THE OPIUM MONOPOLY[forcible sale of opium drugs made in India to china by the British east India company]
In 1729, when the foreign import was 200 chests, the Emperor Yung Ching
issued
the first anti-opium edict, enacting severe penalties on the sale of
opium and the opening of opium-smoking divans. The importation, however,
continued to increase, and by 1790 it amounted to over 4,000 chests
annually. In 1796 opium smoking was again prohibited, and in 1800 the
importation of foreign opium was again declared illegal. Opium was now
contraband, but the fact had no effect on the quantity introduced into
the country, which rose to 5,000 chests in 1820; 16,000 chests in 1830;
20,000 chests in 1838, and 70,000 chests in 1858."
The
Chinese had repeatedly appealed to the British Government to stop these
imports, but the British Government had turned a persistently deaf
ear.
Emperor
determined to deal with the matter on his own account. He sent a
powerful official named Lin to attend to it, and Lin had a sort of
Boston Tea Party and destroyed some twenty thousand chests of opium in a
very drastic way. Mr. H. Wells Williams describes it thus: "The opium
was destroyed in the most thorough manner, by mixing it in parcels Of
200 chests, in trenches, with lime and salt water, and then drawing off
the contents into an adjacent creek at low tide."
Lin Zexu-A Chinese artist's drawing of Lin (published 1843)
A painting of Lin supervising the destruction of opium
After this atrocity, followed the first Opium War, when British ships sailed up the river, seized port after port,
BRITISH DRUG PUSHERS IN CHINA – THE FIRST OPIUM WAR
and bombarded and took Canton. Her ships sailed up the Yangtsze, and captured the tribute junks
going
up the Grand Canal with revenue to Peking, thus stopping a great part
of China's income. Peace was concluded in 1843, and Great Britain came
out well. She recompensed herself by taking the island of Hongkong; an
indemnity Of 21 million dollars, and Canton, Amoy,
Foochow, Ningpo
and Shanghai were opened up as "treaty ports"-for the importation of opium and the "open-door" in general.
forcing
the weaker to pay for opium within its borders against all its laws,
thus paralyzing the little moral power its feeble government could exert
to protect its subjects. . . . It was a turning point in the national
life of the Chinese race, but the compulsory payment of six million
dollars for the opium destroyed has left a stigma upon the English name."
Entrance of the Opium War Museum inGuangdong, China
Within fifteen years after this first war, there was another one, and again Great Britain came off victorious.
China had to pay another indemnity, three million dollars, and five more treaty ports were opened up
Combat at Guangzhou (Canton) during the Second Opium War
. By the terms of the Treaty of Tientsin, the sale of opium in China was legalized in 1858.
Chinese officers hauling down the British flag and arresting the crew of the Arrow
the New Summer Palace, just before its destruction by Anglo-French troops.
Signing of the Treaty of Tientsin in 1859-06-06 after China lost the war
.
US marines
Japanese infantry
German marines
Forces of the Eight Nation Alliance at a victory parade in the Forbidden
City, 20 November 1900
American troops during the Boxer Rebellion.
Russian troops in Beijing.
Japanese marines who served under the British commander Seymour
The Eight-Nation Alliance with their naval flags. Japanese print, 1900
Members of the Italian contingent,
Russian officers.
Cavalry of the British Indian Army,
Japanese infantry,
German marines
A Boxer during the revolt.
JARDINE, MATHESON AND CO.
On 1 July 1832, Jardine, Matheson and Company, a partnership, between William Jardine, James Matheson as senior partners,
The firms operations included smuggling opium into China from Malwa, India, trading spices and sugar with thePhilippines,
exporting Chinese tea and silk to England, factoring and insuring
cargo, renting out dockyard facilities and warehouse space, trade
financing and other numerous lines of business and trade. In 1834,
Parliament ended the monopoly of the British East India Company on trade
between Britain and China. Jardine, Matheson and Company took this
opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the East India Company. With its
first voyage carrying tea, the Jardine clipper ship "Sarah" left for England.
Jardine
Matheson then began its transformation from a major commercial agent of
the East India Company into the largest British trading hong (洋行), or
firm, in Asia
China and the Opium Wars. From left images of an advertisement for heroin,
a woodcut depicting an addict seloling his wife for drugs and a heroin den.
