THE OPIUM WARS OF CHINA

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2075, 9 May 1907, Page 1

THE OPIUM WARS OF CHINA

As a result of the recommendations of the returned Commissioners, after consultation with Yuan-shi-kai and Tang-shao-yi, an edict was ■ issued (says the * London Daily Chronicle) ordering the abolition of the use of opium, the use of which had been steadily growing among the inhabitants. Before 1767 the import of opium had rarely exceeded 200 chests, but in that year it amounted to 1000. By 1800 it had increased so alarmingly' that an Imperial edict' was issued prohibiting the importation, and threatening all Chinese who used it with condign punishment. The traffic of opium had always been a smuggling one, and the edict did not prevent its increase. India was the great exporter of the drug, and it was because the revenues derived by India from its export fo China were threatened that our first war with the latter country was entered into.

In 1835 the Chinese Emperor prohibited the trade. In the same year a quantity of the drug was burned by the Chinese at Canton. For three years trouble occurred connected with tho traffic, until at length, in March,

1839. tho Chinese Commissioner at Canton ordered tho soizuro of opium. The British residents wore forbidden to leave, and the factories wore surrounded. 2V fow days afterwards the British Commissioner at Canton required tho British residents to surrender to him all their opium. By May over 40,0,6.0 chests wore surrendered and the Commissioner and British residents loft Canton, the Chinese afterwards destroying the opium.

This was followed by the Emperor of China, in 1840, interdicting all trade and intercourse with England for ever. AVar was declared by Great Britain and lasted until 1842, when a treaty of pence was signed, Hong Kong being ceded to the British. Nothing was said in the treaty of the opium traffic, which went 011 as before.

11l 1856 wo were again at war with China, the opium traffic being one of tho principal reasons. In this undertaking France(sjoincd 11s. The war lasted until 1858, when peace was signed, one stipulation being “a revision of the tariff.” The third and last war that we embarked upon lor tho sake of opium was in 1860, France again being our ally. In this expedition tho allies marched on Pekin, and the summer palace of the Emperor was burned by the British. Peace was signed on October 24, 1860, and the opium traffic established. ATONING FOR THE PAST A MAN WITH A CONSCIENCE. When a well-dressed Jew was uslieied into the dock at Clerks .l veil Sis Cons on Feb. & a story-book romai.ee in real life reached its final chapter. Henry Leon Levine was the prisoner’s name.

- His own confession brought tho tale to light, and it was narrated by Ids counsel, Mr. Charles Matthews.

Six years ago Leon Levine fell in love with a young and pretty girl of his own nation, but liis family, who lire well-to-do and had extensive dealings with Messrs. Samuel Bowman, Limited, tho wholesale jewellers of Gcswell road, offered such strong opposition to his romance that tho young man determined to run away. To obtain the funds for his purpose ho went to Messrs. Bowman, and easily obtained £ll2 worth of jewellery for two cheques on the London and County Bank. Tho cheques were worthless, but by tho time this fact was discovered Levine was far away.

The warrant - issued for apprehension never found him, but his conscience did. He was haunted by the knowledge of his crime, and, after three years had passed, he returned home. The fatted calf was 'killed; his family withdrew their, ban upon his marriage, and the young couple, parted for so long, were united. With marriage, however, conscience became only the more active. He obtained a post with his brother-in-law at Blackpool, and saved £122, which ho eventually paid the jewellers back for the trinkets of which he had defrauded them. Then he and his wife agreed that he ought to give himself up, and answer also to the law for his offence.

He obeyed this decision last month. Messrs. Bowman recommended him to mercy. Addressing him, Mr. Wallace, K.C., his judge, remarked that he had probably suffered more than if he had stood Ids trial six years before. “Go back,” said the judge, “and retrieve the past.” Levine was bound over. WAITEM ATA-MANAKAU CANAL. The growing trade of the port of Auckland makes the question of connecting the Wait'omata and Manukau harbors by canal of increased importance each year, says the Auckland' Star. A local company was formed some time ago for the purpose of providing capital to enable plans and report to be prepared and all data collected, so as to place before the people the cost of constructing a canal. The idea was not to provide a canal for largo steamers, because it would only save about five hours between Auckland and Sydney, but to afford a means of communication for smaller vessels plying on the West Coast of the colony. Independent of the trade north of the Manuka n. there is Raglan, with its back country being rapidly settled, and Taranaki, with its ever-increasing output, and the trade from Wanganui and the west coast of the Middle Island.

