During the middle of the 19th-Century, Britain and China would twice go to war over trade, and in particular the trade in opium. The Chinese people had progressively become addicted to the narcotic, a habit that British merchants were more than happy to feed from their opium-poppy fields in India. When the Qing dynasty rulers of China attempted to supress this trade--due to the serious social and economic problems it caused--the British Government responded with gunboat diplomacy, and conflict soon ensued.

The iniquitous trade -- Lin Zexu -- The British expedition -- Two battles for Canton -- The advance for Ningpo -- The Chinese counterattack -- The treaty of Nanking -- Renewal of hostilities -- The treaty of Tientsin -- Defeat at Taku -- Victory at Taku -- The convention of Peking.