A
bargain was then made between China and Great Britain, in 1907, China
agreeing to diminish poppy cultivation year by year for a period of ten
years, and Great Britain agreeing to a proportional decrease in the
imports of Indian opium. A three years' test was first agreed to, a
trial of China's sincerity and ability, for Great Britain feared that
this was but a ruse to cut off Indian opium, while leaving China's opium
alone in the field. At the end of three years, however, China had
proved her ability to cope with the situation. Thus, for a period of ten
years, both countries have lived up to their bargain, the amount of
native and foreign opium declining steadily in a decreasing scale. April
1, 1917, saw the end of the accomplishment.
The
year 1917 saw a tremendous blow dealt to the British opium dealers, but
other markets will be found. There are other countries than China whose
inhabitants can be taught this vice
'Opium accounted for a large part of India's economy' Photo courtesy: Wellcome Library
- 1620s -1670s
Rajput troops fighting for the Mughals introduce the habit of taking
opium to Assam. Opium is given daily to Rajput soldiers. From 1637
onwards Opium becomes the main commodity of British trade with China.
- 1680
English apothecary, Thomas Sydenham,
introduces Sydenham's Laudanum, a compound of opium, sherry wine and
herbs. His pills along with others of the time become popular remedies
for numerous ailments.
- 1700
The Dutch export shipments of Indian opium to China and the islands of
Southeast Asia; the Dutch introduce the practice of smoking opium in a
tobacco pipe to the Chinese.
- 1729
Chinese emperor, Yung Cheng, issues an edict prohibiting the smoking of
opium and its domestic sale, except under license for use as medicine.
- 1750
The British East India Company assumes control of Bengal and Bihar,
opium-growing districts of India. British shipping dominates the opium
trade out of Calcutta to China.
- 1753
Linnaeus, the father of botany, first classifies the poppy, Papaver somniferum - 'sleep-inducing', in his book Genera Plantarum.
- 1767
The British East India Company's import of opium to China reaches a staggering two thousand chests of opium per year.
- 1773
East India Company assumes monopoly over all the opium produced in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Warren Hastingsintroduces system of contracts. Contracts for dealing in opium were awarded through auction.
- 1793
The British East India Company establishes a monopoly on the opium
trade. All poppy growers in India were forbidden to sell opium to
competitor trading companies.
- 1796
The import of opium into China becomes a contraband trade. Silver was smuggled out to pay for smuggling opium in.
- 1797
East India Company introduced Bengal Regulation IV to enable appointment
of Opium Agents for purchase of opium from cultivators and its
processing at factories owned by the company at Patna and Ghazipur
- 1799
China's emperor, Kia King, bans opium completely, making trade and poppy cultivation illegal.
- 1800
The British Levant Company purchases nearly half of all of the opium coming out of Smyrna, Turkey strictly for importation to Europe and the United States.
- 1803
Friedrich Sertürner of
Paderborn, Germany discovers the active ingredient of opium by
dissolving it in acid then neutralizing it with ammonia. The result:
alkaloids - Principium somniferum or morphine.Physicians
believe that opium had finally been perfected and tamed. Morphine is
lauded as "God's own medicine" for its reliability, long-lasting effects
and safety.
- 1805
A smuggler from Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Cabot, attempts to
purchase opium from the British, then smuggle it into China under the
auspices of British smugglers.
- 1812
American John Cushing, under the employ of his uncles' business, James
and Thomas H. Perkins Company of Boston, acquires his wealth from
smuggling Turkish opium to Canton.
- 1816
John Jacob Astor of New York City joins the opium smuggling trade. His
American Fur Company purchases ten tons of Turkish opium then ships the
contraband item to Canton on the Macedonian. Astor would later leave the
China opium trade and sell solely to England.
- 1819
Writer John Keats and
other English literary personalities experiment with opium intended for
strict recreational use - simply for the high and taken at extended,
non-addictive intervals
- 1821
Thomas De Quincey publishes his autobiographical account of opium addiction, Confessions of an English Opium-eater.
- 1827
E. Merck & Company of Darmstadt, Germany, begins commercial manufacturing of morphine.
- 1830
The British dependence on opium for medicinal and recreational use
reaches an all time high as 22,000 pounds of opium is imported from
Turkey and India.Jardine-Matheson & Company of London inherit India
and its opium from the British East India Company once the mandate to
rule and dictate the trade policies of British India are no longer in
effect.
- 1837
Elizabeth Barrett Browning falls under the spell of morphine. This, however, does not impede her ability to write "poetical paragraphs."
