Comprehensive Essay on the Second Opium War of 1858 between China and England

No doubt, Britain had won the first opium war and she was a bit contented with the treaty of Nanking but soon the people of Great Britain began to feel that the concessions granted to them in the treaty of Nanking were not satisfactory.

The traders of Europe had anyhow entered into China but they were not satisfied with their position in China.

They were assured of parity but there was neither any officer nor any ministry which could provide the European traders with this fundamental right. Hence they could not have any diplomatic talk with China to achieve parity.

In fact, the people of China regarded themselves superior in comparison to the western races and were very much annoyed with their entry in Canton.

Being confused and annoyed for the opening of Canton port for all, they got pamphlets distributed as a token of their annoyance.

It was mentioned in these pamphlets that, in case, the foreigners moved outside the limits of Canton, they would be assassinated or their food supply stopped to starve them.

The Mischief’s of the Foreigners

The defeat of the first opium war had proved the weakness and shallowness of the Manchu rulers. As a result, exploitation, intrigues and corruption began to raise their heads in every sphere of the reign.

Unemployment and starvation began to increase in the country and the terror of revolt began to loom large in China due to terrible famine in the north. After the opium war about one hundred revolts took place in China within seven years.

The Taping revolt was one of the most significant of them. The main cause of the outbreak of this revolt was the increasing influence of the foreigners in China.

Manchu rulers alone were not in a position to crush this revolt; hence they sought the help of the foreigners to suppress it.

Although the revolt was crushed, the position of Manchu government became very precarious after receiving foreign help.

Those who proved to be saviours in the suppression of the revolt now began to look at China with a greedy eye and taking the advantage of the weaknesses and internal disorder of China they tried to extend the opium trade in China.

After the end of the first opium war, the trade of opium should have been completely banned in China but it did not happen so. Both the Chinese officers and the foreign traders remained absorbed in the opium trade for their own benefit.

From 1840 to 1856 the opium trade increased about three hundred percent. It left its disastrous effects on China. The foreign traders did not want to leave China due to their profits and China was not in a position to make use of her laws due to internal conflicts.

The foreigners began to resort to mischiefs, taking advantage of the weak position of the Manchu rulers. They began to take the poor Chinese to the far-off countries in search of work. Gradually, they began to use power and threats to take the Chinese labourers to these countries to serve their own ends.

The Manchu rulers tried to check the atrocities of the foreign traders but they found themselves helpless.

It was decided in the treaty of Nanking that the suits of the foreigners would be filed in their courts but since the courts of European people were not formed by the year 1850, the question of their trial in their own courts did not arise.

Hence the people of China were very much discontented. Their revengeful attitude compelled the foreigners to interfere again in the affairs of China.

Demand of a New Treaty

Although the traders of Britain were enjoying several advantages with the treaty of 1842, yet they were not satisfied with their position. They wanted to take as much advantage as possible due to the weaknesses of the Chinese.

The number of the foreigners was increasing in China day in and day out; hence Britain began to frame a plan to conquer the valley of Yangtsi.

She always remained in a state of preparedness for war due to commercial profits and the people of England were not satisfied in having commercial dealings with only a few ports of China.

They wanted to establish their commercial supremacy in the greater part of China. The successes of the British people in India had created a feeling in their minds that they were the most powerful.

They had a firm faith in their ultramodern arms and warfare. Therefore they began to demand the revision of the old treaty.

They put a new logic that whatever treaties were concluded with them after the treaty of Nanking had provided them with lesser facilities. In fact, it was only a pretext and Britain wanted to establish her sway in China due to weaknesses of China.

Treaty of Tientsin

It was the second defeat of China at the hands of England. Twenty years earlier, England alone forced China to bow down before her and this time Britain defeated China with the help of the French army.

The internal condition of China was already very much disturbed. Taping rebellion had already weakened China and several dynasties were emerging to establish their control over China, hence the government of China started talks for the treaty but the provisions of the treaty could not be finalized and once again both the countries plunged into war.

When China felt the danger looming large over her capital, she signed on the treaty of Tientsin. The following were its main provisions:

1. The arrangements for the residence of the foreign ambassadors would be made in Peking and they should not be forced to follow the insulting practice like Koto.

2. The foreign traders would be at liberty to travel anywhere in China.

3. Eleven new ports were opened up for trade in China.

4. Christian preachers would be free to go to any part of China.

5. China promised to pay war reparation.

6. New rates of coastal tax were introduced and it was decided that 5 per cent octopi would be realised on the imports, exports.

7. Opium trade was declared legal.

Influence in China

Now the western countries had understood it fully well that in case, they wanted to increase their influence in China, use of power was the only way to get success. Both England and France were adamant to suppress China by the help of their joint forces.

As the war broke out again, their armies advanced up to Peking. That forced the Manchu ruler to leave Peking and proceed to Jehole.

Joint forces of England and France entered Peking and carried out a lot of looting and indulged in massacres.

Michael and Taylor have remarked about the incident that the soldiers of the victorious armies set fire to the summer palace of the emperor due to their revengeful attitude as China had treated the western prisoners very badly.

After the departure of the Chinese emperor, there was only one alternative to end the terror of the victorious army. It was that the treaty of Tientsin be accepted so that the people of China be saved from their sorrows.

Hence in the absence of the emperor, his brother and Chinese officers accepted the treaty of Tientsin. The following provisions were included in the pact concluded in Peking:

1. The foreigners were permitted to carry on trade in Tienstin. This province being very near to Peking, the capital of China, the influence of the western countries began to increase in the capital.

2. The peninsula of Kausul, situated in front of Hong Kong was given to Britain.

3. The ambassadors of Britain and France were permitted to reside in Peking permanently.

4. The amount of reparation was increased.

5. Arrangements were made for the refund of money of Roman Catholic Church which was forfeited in 1724.

6. The priests of France were allowed to purchase land and to construct houses thereon.

7. Migration of Chinese labourers to foreign countries was declared legal.