，究竟想干什么？难道你们是想和我们英国人开仗吗？我以本国国王的名义质询你，你请回答！ 义律总算能报邓廷桢一箭之仇了。你邓总督不是说将我义律按普通大班对待吗，瞧，我的权力多大！我能以国王的名义质问你，你邓总督能以你皇帝的名义回问我吗？我要让你再一次为你几个月前不负责任、狗屁不懂的无礼懊悔不已。 我义律谁也不惹，就专门给你邓廷桢写信，甚至我连林则徐都不具禀，就只单给你邓廷桢禀报，这下，你知道我义律是千啥的了吧？你记得住我的名字了吧？你还敢对我不屑一顾吗？义律做完这些事，脸上浮现一丝快意。3月24日，义律乘路易莎号船来到广州。他来到十三行商馆看望了颠地，并想方设法将颠地转移至自己的办公室。他的这一举动惊动了监视颠地的中国人众。只听一声警报，商馆周围所有通道立时戒严，各商馆的后门尽数用砖砌之。濠沟内自桥到街口，层迭皆是官船，连尾顶上、墙围上都有人看守监视，一时人声鼎沸，恍若雷动。 义律和颠地陷入到人民大众众目睽睽的监视之中了，陷入怒涛汹涌的人民战争的汪洋大海之中了…… 紧接着，林则徐又采取断然措施，派兵丁包围商馆，撤走商馆的中国员工，断水停炊，迫使洋商们就范。 义律果真是行伍出身，面对林则徐的步步紧逼，他竟能坦然自若。他令人将英国国旗升了起来，将气氛搞得异常悲壮。因为悲剧是英国人最爱观看的戏剧。他无疑是这出戏的绝对主角。他召集所有外商来商馆开会。 义律在会上慷慨陈词，表明自己的态度。他说，大不列颠的皇家海军有一条规矩，不管你的舰船安危如何，都要和自己的舰船生死与共。我现在是商务监督，这里就是我的舰船。我就是这艘正在惊涛骇浪里航行的战舰上的舰长，你们就是我的船员或者乘客。我有权力保护你们。我向你们发誓，我义律决不后退，直到我战到生命的最后一息…… 商馆里的洋商静寂下来。大家不再言语，不再喧嚷。果真到了生死关头，从伍绍荣的变色仓皇，到商馆被围，人员撤走，到今天这位久经战争考验的义律上校的战前动员，洋商们被险恶攫住了，危险像铁链锁在了身上，他们不得不把生的希望寄托在义律的身上。他就是我们的救星，洋商们都在心里说。有胆小的洋商已经掉起了眼泪，他们戚戚切切地看着义律，被义律的话感动得五体投地。 有的洋商开始奉承义律，说他真不愧是皇家海军上校，要是我们早就吓趴下来了，您一来我们心里就有底了，您是我们的主心骨，我们一定昕您的话，就是把万贯家产托付给您我也放心…… 好听的话、信任的话够义律享用一辈子了，他义律要的就是这样的感觉。 义律又接着说，在澳门洋面上，还停泊着我们大英帝国的军舰，虽然仅此一艘，但我们的战炮和毛瑟枪，是世界一流的，请大家放心。我现在正和国内联系，恳请内阁政府紧急派遣舰队驰援我们，如果外交大臣巴麦尊能够接到我的报告，估计就会派出军队。请大家勿急勿躁，大敌当前，一定要行动一致，听从我的指挥，共同对抗中国政府，谁也不能迁就退让，如果有哪些人不听命令擅自行动，对不起，我义律就不会再给你们以保护…… 此时，英国政府已经获悉中国南部正在掀起一场大的禁烟风暴，外交大臣巴麦尊正在上下游说，将中国政府的禁烟行为说成是对大英帝国的无端挑衅。但是，由于大臣们对那种美丽的罂粟花的结晶体缺少统一认识，关于出兵惩罚中国的决议一直定不下来。 3月25日，义律差人给邓廷桢送去信函，要求在三天之内发给洋商离粤红牌，解除路禁，如果不允，他就会做出相应的行动。 邓廷桢态度更加强硬，过去把你义律不当回事，现在仍不当回事。他当即在信函上批示斥责义律，说你身为英人的商务监督，只字不提缴烟禁烟，却反而助纣为虐，为虎作伥，与鸦片商人沆瀣一气，实可忍，孰不可忍，所言路牌放行一事，断不可行。 义律的所作所为，他的由后场转至前场，引起了林则徐们的注意。 这似乎已不是洋商们的事情了。 义律是英驻华商务监督，他是代表英国政府的，义律敢于这样做，说明它受到了政府的支持。 禁烟之火必将炙烤大不列颠女王的脸面，它将会引起国际争端。