- March 18, 1839
Lin Tse-Hsu, imperial Chinese commissioner in charge of suppressing the
opium traffic, orders all foreign traders to surrender their opium. In
response, the British send expeditionary warships to the coast of China,
beginning The First Opium War.
- 1840
New Englanders bring 24,000 pounds of opium into the United States. This
catches the attention of U.S. Customs which promptly puts a duty fee on
the import.
- 1841
The Chinese are defeated by the British in the First Opium War. Along with paying a large indemnity, Hong Kong is ceded to the British.
- 1842
The Treaty of Nanking between the Queen of Great Britain and the Emperor of China.
- 1843
Dr. Alexander Wood of
Edinburgh discovers a new technique of administering morphine,
injection with a syringe. He finds the effects of morphine on his
patients instantaneous and three times more potent.
- 1852
The British arrive in lower Burma, importing large quantities of opium
from India and selling it through a government-controlled opium
monopoly.
- 1856
The British and French renew their hostilities against China in the
Second Opium War. In the aftermath of the struggle, China is forced to
pay another indemnity. The importation of opium is legalized.Opium
production increases along the highlands of Southeast Asia.
- 1874
English researcher, C.R. Wright first synthesizes heroin, or diacetylmorphine,
by boiling morphine over a stove.In San Francisco, smoking opium in the
city limits is banned and is confined to neighboring Chinatowns and
their opium dens.
- 1878
Britain passes the Opium Act with hopes of reducing opium consumption.
Under the new regulation, the selling of opium is restricted to
registered Chinese opium smokers and Indian opium eaters while the
Burmese are strictly prohibited from smoking opium.
- 1886
The British acquire Burma's northeast region, the Shan state. Production
and smuggling of opium along the lower region of Burma thrives despite
British efforts to maintain a strict monopoly on the opium trade.
- 1890
U.S. Congress, in its earliest law-enforcement legislation on narcotics,
imposes a tax on opium and morphine.Tabloids owned by William Randolph
Hearst publish stories of white women being seduced by Chinese men and
their opium to invoke fear of the 'Yellow Peril', disguised as an
"anti-drug" campaign.
- 1895
Heinrich Dreser working for The Bayer Company of
Elberfeld, Germany, finds that diluting morphine with acetyls produces a
drug without the common morphine side effects. Bayer begins production
of diacetylmorphine and coins the name "heroin." Heroin would not be
introduced commercially for another three years.
- Early 1900s
The philanthropic Saint James Society in the U.S. mounts a campaign to
supply free samples of heroin through the mail to morphine addicts who
are trying give up their habits. Efforts by the British and French to
control opium production in Southeast Asia are successful. Nevertheless,
this Southeast region, referred to as the 'Golden Triangle', eventually
becomes a major player in the profitable opium trade during the 1940s.
- 1902
In various medical journals, physicians discuss the side effects of
using heroin as a morphine step-down cure. Several physicians would
argue that their patients suffered from heroin withdrawal symptoms equal
to morphine addiction.
- 1903
Heroin addiction rises to alarming rates.
- 1905
U.S. Congress bans opium.
- 1906
China and England finally enact a treaty restricting the Sino-Indian
opium trade. Several physicians experiment with treatments for heroin
addiction. Dr. Alexander Lambert and Charles B. Towns tout their popular
cure as the most "advanced, effective and compassionate cure" for
heroin addiction. The cure consisted of a 7 day regimen, which included a
five day purge of heroin from the addict's system with doses of
belladonna delirium.U.S. Congress passes the Pure Food and Drug Act
requiring contents labeling on patent medicines by pharmaceutical
companies. As a result, the availability of opiates and opiate consumers
significantly declines.
- 1909
The first federal drug prohibition passes in the U.S. outlawing the
importation of opium. It was passed in preparation for the Shanghai
Conference, at which the US presses for legislation aimed at suppressing
the sale of opium to China.
- February 1, 1909
The International Opium Commission convenes in Shanghai. Heading the
U.S. delegation are Dr. Hamilton Wright and Episcopal Bishop Henry
Brent. Both would try to convince the international delegation of the
immoral and evil effects of opium.
- 1910
After 150 years of failed attempts to rid the country of opium, the
Chinese are finally successful in convincing the British to dismantle
the India-China opium trade.
- Dec. 17, 1914
The passage of Harrison Narcotics Act which aims to curb drug
(especially cocaine but also heroin) abuse and addiction. It requires
doctors, pharmacists and others who prescribed narcotics to register and
pay a tax.
