Webquest - The Treaty of Nanking

THE TREATY OF NANKING/NANJING

• Nanking is the English word for the Chinese name of Nanjing
• The Treaty of Nanking ended the first Opium War
  

Conditions of the Treaty of Nanking

Lasting peace between the two nations. The ports of Canton, Amoy, Fuchau, Ningpo, and Shangai to be opened to British trade and residence, and trade conducted according to a well-understood tariff (tax on imports or exports). It being obviously necessary and desirable that British subjects (citizens) should have some port where at they may careen (clean and repair a ship) and refit their ships when required, the island of Hong Kong to be ceded (given) to her Majesty (The British Queen - Victoria). Six millions of dollars to be paid (to the British) as the value of the opium which was delivered up as ransom for the lives of H.N.M. Superintendent and subjects,î in March, 1839. Three millions of dollars to be paid for the debts due to British merchants. Twelve millions to be paid for the expenses incurred in the expedition sent out to obtain redress for the violent and unjust proceedings of the Chinese high authorities. The entire amount of $21,000,000 to be paid before December 31, 1845. All prisoners of war to be immediately released by the Chinese. The Emperor to grant full and entire amnesty to those of his subjects who had aided the British. A regular and fair tariff of export and import custom and other dues to be established at the open ports, and a transit duty to be levied in addition which will give goods a free conveyance to all places in China. Official correspondence to be hereafter conducted on terms of equality according to the payments of money. Conditions for restoring the places held by British troops to be according to the payments of money. Time of exchanging ratifications and carrying the treaty into effect.

Effects of the Treaty of Nanking

For the first time, China, the once proud country would be forced to cede sovereign land to a foreign power and leave its citizens subject to a foreign rule. The British ended up occupying Hong Kong for the next 155 years and will finally hand over control to China on June 1, 1997.

China at the start of the Opium Wars was not the most economically powerful country because of the lucrative opium trade run by the British. The weight of the payments to the British under condition 2 drastically drained the Chinese Treasury and left Dynasty fiscally unstable.

Although on the surface, the opening of ports to the British for trade does not seem that bad, but this condition would end up being the most damaging to the Dynasty. When the conditions of the Treaty of Nanking were released, all the Western Powers were upset by it. All the Western Powers were trying to make inroads into the vast Chinese market and the conditions that regarded the privileges granted to the British for trade created a negative reaction with the rest of the Western Powers. Soon, the rest of the Western Powers were using old offenses committed by the Dynasty to apply pressure for similar trading rights. Saddled with debts to the British and an obviously inferior military, the Ching Dynasty was forced to give in. This began a series of treaties that would result in 'spheres-of-influence' being carved out of eastern China and eventually would undermine the Ching Dynasty's authority.

Chinese Reaction to Treaty of Nanking

The People of Canton: Against the English, 1842 Behold that vile English nation! Its ruler is at one time a woman, then a man, and then perhaps a woman again; its people are at one time like vultures, and then they are like wild beasts, with dispositions more fierce and furious than the tiger or wolf, and natures more greedy than anacondas or swine. These people having long steadily devoured all the western barbarians, and like demons of the night, they now suddenly exalt themselves here. During the reigns of the emperors Kien-lung and Kia-king these English barbarians humbly besought an entrance and permission to deliver tribute and presents; they afterwards presumptuously asked to have Chu-san; but our sovereigns, clearly perceiving their traitorous designs, gave them a determined refusal. From that time, linking themselves with traitorous Chinese traders, they have carried on a large trade and poisoned our brave people with opium. Verily, the English barbarians murder all of us that they can. They are dogs, whose desires can never be satisfied. Therefore we need not inquire whether the peace they have now made be real or pretended. Let us all rise, arm, unite, and go against them. We do here bind ourselves to vengeance, and express these our sincere intentions in order to exhibit our high principles and patriotism. The gods from on high now look down upon us; let us not lose our just and firm resolution. Source: Eva March Tappan, ed., China, Japan, and the Islands of the Pacific, Vol. I of The World's Story: A History of the World in Story, Song, and Art, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1914), p. 197.

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