未来会怎样呢？林则徐曾经猜测过一二，但限于对国际事务了解不多，也就不再深想下去。 有一点是当仁不让的，既然皇帝曾把禁烟一事托付给自己，既然鸦片如此荼毒华夏民族，使国将不国，人将不仁，那就必须要除恶务尽，决不手软，一定要把禁烟之火烧遍南粤，彻底把这股祸国殃民的东西赶出中海！ 林则徐针锋相对，将目标对准义律。他亲自写了一份告示，并派人把这张告示贴在义律的住所墙上，然后又附送一份差人交给义律。 3月27日，义律见林则徐态度强硬，人民众志成城，不得不给洋商们做工作，让他们将各自手中的鸦片开具清单，签章呈阅，表示服从缴烟命令。义律说，这样做是为了效忠女王政府。 3月28日，义律向林则除禀报，上缴趸船鸦片总数为二万二百八十三箱，其中查顿洋行七千箱，颠地洋行一千七百箱，全部价值是六万三千二百六十六英镑。 义律为代表的鸦片洋商们，面对一身正气刚正不阿的林则徐，第一次感到无能为力和无可奈何，不得不败下阵来…… 又过了一个月又十八天，上缴鸦片的工作终于完成。收缴鸦片的真实数字为一万九千一百八十七箱又二千一百一十九袋。 从趸船上收缴来的烟箱，全部堆集在虎门寨下的水师军营里和附近的民舍或者庙宇里。到后来，鸦片日多，房子盛不下，只好新搭高棚堆放鸦片。因此，虎门一带，到处是鸦片的世界。 为了防范有人偷窃鸦片，官府派兵丁日夜巡逻，并且由文职武职官员分片承包，如有纰漏，军法从事。吓得人们小心守卫不敢有半点差迟。 一切都在等道光皇帝的圣批。 按常规，似这等重大事件，所缴物什必须解京验明后才能销毁，考虑到广东离京都路途迢迢，花费人力物力甚重，道光皇帝下来圣旨，责成林则徐及邓廷桢将鸦片就地销毁。为了达到震慑夷人、教育民众的目的，道光皇帝批道：督率文武员弁，公同查核，目击销毁，俾沿海居民及在粤夷人，共见共闻，咸知震蓍。 如何销毁鸦片呢？在湖广禁烟时，林则徐采用火烧的办法，就是用鸦片拌上油类，放在木柴上焚烧。但鸦片如此之多，难以尽燃，燃烧过程中鸦片成液体状渗入土中，那些大烟鬼们，竟将所渗之土一同挖走，经过处理，仍能得上二三成烟，这样的方法很难尽绝流毒。因此，不能再袭用火焚之法了。 一日，林则徐去访问友人时得到了销毁鸦片的启示。朋友久居国外，知道鸦片的制作方法，说是掘一百十丈左右的池子，深一丈，下面用砖石砌就，经过处理，鸦片就凝固成块状。如果沿用此法，在水池里撒下盐卤（因为鸦片最怕盐卤和石灰，据说放此二种物什，鸦片即成为渣沫？然后将鸦片投入水中搅拌浸透，可以大规模地销毁鸦片。 销烟方案确定了，林则徐令手下人挖了两个方形大池。大池底部铺上了石板，池前修一涵洞，后面通一水沟，将水车入池中，待将鸦片和石灰盐卤杂拌之后，再排泄入海。 1939年6月3日，虎门销烟的壮举拉开了序幕。这一天，天气出奇地晴朗。 广东巡抚怡良、海关监督豫、广东布政使熊常镡会同钦差大臣林则徐来到虎门，观看首次销烟。 午后二时左右，销烟正式开始。一群群只穿一件短裤的工人，光脚站在横放在池子上的数条木板上，按照演练许久的操作工序，一丝不苟地工作着。他们先撒下一车车一担担的盐巴，又把鸦片逐个切成四瓣，扔入池中放水浸化，最后再将烧透的石灰倒下去，一时池内之水如汤如煮，但见浓油滚滚，烟气腾腾，臭秽腥臊之气逼人眼目。 看到一池销毁将尽，此时已夕阳西下，监督官员们便督促工人冲洗池底，即使每一条细缝都要冲刷干净，不留尾巴。工人销烟完工后，还要经过详细检查，验明确实没有夹带烟土后方可放行。 销烟之举大快人心大得人心，虎门一时成了南粤一景。人们像过节一样摩肩擦背来虎门观看销烟，观者如堵络绎不绝。 虎门销烟凡二十天整。从6月3日起于6月23日止，共销毁鸦片一万九千一百七十九箱，又二千一百一十九袋，实重二百三十七万六千二百五十四斤。并且留下公班、大公班、白土（即白皮？、金花烟土各鸦片标本两箱，预备解京之用。 