- 1923
The U.S. Treasury Department's Narcotics Division (the first federal
drug agency) bans all legal narcotics sales. With the prohibition of
legal venues to purchase heroin, addicts are forced to buy from illegal
street dealers.
- 1925
In the wake of the first federal ban on opium, a thriving black market opens up in New York's Chinatown.
- 1930s
The majority of illegal heroin smuggled into the U.S. comes from China and is refined in Shanghai and Tietsin.
- Early 1940s
During World War II, opium trade routes are blocked and the flow of opium from India and
Persia is cut off. Fearful of losing their opium monopoly, the French
encourage Hmong farmers to expand their opium production.
- 1945-1947
Burma gains its independence from Britain at the end of World War II. Opium cultivation and trade flourishes in the Shan states.
  
- The
Treaty of Nanking is seen by Chinese historians as the start of “the
century of humiliation.” That century of humiliation ended with the
defeat of the Japanese by US and allied forces in 1945.
1860 hongkong victoria harbor
Map of Macau, 1635
canton china painting
queens road from canton bazar
Jejeebhoy and his Chinese secretary (portrait by George Chinnery)
Born on 15 th. July 1783, in Mumbai (then Bombay) to a poor weaver .
n all Jamsetjee made five voyages to China and back, between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four,
becoming immensely rich, well known and highly respected, all by the tender age of twenty-four years.
- Mahim Causeway: the British Government had refused to build a causeway to connect the island of Salsette to Mumbai. Jejeebhoy's wife Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy spent
₨.1,55,800 to finance its construction, after who it was named. The
work began in 1841 and is believed to have been completed 4 years later.
- Jejeebhoy donated to at least 126 notable public charities, including the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art, the Sir J. J. College of Architecture,[2] the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art and theSeth R.J.J. High School. He also endowed charities dedicated to helping his fellow Parsis and created the "Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy Parsi Benevolent Fund".
-
... This factory — “the architecture
of 13,000,000 pounds of opium production,” as Ptak Science Books calls
it — is part of a larger British colonial landgrab fueled, at least in
part, by pursuit of the immense profits to be earned from an
unrestricted drug trade. As Amitav Ghosh, in an interview about his
novel, Sea of Poppies, explains, “The Ghazipur and Patna opium factories
between them produced the wealth of Britain. It is astonishing to think of it but the british Empire was really founded on opium"
BRITISH EMPIRE
BRITISH TRADE
========================================================
[1] Those who were signatories of a letter titled 'The Foreign Merchants to the Imperial Commissioner'
Canton, March 25, 1839
The
foreign merchants of all nations, in Canton, have received with
profound respect the Edict of his Excellency the Imperial Commissioner;
and now beg leave to address his Excellency, having already communicated
through the Hong merchants their intentions of doing so with the least
possible delay.
The
beg to represent, that being now made fully aware of the Imperial
commands, &c., the entire abolition of the traffic in opium, the
undersigned foreigners in Canton hereby pledge themselves not to deal in opium, nor to attempt to introduce it into the Chinese Empire.
Having
now recorded their solemn pledge, they have only further most
respectfully to state to his Excellency, that as individual foreign
merchants they do not possess the power of controlling such extensive
and important matters, as his Excellency's edict embraces; and they
trust His Excellency will approve of their leaving a final settlement to
be arranged through the Representative of their respective nations.
(Signed)
[2] Those who were held in imprisonment (house arrest) between March 25 and May 4 by order of Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu.
[3]
Those British (including Anglo-Indian) merchants were discharged on
signing a bond on May 27, 1839, guaranteeing that they would never
return to China.
[4] Founding Members of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce.
[5]
All opium merchants were asked to surrender their inventories of opium
to Charles Elliot on March 27, 1939, who in turn surrendered the same to
Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu. This shows the known quantity of opium
surrendered to Elliot.
[6]
Those who were signatories of a letter titled 'Memorial from Her
Majesty's Subjects to Viscount Palmerston', Canton, May 23, 1839; in
which opium merchants were appealing their claims on account of the
opium surrendered for Her Majesty's service
===============================================================
Opium Namesake
These are streets or places named after people connected with the dealing of opium, one way or the other:
Anton Street 晏頓街 was named after Charles Edward Anton – 16th Taipan of Jardine, Matheson and Co.
