American Trade in Opium to China, 1821-39

Abstract

THE YEAR 182 1 was notable in the history of American traffic in opium to China by reason of two developments: an increased production of Indian opium and a recrudescence of Chinese interference with the drug trade. The increase in the supply of both Bengal and Malwa opium apparent in the season 1821, and augmented in the following years, brought to an end any possibility of serious competition between Turkish and Indian opium in the China market.' Americans were to import in the years after 1821 greater quantities of Turkey drug than they had in the previous period, but the amounts of Turkish opium were to have less significance in the sum of the opium traffic. Chinese activities against the drug trade in 182 1 helped to bring about a change in the procedure of the traffic. This change was, after a short interval, to implement a more vigorous continuance of American trade in Turkish opium and, after a longer interval, to aid the Americans by means of a limited participation in the profits of Indian opium to compensate themselves for the relative loss of importance of their Turkish drug. American imports of Turkey opium in the season 1821 were modest. J. E Cushing of Perkins & Company at Canton recorded the arrival of the Augusta in April with ninety-seven piculs of the drug, consigned to him by J. c T. H. Perkins of Boston. The opium sold at a good price, and Cushing estimated that the returns would give a benefit of 50 m [thousand] dollars;' but the demand for Turkey opium was not large, and Cushing reported that sales would have to be limited to about forty piculs a month, else the price of the drug would drop.' The Augusta was followed by the ship Emily;' Captain Cowpland, of Baltimore, with 18o piculs of Turkey opium, and the Ea' Captain Alexander Clark, with between 140 and 160 piculs of the drug.' The supercargo of the Emily;' Griffin Stith, sold his drug with a careful eye on the market; and, though neither ship nor cargo was connected with Perkins 8c Company, Cushing