6月25日，林则徐、邓廷桢于鸦片全部销毁之后方离开虎门，返回广州。 禁烟之战，林则徐大获全胜。而义律则遭到了惨败…… 义律等洋商们一直不相信林则徐会销毁什么鸦片。鸦片——财富的象征，它是金元钱财的代名词，谁拥有它，就拥有了财富。以腐化堕落著称于世的清朝官员们，谁会将这滚财源付之东流？ 傻瓜才会相信销烟的鬼话。 当缴烟至半数时，义律就向外交大臣巴麦尊写信报告说，中国政府已经嗅出了鸦片本身散发出来的铜锈味道，它们已经知道它的巨大利润，而这次禁烟活动，很有可能是个敛财致富的阴谋活动。我已经猜想出它们的企图，第一步，它们把鸦片收为国有；第二步，将作为政府专卖，使鸦片贸易走向合法化。这里的鸦片商们也说，中国政府可能建立一种偿还原主烟价的基金，他们所做的一切，将来会重新补偿给洋商的。总之，没有人相信中国人会销毁鸦片，连一两鸦片也不会销毁。 允许中外人众参观销烟的告示发出之后，许多外商及外国人抱着各样心情前来参观。 林则徐特许他们走进销烟池旁观察销烟的全过程。美国立芬洋行股东经先生和家属、传教士裨治文、马利逊商船船长弁逊、记者费东等都是销烟的目击者。 裨治文接近销烟池时，烟池正在注水，旁边的另一个池子里正在投放捣碎了的鸦片和盐及石灰。工人们正在耐心地搅拌，此时池子里弥漫着难闻的气味。工人们不得不用湿布遮住鼻口。据说观众席里，有一些人因忍受不了这种气味而昏倒的。博罗县典史陈，被池上烟气薰蒸后呕吐不止，扶回后竟发烧数日，不治而死。有相同症状者竟有20多人，经过许多时日才慢慢恢复过来。裨治文等看完了销烟的全过程。这给他们以极大震动。裨治文们看到了中国人禁烟的决心。察看后，林则徐还在销烟池旁接见了他们，详细讲述了中国禁烟的政策。他说凡经营正当之贸易的外商并证明确实与鸦片走私无涉的，我们都给予特殊的优惠；凡是进行鸦片走私的，我们坚决打击，从重罚治，决不手软；从今之后，鸦片之毒将会在这里得到彻底肃清。奉劝那些鸦片商们，不要以为中国人是泄一时之愤，抱有什么幻想。中国是坚决彻底并且永远禁烟的，希望它们改恶从善，走上正当的贸易之路…… 裨治文以后曾在《澳门月报》上发表了他的参观记……16号中午，马礼逊号在穿鼻洋停泊，地点是靠近站头水师接待船旁边，大概在阿娘轻炮台下面约两英里处……下午，我把名片和说明参观的公开信送到船上长官手里，他迟疑了一会儿，就答应火速急送钦差，明日中午前答复……我们一行包括经夫人等十人上岸后，通过码头，走入围墙。工作场地四面有木栅，好像一个马来亚营地。每边门站有哨兵，没有证件任何人不准进入，出来时每人都受检查。工作人员大约有五百人，文武官员不少于六十或八十。官员们坐在高置的座位上，日夜轮流值班，别的一部分官员监督从箱子里倒卸鸦片，特别小心查看每箱、每包现在是否和货船提取时所记录的相符。 ……在十一时半前，我们反复检查过销烟的每一过程。他们在整个工作进行时的细心和忠实程度，远出于我们的臆想，我不能想象再有任何事情会比执行这一工作更忠实的了。在各个方面，看守显然是比广州扣留外国人的时候严密得多。镇口有一个穷人只因为企图拿走身边的一些鸦片，一经发觉，立即严惩。即使偷去一点鸦片，那也是要冒极大的生命危险的。目击后，我不得不相信这是一个事实…… 林则徐的彻底禁烟，使洋商们如丧家妣，义律的判断又一次失误了。作为一个自尊心和报复心都很强的人，他此时已经陷入一个罪恶的设计之中，在南中国海上所发生的一切，特别是中国政府的决绝态度，对英吉利人的深恶痛绝的言行，都作为证据，提供给他去向英国政府游说，当成反英事件的政府行为。 义律给巴麦尊写信说，像中国这种极不友好的挑衅行为，应该给以沉重而坚决的打击，事先不要去搞什么照会，就连一个字的招呼都不应该打。 上缴鸦片时，义律就巳给洋商们保证，所出鸦片的基本价格将由大英帝国政府支出，这些钱由英王维多利亚出。因此，每缴一箱鸦片，都可在义律手中领取相应的期票，拿着相应的期票，商人们便可在十二个月中去英国国库领取货币。 