Few days back, I was reading about the Nato's decision to fight the opium smugglers and by pure accident, I ended up to this page about Opium War. I found it amazing,I recommd it for read. Please do not make it an issue of race or conspiracy. Cheers
David Sassoon (1792 – 1864) was a prominent Bombay (now Mumbai) businessman. He was born in Baghdad into a family of Nasis, traditional leaders of the Jewish community. His father, Saleh Sassoon, was a wealthy banker and chief treasurer to the pashas, the governors of Baghdad, from 1781 to 1817. However, the Jews came under pressure from the Muslim Turkish rulers of Baghdad. Fleeing with his wife and family and a small part of the family's wealth, Sassoon arrived in Bombay in 1833. He started business in Bombay with a counting house, a carpet godown, and an opium business. He was soon one of the richest men in Bombay. He chose to follow the market, but he pursued all his enterprises better than his chief rivals, the Parsis. By the end of the 1850s, it was said of him that "silver and gold, silks, gums and spices, opium and cotton, wool and wheat - whatever moves over sea or land feels the hand or bears the mark of Sassoon and Company".
Role in the Opium War in China
In Bombay, David Sassoon established the house of David Sassoon & Co., with branches at Calcutta, Shanghai, Canton and Hong Kong. His business, which included a monopoly of the opium trade in China, (even though opium was banned in China) extended as far as Yokohama, Nagasaki, and other cities in Japan. In 1836, the opium trade reached over 30,000 chests per annum and drug addiction in coastal cities became endemic. In 1839, the Manchu Emperor ordered that the opium smuggling be stopped. He named the Commissioner of Canton, Lin Tse-hsu, to lead a campaign against opium. Lin seized and destroyed 2,000 chests of Sassoon opium. An outraged David Sassoon demanded that China compensate for the seizure or Great Britain retaliate.[1] The Chinese Army, decimated by 10 years of opium addiction, proved no match for the British Army.[2] The war ended in 1842 with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking. The "peace treaty" included these provisions:
Legacy
Although David Sassoon did not speak English, he became a naturalised British citizen in 1853. He kept the dress and manners of the Baghdadi Jews, but allowed his sons to adopt English manners. His son, Abdullah changed his name to Albert, moved to England, became a Baronet and married into the Rothschild family. All the Sassoons of Europe are said to be descendants of David Sassoon. He built a synagogue in the Fort (area) and another in Byculla, as well as a school, a Mechanics' Institute, a library and a convalescent home in Pune. David Sassoon was conscious of his role as a leader of the Jewish community in Bombay. He helped to arouse a sense of Jewish identity amongst the Bene Israeli and Cochin Jewish communities. The Sassoon Docks (built by his son) and the David Sassoon Library are named after him. He also built a synagogue in Byculla. David Sassoon died in his country house in Pune in 1864. His business interests were inherited by his son.
References
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Darius , Thanks again!!
by Jaleho on Tue Oct 14, 2008 09:38 AM PDTfor another very interesting read and references too. Refreshing, and as usual with your blogs, educational and well searched unique articles.
I also would like to thank you for your previous blog:
//iranian.com/main/blog/darius/study-move...
I had seen Zinn many times before, including in person, but never heard Ayers. With what's going on with McCain's negative campaign, I think your link was a must hear for many like myself who have not heard Ayers before.
The Opium War
by Kurush (not verified) on Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:17 PM PDTThis is a very wrong angle to view the two opium wars, 1838 & 1857 by which the Western countries forced China to legalize opium importation. The East India company was involved and the the opium trade was cornered by Jardine, Dent & Mathieson & co. The British and the French and the Americans were allies in the wars. All three countries had trade deficit with China.They were buying porceline, tea, silk in huge quantiites and were paying in silver currency which was a drain on their respecive treasuries. They understood if they took monopoly of the opium trade into china they could stop the silver drain. These three countries essentially controlled the monopoly of opium traded in the 19th century. The Patna opium, the most sought after, was produced in India under, of course, the British. Opium as a commodity had the same value then as does oil today. Generations after gernerations of Chinese fell under the fatal addiction while the Western countries enriched themselves.