ENG-1953 — Page 253

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953

who became chief Superintendent in December 1836, and who pursued a conciliatory policy, also completely failed in an attempt to secure recognition by the Chinese of his official position.

The removal of the centre of British trade from Canton to an island off the Chinese Coast, which had often formed the subject of discussion, was now advocated more seriously. Four arguments were put forward in support of the advantages of such an island as a solution to the difficulties at Canton. Some argued that an island should be secured by negotiation, so as to remove the trade from the caprice of the officials at Canton: many argued from the analogy of Bombay and Singapore, that such an island would very soon become a great emporium of British trade: others thought of such an island in terms of strategic requirements. It was also argued that the Chinese would never make the necessary concessions in Canton unless the threat of force were applied; this of course meant naval demonstrations and the possession of a naval base would naturally have considerable utility. Finally there was the important "law and order" argument. The British constitu- tional system demands that executive action can be taken only in accordance with law, and in case of dispute, can be enforced only in a court of law. The weakness of the Superintendents of Trade was that they had little executive authority over the merchants, and no method of making that little effective. It was therefore argued that it would be to the advantage of both Britain and China that a British law court should be set up to control the British merchants. It could not of course be established on foreign soil, and therefore an island should be secured for this purpose.

The situation between 1834 and the outbreak of hostilities in 1839, which was already strained, was made worse by the opium trade. Opium smoking had become a Chinese habit, in spite of its being forbidden, and the import of opium from India increased enormously. The contraband trade in opium

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