这是一笔不小的巨款。为此，中国政府必须要付出代价。当时，维多利亚女王的英国正是鼎盛时期。经过工业革命之后，英国正在迅速膨胀，近两个世纪，它的疯狂生长的对外工业和殖民地工业，比它本土母体的发展还要庞大。到1867年左右，英国海外殖民地面积已达2500多万平方公里，遍布世界各洲，被称之为日不落帝国。对于中国这样的农业帝国，英国是看不上眼的，但对于向中国输入大量鸦片所换回来的巨额利润，英国政府又是喜出望外的。 1827年之前，英国商人曾多次在广州等地试销棉纺织品，但当地人众不识棉布为何物，看到这样细软单薄的东西，和自家土布相比，只是颜色上娇艳一些，别的无甚优长，就很鄙夷它们，洋布店前门可罗雀。这样，运至广州的英国印花布、剪绒及天鹅绒，亏本达百分之六十以上。洋商们哀叹：在中国，销售英国棉制品的时代还没有到来。 由于与中国相隔遥远，英国商人对中国国情了解甚少，以至在贸易上闹了不少笑话： 英国西菲尔特一家公司以为中国人和他们一样，吃饭也是用刀叉，于是便不远万里运来了大批西餐餐具，结果这些著名的高品牌的餐具，在商店里被束之高阁，一放就是许多年。 伦敦一家公司想到中国幅员这等辽阔，人口这等众多，一定会有许多人弹钢琴。这家公司经营的钢琴一直在西方市场占有重要的地位。而中国绝对应该成为它们公司的新的客户，让中国的剧院教堂音乐和家家户户都充满由它们公司售出钢琴的优美琴声……可是，原来打算每二百个中国妇女总有一个愿意学钢琴的想法变成了泡影。这些钢琴被积压在仓库里一直到受潮变质……英国对华贸易遭到了失败。 大部分贸易都是两个字组成的伤心曲目：亏本亏本亏本……是鸦片拯救了英国的对华贸易。 1757年，英国在印度的殖民机构一一东印度公司占领了孟加拉，强迫当地农民大量种植有着美丽花朵的鸦片。后来，该公司又获得在印度的鸦片专卖权以及制造鸦片的垄断权，由它制成的鸦片开始向亚洲各国倾销，而中国是首当其冲。 从1800年起，鸦片开始大量输入中国。洋商们不顾清政府严禁鸦片入口的法令，用贿赂买通清朝官吏，勾结汉奸，用趸船、扒龙等特制快艇，在南中国海进行武装走私。据不完全统计，在十九世纪初，年平均输入鸦片四千余箱，到1838-1839两年里激增至近四万余箱。 由于鸦片输入的激增，中英之间的贸易逐渐发生了变化，英国由入超变为出超。英国人通过鸦片贸易，从中国运走越来越多的现银。在英国输入中国货物总值中，鸦片占二分之一以上，英国每年从中国掠走的白银达数百万元。英国在印度的殖民政府，按鸦片成本百分之三百以上的税率征税，每年收入税款达一百万英镑左右，约占全年财政总收入的十分之一。鸦片税成为英印殖民政府的一个重要的税源。英国的鸦片走私者曾毫不隐讳地说：我们应当承认鸦片贸易的本身，是经（英国？最高当局准许的。 不仅英人如此，美国、沙俄、土耳其、西班牙、葡萄牙等国的鸦片走私者也如荒原野狼，闻到迷途羔羊的叫声，齐齐向中国涌来，进行罪恶的掠夺。例如，嘉庆22年时，在输入中国的鸦片总额四千五百箱中，美国就占一千九百箱。 曾任驻华公使的美国作家霍耳康在他1910年所写的著作中，曾概括地描绘了十六、十七世纪中来到中国的西方人。He said: ……这些所谓和平商业的开拓者的所作为，说不上像友好的文明人，而只能说是海盗行径。他们不仅理应为帝国（指中国？所拒绝，而且简直该被中当局动手消灭掉。这些人不断骚扰中国南部海岸，抢劫、破坏城镇，几十、几百地杀死无辜的男女和儿童，然后和平地扬帆而去。或者，他们登上大陆，强迫中国人给他们筑堡垒，以最粗野的兽性掳走妇女，强夺当地人的所有财物，践踏了人道与文明的一切准则。 尽管来华商人的身份不是什么正经人，有些甚至是海盗，但他们确能给英帝国带来好处，因此，义律们就要保护他们，大英帝国就要包容他们的一切。 义律知道英帝国的本质，也知道他个