At the invitation of the company, the Hon. George Fowlds attended at the Chamber of Commerce on May Ist, where he was mot by Messrs. J. M Mennio, S. Nathan, J. Furness (secretary), and Mr. Dennis ton,' secretary to the Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. J. M. Mennie introduced the matter to the Minister, He said (or years past it had been working in the minds of many popple that a canal should be constructed so as to connect the waters of the AVaiteinata with those of tho Mauukau. At lasi some business people ami others in forested lmd decided to go into the matter, and a company was formed with the intention of spending £2OOI in order to get lull particulars and have a proper survey made, so as tc. havo definite data to go upon. Mr. H. Atkinson had moved in the matter. and valuable honorary assistance was given by their consulting engineer. The company had now got all the data together, and it remained for the Harbor Board and the Government to take the matter up.

The engineer then explained to Mr. Fowlds the scheme for the pro posed canal, plans and sectional drawings being hung round the sides of the chamber. He said ho questioned if many men in New Zealand knew that it was possible to walk ucross the colony at a point where the distance from sea to sea was only a mile and a third. In fact, it was possible to cross New Zealand in a quarter of an hour. There was absolutely no engineering difficulty* in constructing a canal to connect the AVaitemata with the Mauukau Harbor. Tho work was purely a matter of finance, and the canal would connect two coasts and save vessels going round a distance of 480 miles-. In the case of vessels that did not go round, the canal would save the cost of double handling of cargo. The depth of the canal was limited by the depth of water on the MaiuVkau bar, as it was useless to make the canal deeper than was required for vessels able to cross tho bur. As a matter ol fact, the depth of water at the bai

was 251 t 6in. They had arrived at tho conclusion that a depth of 201 t below high water at neap tides would be required in tlic canal between tlio locks, and 20ft below tlio lowest water spring tides outside the locks. Mr. Fowlds: “One or. two locks?” Tho engineer said that there would be two locks. Tho simultaneous tidal difference at one given moment of tho tido was as much as 9ft Sin. As far as tlio construction of tho canal was concerned, it would really he what was called in tho Old Country “a muck-shifting problem.” It

was proposed to have a lock at Karnka Bay, on the Mnuukau side, and tho other near the Groat North Road Bridge at Avondale. At that point it was proposed to construct .a quay, so that there would be no necessity for scows to pass through tlio looks. There would also be a highlevel bridge required for tlio continuation of the Avondale South Road. This would bo required to allow vessels to pass under, with masts, and it was estimated that 130 ft clear Was necessary. Another swing bridge

would also be needed to carry the Knipara train across tho canal; the bridge at the Great North Road would be carried across the lock. Tho

maximum cutting in tho canal would be 130 ft, and that only for a very short distance at the Karaka Bay end.

Mr. Fowlds asked: “What is the estimated cost?”

The engineer replied that it was estimated at £788,000. He had put that at a liberal figure, and was sure that, done on modern lines, the cost should ho less.

Mr. Mennio said he thought that this was a work which the Auckland Harbor Board might fairly take up.

Vuckland was certain of a great inure. lying as it did in the fairway ictween Australia and America. The

company had expended money in sinking shafts, etc., to ascertain the nature of the country to he dealt with. Having brought • matters to this point, the company made a free gift of the data obtained to tlio people of Auckland, trusting that the work would he carried on. As far

as tho company was concerned, its work was done now, and the plans would be placed in safe custody. Mr. Fowlds: “Will it be possible to deepen the canal in the event of the. bar at the Manukau Harbor ever being dealt with so as to allow larger

vessels to come in the Manukau?” The engineer said it would be possible, but it was always very expensive to deepen an existing canal, and at the same- time keep the traffic going. The idea at the present time was to make a canal capable of tak-

'K through it the smaller class of c-ssels. It was almost certain that irge vessels would not go through

the canal even if it was deep enough as the saving to them would be comparatively small.

