The prelude to the Opium War can be traced back to 1834. That year, Britain took over the trade privileges of the British East India Company, then sent the aristocratic military officer William John Napier to Guangdong as chief superintendent of British trade in China, replacing the company’s so-called “chief factors.” Napier’s main task was to establish direct and equal relations with Chinese officials instead of conducting all business through the Thirteen Factories. He was also told not to jeopardize the existing relationship between Britain and China. Yet as soon as he arrived in Guangdong, he sent Governor-General of Liangguang Lu Kun an official letter written in a “peer-to-peer” format. Lu Kun refused to treat Napier as an equal and ordered him to return to Macao at once. Napier refused, so Lu Kun halted trade, closed the British factories, cut off supplies, and sent Chinese warships to intimidate them from the nearby river. Unwilling to back down, Napier ordered three British warships to enter Humen from the open sea and make a show of force. After exchanging fire with the Humen forts for 35 minutes, the British ships sailed into the Pearl River. Lu Kun then sank 12 large vessels in the riverbed to block their way, and called in 28 ships and 1,600 soldiers from across the region to surround the inner waterways. The British ships were trapped, unable to advance or retreat. Napier had also contracted malaria during the blockade, and with everything going against him, he had no choice but to say he was willing to leave Guangzhou. He then ordered the British warships to withdraw and returned to Macao under the watch of Qing naval forces. Not long after reaching Macao, Napier died embittered. Before his death, he declared that only war could settle the trade dispute between Britain and China.
Beautiful, I can learn a lot