Duddell Street 都爹利街 was named after George Duddell – government auctioneer;
Gresson
Street 機利臣街 was named after William Jardine Gresson – grandson of
Elizabeth Jardine, daughter of William Jardine’s brother David; director
of Jardine, Matheson and Co. (1901-1906) and director (1916-1910)
Gutzlaff
Street 吉士笠街 was named after Karl Friedrich August Gutzlaff – Prussian
Missionary; interpreter of Jardine, Matheson and Co.; Chinese Secretary
of the Hong Kong Government
Hysan
Avenue 希慎道 was named after Lee Hysan – opium dealer nicknamed “King of
Opium of Hong Kong and Macau”; single largest land owner in Causeway Bay
Jardine's
Bazaar 渣甸街, Jardine's Crescent 渣甸坊 and Jardine Terrace 渣甸台 were named
after William Jardine – co-founder of Jardine, Matheson and Co.
Keswick
Street 敬誠街 was named after James Johnstone Keswick – 10th Taipan of
Jardine, Matheson and Co.; co-founded Hong Kong Land with Paul Chater;
Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce (1893-1894)
Lan Fong Road 蘭芳道 was named Wong Lan Fong 黃蘭芳 – wife of Hysan Lee
Landale
Street 蘭杜街 was named after David Landale – 13th Taipan of Jardine,
Matheson and Co.; Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council
(1946-1950); Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce (1915)
Lee Garden Road 利園山道 was named after the amusement park Lee Hysan envisioned for building in the area but didn’t build
Matheson Street 勿地臣街 was named after James Matheson - co-founder of Jardine, Matheson and Co.
Percival
Street 波斯富街 was named after Alexander Perceval – the 7th Taipan of
Jardine, Matheson and Co.; a relative of the wife of James Matheson;
founding Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce (1861); Senior
Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council (1861-1864)
Spring
Garden Lane 春園街 was named after the villa of John Dent built in that
area in the 1840s; Dent is the Senior Partner of Dent and Co.
___________________________________________________________===================================================================================================
Licensees of Opium Monopoly 1844-1910
1845-1845 George Duddell / Alexander Martin Mathieson (surrendered after 3 months)
1845- ? Lo Aqui / Fung Attai
?
1858/1859 Wo Hang firm, 12 months license
1859/1860 Yan Wo firm, 12 months license
?
1874- ? Sun Yee firm, Wo Hang, Yan Wo and a third company Chap Sing joined hands
1878-1880 Man Wo Fung firm, 3 years license, brought in by Governor John Pope Hennessy
1880- ? Man Wo Sang firm, a new alliance between Yan Wo and Sun Yee
1883/1884
Kwong Shang Lung firm 香港中環廣生隆 headed by Hung Kwong 孔廣 and Wing Cheung
firm 香港中環榮昌 headed by Luk Hing 陸慶, 12 month license
1885-1887 Lee Keung-yam, 3 years license
1890s Fook Hing firm, also exported opium to North America
1897- ? Man Fook firm Fook Hing firm
1905 Chin Joo Heng firm, the opium farm monopoly at the time cost in excess of half a million dollars.
By this time, the opium monopoly was providing around 20% of government revenue.
=============================================================================================================================================
Opium
related operations of the following companies and individuals began
after the First Opium War. Their operation was mostly Hong Kong based.
Augustine Heard and Co. - American, [4]
Fletcher and Co - British, [4]
Emmanuel
Raphael Belilios 庇理羅士 - Baghdadi Indian Jew, longest serving director
(1868-1888) of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, became
HSBC Chairman in 1876, a position he held until 1882. He was appointed
to the Legislative Council in 1881 and as the Council's Senior
Unofficial Member between 1892 and 1900.
Douglas Lapraik - British, [4]
George DuddellGeorge Duddell - British
Alexander
Martin Mathieson – British (of the firm of McEwen and Co.), who
together with George Duddell, secured Hong Kong's first ever opium
monopoly at a public auctionat 2pm on February 28,1845, for a period of
one year at the monthly rate of $710. Duddell was the Government
Auctioneer at that time. Entirely unable to enforce their monopoly,
Duddell and Mathieson negotiated the surrender of the lease within three
months.
Lo
Aqui 盧亞貴– Chinese, and partner Fung Attai bought opium monopoly, the
one surrendered by Duddell and Mathieson, at an auction in July 1845 at
the monthly rate of $1,710.
Fung Attai – Chinese, partner of Lo Acqui in operating the opium monopoly in 1845.
