Those conditions were astonishingly moderate for a conqueror who, unembarrassed by the interests of other powers, might have taken the whole empire.  They were, besides payment for the destroyed drug, the opening of five ports to British trade, and the cession to Great Britain of Hong Kong, a rocky islet which was then the abode of fishermen and pirates, but which to-day claims to outrank all the seaports of the world in the amount of its tonnage.  Not a word, be it noted, about opening up the vast interior, not a syllable in favour of legalising the opium traffic, or tolerating Christianity.

So much for the charge that this war, which bears a malodorous name, was waged for the purpose of compelling China to submit to the continuance of an immoral traffic.  That a smuggling trade would go on with impunity was no doubt foreseen and reckoned on by interested parties; but it is morally certain that if the Chinese had understood how to deal with it they might have rid themselves of the incubus without provoking the discharge of another shot.

Here ends the first act, in 1842; and in it I may claim a personal interest from the fact that my attention was first turned to China as a mission field by the boom of British cannon in the Opium War.

China was not opened; but five gates were set ajar against her will.  For that she has to thank the pride and ignorance of emperor and viceroy which betrayed them into the blunder of dealing with British merchants as a policeman deals with pickpockets.  For the first [Page 156] time in her history she was made aware of the existence of nations with which she would have to communicate on a footing of equality.

The moderation and forbearance of Pottinger in refraining from demanding larger concessions, and in leaving the full consequences of this war to be unfolded by the progress of time, may fairly challenge comparison with the politic procedure of Commodore Perry in dealing with Japan in 1854.  One may ask, too, would Japan have come to terms so readily if she had not seen her huge neighbour bowing to superior force?

* * * * *

An important consequence of the Opium War was the outbreak of rebellions in different parts of the Empire.  The prestige of the Tartars was in the dust.  Hitherto deemed invincible, they had been beaten by a handful of foreigners.  Was not this a sure sign that their divine commission had been withdrawn by the Court of Heaven?  If so, might it not be possible to wrest the sceptre from their feeble grasp, and emancipate the Chinese race?

Private ambition was kindled at the prospect, and patriotism was invoked to induce the people to make common cause.  Three parties entered the field:  the Tai-pings of the South, the “Red-haired” on the seacoast, and the Nienfi in the north.  Neither of the latter two deserves notice; but the first-named made for themselves a place in history which one is [Page 157] not at liberty to ignore, even if their story were less romantic than it is.  It will be convenient to introduce here the following note on the Tai-ping rebellion.