Introduction: A Tale Of Two Plants

[Wayloss]

"Opium you say? I can't say as I know much about the stuff as Mr. Payne suggests I may have smelled the stuff before, but it's recreational use is strictly forbidden onboard ships." He eyes the stuff for a minute before a glint in his eyes starts.
"You say the Chinese go crazy for the stuff, Doctor?"

[Trogdor]

"I can't say I know that the Chinese are any more crazy about it than anyone else," Sinclair replies. "But opium has been a recreational and medicinal drug across Europe and Asia for thousands of years. The Egyptians used it; the Romans used it; the Arabs used it; and I have no doubt the Chinese have used it too." He raises an eyebrow. "The milk of the poppy is popular wherever it's found."

[Hayabusa]

"Em, right, I meant the 'pot ale'," Payne says between two sips. "I'd even say that Scotch is popular wherever it's found. Well, Doc, you know a lot about this stuff. Have you tried it at least once? I mean for medicinical purposes."

[Trogdor]

"Not opium," Sinclair replies. "But I have used laudanum on occasion - as you say, for medicinal purposes." He says the last with no trace of sarcasm. "As I mentioned, it's an invaluable drug. As a naval surgeon I'd often use it on the worst of the battle injuries to let them sleep."

[JohnnyWeird]

"And a deep sleep indeed; opium offers a powerful escape for those willing to pay for it."

Nair's statement is without judgment - she comments on the drug's efficacy, nothing more.

[Orvost]

Thurston throws his hands up in submission as he speaks in his thick German accent:

'œVell it certainly seems zat I am zah least knowledgeable on zis subject. No matter. Zah commercial implications of zis endeavor will certainly peak my curiosity, but I doubt zat I was asked here because of my knowledge of zis commodity.'

[3rd-I]

The Colonel smiles broadly, clearly impressed with comments and the knowledge displayed by all, particularly Doctor Sinclair whose knowledge it would seem clearly surpasses his own. He offers the occaisional comment as the conversation ciculates around the room, and butts in gently at one point to clarify that the Tea exports were for ten million pounds weight, not pounds sterling. Once eveyone has had a chance to comment he redirects the conversation.

'œThat's right! Raw opium, an anaesthetic and highly addictive recreational drug. The Portuguese were the first to bring Indian opium to China, and the Chinese soon developed a taste for smoking it from a pipe, mixed with tobacco. What the Portugese began, the Dutch continued, shipping in their own Opium from India to both China and Java. We the British, having only realised its potential as a luxury commodity since the conquest of Bengal in the 1760's, are late to the party! And there are other problems.'

By 1729 its use had spread across much of China and the Emperor issued an edict to ban the smoking and importing of opium. It's a stance they have persisted with ever since. Why, only two years ago Emperor Qianlong officially reconfirmed the law, decreeing that both the import of Opium and the exporting of silver are now punishable by death! However, Peking is over 1300 miles north of Canton. The Chinese have therefore always found it near impossible to prevent the trade, and it is little more than a gesture so long as the Canton officials remain so openly welcoming of bribes. And the more we export to China, the more demand for it grows!

Of course the 'œhonourable' company can't be seen to be officially partaking in the trade and hence an elaborate system has evolved. Just last year the British East India Company officially implemented a direct monopoly over the production of all Opium in Bengal. They no longer have to liaise with the crop merchants and planters. They deal directly with the farmers on the Ganges plain, offering cash advances for the cultivation of poppies, and enforcing its production when resisted. Planted in November, the poppy's seed pods are tapped for opium in February. The resultant gum is beaten, pressed into balls, dried, and then wrapped in poppy leaves for dispatch. It comes to Calcutta down the Ganges river on barges in mango-wood chests of forty balls each. These chests are then publicly auctioned off to the highest bidder in the company offices. And this is where the private operations, country traders like ourselves, prove our use.

The country traders buy the Opium from the company auctions with 'œa nudge and wink', so to speak, and carry it on locally built ships to China. Officially, at this stage the drug is out of the company's control. Once at Canton, possibly having stopped in the straights of Malacca or Batavia to trade other goods along the way, the traders rendezvous with local smugglers just off the coast. There, the Opium is traded for silver and distributed through the local channels. The traders then proceed on to Canton and pay a visit to the banking offices that the company maintains in the city. The silver is deposited into the company bank and a promissory note issued to the trader for later redemption in Calcutta. Thus the company receives a steady flow of silver with which to make good the Tea investment, and the trade deficit is reversed.

An elaborate and almost devilish scheme I'm sure you'll agree'

He picks up his teacup and raises it again.

'œAnd all so that the wealthy Englishman, can continue to enjoy the pleasures of a good cup of tea. The tea leaf, and the poppy: '˜a Tale of Two Plants' you might say.' he chuckles.

And with that he takes another loud slurp from his cup, a smug expression on his face and clearly quite pleased with himself

He pauses, as if to invite comment.

OOC

Thanks for keeping the conversation going, some nice rp going on.

FYI the quote for tea exports was pounds weight (lbs), not pounds sterling (£)

Oh, and at this stage I'm not making any of this up. Unbelievable really, to consider that by this stage the policies of BEIC were now dictated by a government regulated body, and not the board of directors as was true in the past. Ie. this "arrangement" between the BEIC and the smuggling country traders unofficially went all the way up to government.

[Trogdor]

Dr. Sinclair drinks some of his own tea, then offers just such a comment. "Then I imagine," he says in a conversational tone, "that's why Mr. Baresford preceded us in your office. I'm guessing that you arranged with him to 'escort' some opium to China on behalf of the Company. And I'm also guessing that you want us to assist you in some way."

[Hayabusa]

"Right, Doc," Payne says thoughtful, while he slowly followed the Colonel's explanations. "So ye need us to do what, for yer little scheme?"

[Wayloss]

"I figured when you started talking about the poppy you might be needing someone "Familiar" with those bastards over there in the company an how they run those particular operations. I suppose you might need my particular skills?"