Chan
Tai-kwong – Chinese, who was a protégé of the Bishop of Hong Kong and
the front man of Wo Hang company 和興 – a syndicate of merchants from
Xinhui 新會, obtained the opium monopoly in 1858, paying GBP7,075 for a
twelve-month period. Wo Hang was heavily involved in coolie trade and
the general entrepot trade of Hong Kong. Wo Hang's well known brands of
opium included Hong Kong Hop Lung 香港合隆 and Hong Kong Wa Hing 香港華興.
 Yan
Wo company 仁和 – a syndicate of merchants from Dongguan 東莞 and rival of
Wo Hang company, obtained the monopoly in 1859 at a annual rent of GBP
6,812. Well known brands of opium produced by Yan Wo included Sheung Wan
Fook Lung 上環福隆, Sheung Wan Lai Yuen 上環麗源 and Wik To Lei Victoria Tai
Shun 域多厘泰巽.
Sun
Yee company – in March 1874, Wo Hang, Yan Wo and a third copmany named
Chap Sing formed a new syndicate known as the Sun Yee company, Wo Hang's
headman Li Tak-cheong became the headman of Sun Yee.
It
was estimated that by 1876 each Chinese person in Hong Kong, in
average, smoked half a kilogram of opium in that year. Also, a total of
4,638,750 kilogram of Bengal opium 公班土 and Malwa opium 白皮土 were imported
to Hong Kong.
Man
Wo Fung company in 1878 paid $205,000 per year for three-year monopoly.
The company's front man in Hong Kong is Singaporean Tan King-sing. He
represent the company's principle shareholder and manager - Ban Hap (aka
Ngan Chan Wai), a Hokkien Chinese based in Saigon.
Man
Wo Sang company – in 1880, Yan Wo abandoned Sun Yee and went into
partnership with Ban Hap, in a new enterprise known as Man Wo Sang.
Lee Keng-yam – a Singapore who led a syndicate from Singapore in 1885 paid $182,400 a year for a three-year monopoly.
The Lee Theater=========================================================================================================================================================
Lee Hysan 利希慎 (b.1879 Hawaii - d.1928 Hong Kong) –
Hong Konger, American-Chinese (born in Hawaii), highly respected land
developer and entrepreneur, also known as the 'King of Opium', inherited
opium business from his father Lee Leung Yik 利良奕, held opium monopoly
in Macao at one time, shot death on April 20, 1928 while go to lunch in
Central; son Harold Hsiao-Wo Lee 利孝和 was co-founder of Television
Broadcasts Limited (TVB); granddaughter Vivienne Poy 利德蕙 is Canadian
Senator, owner of fashion house ' Vivienne Poy Mode' and Chancellor of
the University of Toronto; Lee at one time owned an area in Causeway Bay
that is bordered by Hysan Road (a road named after him), Percival
Steet, Pak Sha Road, and Yun Ping Road, and the land lot that housed the
Lee Theater that he built in 1925.
___________________________________________________________
Updated on May 4, 2010
Traders
Opium related operations of the following companies and individuals
existed before the First Opium War, most were operating in Canton.
British East India Company
Free Traders
Before 1830s
John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) – German born
flute-maker-turned-fur-trader-turned-
opium-trader-turned-property-tycoon.American fur
merchant John Jacob Astor probably was the first opium free trader from
the West (notes must be taken however that Turks and Indians had been
shipping opium to China for centuries), and certainly the first American
to deal in opium in China. He began shipping opium from Turkey to
China in 1816 but abruptly stopped in 1819. With the fortune he
fast-tracked from dealing in opium, he started heavily investing in
lands in New York City and became America's first multi-millionaire
before long. According to Forbes Magazine's studies in 2006, he was the
fourth all-time wealthiest American [a]. J.J. Astor's
great-granddaughter, Helen Schermerhorn Astor married James “Rosy”
Roosevelt, the half-brother of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Incidentally, F.D.R's maternal grandfather, Warren Delano, Jr., also
made his fortune in opium, working for the leading American opium trader
– Russell and Co.
