Deadly Dreams
Opium and the Arrow War (1856–1860) in China

Wong argues that the opium trade played a large causative role in the Anglo-Chinese Arrow War.

J. Y. Wong (Author)

9780521526197, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 7 November 2002

576 pages, 19 b/w illus. 59 tables
23 x 15.4 x 4 cm, 1 kg

'Wong's monumental study and the industry over many years it represents must command respect. it is unlikely that anyone will produce a more comprehensive investigation of the Arrow War or trawl so painstakingly through the awesome mass of sources.' Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History

The Arrow War (1856–60) involved all the world's major powers, and could almost be called a world war because of the global economic and diplomatic issues driving it. For twenty-five years Dr John Wong has been trying to discover the true origins of the war. What began as a study of an alleged insult to the British flag supposedly flying over the boat Arrow led to an analysis of complex Chinese and British diplomacy; of the even more complex Chinese tea and silk exports; of British India's jealously guarded economic strategies and opium monopoly; of cotton supplied to the Lancashire mills by the Americans, who thereby made up their trade deficit with China occasioned by their heavy purchases of tea; of intricate Westminster politics and British global trade; of French pride and cultural priorities; of Russian intrigues and territorial designs; and of America's apparent aloofness and real ambitions.

Part I. The Confusion of Imperialism: 1. An attempt to peel the onion of confusion
Part II. The Pretext for Imperialism: 2. An international incident: 'that wretched question of the Arrow'
Part III. The Personalities of Imperialism: 3. Harry Parkes: 'if you would read a little international law.' - Punch
4. Sir John Bowring: possessed by a monomania
5. Commissioner Yeh: a 'monster'?
6. Rule, Britannia and vox populi, vox Dei
Part IV. The Rhetoric of Imperialism: 7. Marx, Punch, and a political press: the debate among the British newspapers
8. The Arrow incident and international law: the debate in the House of Lords
9. Triumph of the liberal conscience: the debate in the House of Commons
10. 'Johnny is on his knees': the 'Chinese Election'
Part V. The Mechanics of Imperialism: 11. Behind the scenes: the diplomacy of imperialism
12. Behind the scenes: the politics of imperialism
13. In the wings: the lobbies of imperialism
Part VI. The Economics of Imperialism: 14. Anglo-Chinese trade: the Chinese should buy more
15. China's maritime trade: the Chinese could buy more
16. The problem of India: the Chinese should and could buy more
17. The balance sheet: the Chinese are now buying more
Part VII. The Dynamics of Imperialism: 18. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], Asian history [HBJF]