‘The 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot at the storming of the forts of Amoy, 26 August 1841’, by Michael Angelo Hayes (1820-1877). By the Treaty of Nanking in 1840, Amoy became one of the five ‘Treaty Ports’ which the Chinese Empire was required to open up, promising millions of new customers for Western merchants without comparable access to European markets for the bewildered Chinese. As ‘compensation’ for the opium destroyed by Lin Zexu, China’s anti-smuggling commissioner, Hong Kong was handed over to Britain: ironically the island subsequently threw off Victorian mercantilism to become a model of enlightened free market economics, whereas China collapsed into Communism in 1950.
Introduction
In 1840, the British Government, outraged at Peking’s crackdown on the smuggling of opium by British merchants from Bengal, declared war on the Chinese Empire. On April 8th, William Gladstone rose in the Commons to denounce the Government’s belligerent attitude, deploring the execrable drug traffic and taking exception to the way Secretary-at-War Thomas Macaulay wrapped it in the Union Jack.
I AM not competent to judge how long this war may last, or how protracted may be its operations, but this I can say, that a war more unjust in its origin, a war more calculated in its progress to cover this country with permanent disgrace, I do not know, and I have not read of. The right hon. Gentleman opposite* spoke last night in eloquent terms of the British flag waving in glory at Canton, and of the animating effects produced on the minds of our sailors by the knowledge, that in no country under heaven was it permitted to be insulted.* We all know the animating effects which have been produced in the minds of British subjects on many critical occasions when that flag has been unfurled in the battle-field.
* Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859), Secretary-at-War, who as a member of the governing Whig Party sat across the floor of the House from the Conservative benches where Gladstone sat. ‘Right hon.’ is an abbreviation of Right Honourable, a courtesy title extended to all Members of Parliament. In accordance with convention, Gladstone addressed his remarks to the Speaker, not directly to Mr Macaulay.
* When the first clashes took place between Chinese and British troops near Canton, Royal Navy captain Charles Elliot (1801-1875), later Admiral Sir Charles Elliot, planted the Union Jack in full view of his men to stiffen their resolve. “It was natural” Macaulay had said on the previous day, April 7th, “that they should look with confidence on the victorious flag which was hoisted over them, which reminded them that they belonged to a country unaccustomed to defeat, to submission, or to shame.” It was to these words that Gladstone took exception.
Précis
During a heated Commons debate in 1840, Secretary-at-War Thomas Macaulay sought to whip up support for war on China by recounting how Royal Navy sailors had been inspired by the Union Jack to defend national pride. William Gladstone, who was firmly against the war, responded that he knew of no conflict in history that deserved such loyalty less. (58 / 60 words)
During a heated Commons debate in 1840, Secretary-at-War Thomas Macaulay sought to whip up support for war on China by recounting how Royal Navy sailors had been inspired by the Union Jack to defend national pride. William Gladstone, who was firmly against the war, responded that he knew of no conflict in history that deserved such loyalty less.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, if, may, must, otherwise, ought, since, whether.
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