1830 and later
Companies
Bell and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [6]
Bibby, Adam, and Co. [1], [2], [6]
K. H. Cama and Co. - Parsee [4]
P. F. Cama and Co. - Parsee [4]
P. & D. N. Casmaji & Co. - Parsee [4]
J. and W. Cragg, and Co. [1], [2]
Daniel and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [5] 1,400 chests, [6]
Dent and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] 1,700 chests, [6]
Dirom and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [6]
Abdulally Ebrahim and Co. - Parsee
Habibbhoy Ebrahim Sons and Co. - Parsee
Fox, Rawson, and Co. [1], [2]
W. and J. Gemmell and Co. [1], [2], [3], [6]
Gibb, Livingston, and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
Ameroodin Jaffeerbhoy Co. – Indian, [2], [3], [4], [6]
Jardine, Matheson and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [5] 7,000 chests (including 5,000 chests owned by its Parsee partners
Layton and Co. [2]
Lindsay and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
MacVicar and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [5] 1,000 chests, [6]
D. N. Mody and Co. - Parsee [4]
Hadjee Mohomed and M. M. Hossein
Cassumbhoy Nathabhoy Sons and Co. - Indian [4]
Nowrojee and Co. - Parsee [4]
Cawasjee Pallanjee and Co. – Parsee, [6]
Robert Wise Holliday, and Co. - British [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
Russell and Co. - American, [1], [2], [4], [5] 1,400 chests
Russell, Sturgis, and Co. - American, [1], [2]
David SassoonRustomjee Ruttonjee and Co. – Parsee, [5] 14 chests
David Sassoon Sons, and Co. - British (Sassoon was Baghdadi Indian Jew), [1], [2], [4]. Photo of David Sassoon
Turner and Co. - British, [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
Wetmore and Co. - American, [1], [2], [4], ceased to deal in opium after the First Opium War
Individuals
Amerally Abdoolally - Parsee
Allarakia Adam
Vully Mohommed Allobhoy - Parsee
D. J. Barradas
B. C. Bhabba - Parsee
Cursetjee Bomanjee – Parsee, [1], [2]
Sackhuson Burdrooden – British, [1], [2], [3], [6]
Hormuzjee Byramjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 4 chests
Charles Compton – British, [3], [6]
Framjee Dadabhoy – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
I. de Souza – Portuguese, [1], [2]
Dassabhoy Hormutzjee Dollakac – Parsee, [5] 67 chests
Nasserwanjee Dorabjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 127 chests, [6]
Pallonjee Dorabjee – Parsee, [5] 51 chests
Mohommedbhoy Dossabhoy - Parsee
Solomon Ebrahim - Parsee
Cowasjee Edulgee – Parsee, [5] 232, [6]
Ahmad Hadjee Esaac - Parsee
Hormuzjee Framjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 73 chests, [6]
Nasserwanjee Framjee – Parsee, [6]
A. and D. Furdonjee – Parsee, [1], [2]
Alladinbhoy Habibbhoy - Parsee
Silas Aaron Hardoon - British / Baghdadi Indian Jew
Henderson [2]
Bomanjee Honsanjee – Parsee, [1], [2]
Dossabhoy Hormusjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
Bomanjee Hosonojeeee – Parsee, [5] 3 chests, [6]
James Innes - British, [1], [2], [3]
Framjee Jametjee – Parsee, [1], [2]. [5] 12 chests
Macdonald – British [2], [3]
Eglinton Maclean – British [2], [3]
Bomanjee Manuckjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
Burjoorjee Manockjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
Nasserwanjee Bomonjee Mody – Parsee, [5] 92 chests
Burjorjee Monackjee – Parsee, [5] 54 chests
Pallanjee Nasserwanjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 9 chests, [6]
Hadjee Abdoola Nathan - Parsee
Framjee Nowrojee - Parsee
Jamasetjee Pestonjee - Parsee
Ahmadbhoy Ramtoola - Parsee
Heerjeebhoy Rustomjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 1,700 chests, [6]
Jamsetjee Rutonjee – Parsee, [1], [2]
Shasmkkshaw Rustomjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
Dadabhoy & Manockje Rustomkee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 970 chests, [6]
Bomanjee Ruttonjee – Parsee, [5] 4 chests
Cowasjee Saporjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 67 chests
S. A. Seth
Muncherjee Pestonjee Setna - Parsee [4]
Cursetjee Shapoorjee – Parsee, [1], [2], [6]
Abaden and Jam Sooden – Parsee, [1], [2], [5] 25 chests
Burjorjee Suradjee – Parsee [5] 59 chests, [6]
Cowasjee Saporjee Taback – Parsee, [5] 13 chests, [6]
Stewart – British, [2], [3]
Thackers - [5] 86 chests
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