Another of the sketches, which is no satire, but a cautionary hint—­perhaps an unconscious prophecy—­is entitled “The Magic Carpet of the Red-haired,” a vulgar designation for Europeans, in contrast with the Chinese, who style themselves the “Black-haired race.”  During the former dynasty, it says, a ship arrived from some unknown country, and those aboard desired to engage in commerce.  Their request was refused; but when they asked permission to dry their goods on shore, requiring for that purpose no more ground than they could cover with a carpet, their petition was readily granted.  The carpet was spread, and the goods were exposed to the sun; then, taking the carpet by its four corners, they stretched it so that it covered several acres.  A large body of armed men then planted themselves on it, and striking out in every direction took possession of the country.  This elastic carpet reminds one of Dido’s bull’s hide, which covered space enough for the foundation of Carthage.

ACT 1.  THE OPIUM WAR, 1839-1842

The Tartars, who began their conquest in 1644, were naturally suspicious of other foreigners who had secured a foothold in India, where the Great Mogul, a scion [Page 152] of their own race, still held nominal sway.  The trading-posts, which the Chinese emperors had permitted foreigners to open as far north as Ningpo, were closed, and only one point of tangency was allowed to remain—­the above-mentioned Factories at Canton, a spot, as we shall see, large enough to admit of the spreading of a “magic carpet.”  Foreign trade was at that time insignificant, in comparison with the enormous expansion which it has now attained.  It was mainly in the hands of the British, as it still continues to be; and no small part of it consisted in opium from the poppy-fields of India.  Though under the ban of prohibition, this drug was smuggled into every bay and inlet, with scarcely a pretence of concealment.  With the introduction of the vicious opium habit the British had nothing to do; but they contrived to turn it to good account.

The Emperor Tao Kwang, moved, it is said, by the unhappy fate of one of his sons who had fallen a victim to the seductive poison, resolved at all hazards to put a stop to a traffic so ruinous to his people.  Commissioner Lin, a native of Foochow, was transferred from the viceroyalty of Wuchang to that of Canton and clothed with plenary powers for the execution of this decree.  To understand the manner in which he undertook to execute the will of his master it must be remembered that diplomatic intercourse had as yet no existence in China, because she considered herself as sustaining to foreign nations no other relation than that of a suzerain to a vassal.  Her mandarins scorned to hold direct communication with any of the superintendents of foreign commerce—­receiving [Page 153] petitions and sending mandates through the hong merchants, thirteen native firms which had purchased a monopoly of foreign trade.