The evil became so great that in 1839 a royal proclamation was put forth threatening English opium ships with confiscation if they did not keep out of Chinese waters.

This was not heeded, and then Lin, the Chinese Commissioner, gave orders to destroy twenty thousand, two hundred and ninety-one chests of opium, each containing 149-1/3 pounds, the valuation of which was $10,000,000.

Still the work of smuggling went on and the result was what is known as the Opium War, which was ended in 1842 by the treaty of Nanking.

China was forced by Great Britain to pay $21,000,000 indemnity, to cede in perpetuity to England the city of Hong Kong, and to give free access to British ships entering the ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochoofoo, Ningpo and Shanghai.

The importation of opium from India is still carried on--but the quantity is not so great as formerly, owing to the cultivation of the plant in China.