Mr. Fowlds said he was pleased to avc tho details supplied and the lans explained, as this was a matter

in which he felt deep interest. Ho thought Auckland was under a deep debt of gratitude to the patriotic

gentlemen who had formed tho company, and found tlio money to enable all this data to be obtained. Of course the construction of the canal, if undertaken, should he the work of the Harbor Board, and not of tho Government, as there would he considerable difficulty in getting tho House to agree to spend such a largo sum of money upon what must be admitted to be, though an important work, a purely local one. He felt quite certain that the Government would not place any obstacles in tho way of passing the necessary legislation to enable the Harbor Board to undertake the work. Ho felt suro the canal, if completed, would do much towards tho further develop-

ment. of Auckland. He would help the movement in any way he could. Auckland was going to be on the highway of the world’s commerce before many years, and 110 would like to- see the steamers from America passing right through the island. Of course, the present proposal, if carried out, would not admit of that, but a canal for smaller vessels would at least: show there was a road for a larger one. GISBORNE’S LONG SLEEP. Hush! All is quiet, slow and deathly still. No vulgar whistle must obtrude its shrill Re-echoing sound, against the Fathers’ will, To break their sleep. The Fathers slumber quiet as the deep : None hut a tongue-tied rooster shall thou keep; And so that they may always peaceful sleep No child may weep. No morning whistle calls on us to rise With Life to battle for the longedfor prize: The Fathers slumber on with heavy eyes And snore full deep. From yonder tower remove those chiming bells Which day and night ring dead

hours’ doleful knells: 'hey shook the Fathers’ nerves and give them spells Of sleeplessness.

They say: “Of sew’rage schemes you

have no need — Think not of fever and no ailment liecd— Plagues will not fall on us with lightning speed While wo’re asleep. The City Fathers rest in faith seeurc, Still blindly trusting evolution’s power— Accept the future and its gifts endure, ' While Gisborne sleeps. The outer harbor oft disturbs their dreams And they have nightmares of full many schemes Which somewhat break their slumbers, yet it seems Can’t stop their sleep. “Had we the harbor it would surely bring That noisy commerce hero on early wing Disturb our slumbers, set us sorrowing, And break our sleep. “Ah, save us” I can hear them say, “And send those horrid hags of gold away;— We have no vulgar wish to make things pay— AVe want to sleep.” Despite thy Fathers, Gisborne, thou

shalt see, A fair, bright future—’tis thy destiny: AVlieu thy Fathers gather to thenfathers No more thou'lt sleejn G.S., Gisborne, May fil'd.

The Lord Mayor of Melbourne cannot understand 0110 thing in connection with municipal matters in New Zoaland, and that is the necessity for a Council going to the ratepayers when loan money is required for improvements. “In Melbourne,” ho said to a Pross reporter, “we never think of such a tiling.. Only just before I came away the City Council decided to spend£4o,ooo on improvements to the Town Hall. Tlio ratepayers knew nothing whatever about it. -The ratepayers put us in there to manage their business, and I bold tl/at wo should be allowed to do so in our own way. If the ratepayers disagree with what we do, they have tho remedy in their own hands, they neod not elect us again.” When Baby Burns his Hand When sister cuts her finger. When brother gets a bruise. 111 short, when anything happens to the children which causes them pain ,it is mother’s delight to comfort and relieve the little sufferers. She can always do this when she has Dr. Sheldon’s Magnetic Liniment in tile house. Rubbing a little of it over a sore or wound immediately takes away all pain, and vastly' hastens recovery. Keep a bottle in the house always, and you will agree with a thousand other mothers who have said that thev could not keep house without it. For sale by A. W. J. Mann, agent, chemist. The Nursing Mother