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The smugglers, having defied native authority for years, and knowing that Captain Elliot had no power to expel them, treated his injunction with indifference. Such contingencies as the staining of British character or the perils of the regular commerce did not distress them seriously. Captain Elliot therefore executed his threat of appealing to the governor. But it will be observed that the British superintendent was only paltering with the problem. To expel the smugglers from the rivers merely meant reversion to the old system, namely, an opium depot at Lintin and a service of native craft to carry the drug to Canton. Doubtless Captain Elliot acted properly in openly dissociating himself from the lawless acts of his nationals; but in the governor's eyes half measures like the restriction of the opium-ships to their ancient rendezvous outside the river, had no serious significance. Thus, in his answer to Captain Elliot, while applauding the latter's sentiments, he indirectly ridiculed their impotence. Nevertheless something was effected, not by Captain Elliot's proclamations and appeals nor yet by the governor's menaces, but by the Hong Merchants' stoppage of general commerce. The smuggling craft gradually withdrew from the river; the British importer of the seized opium left Canton; and business resumed its ordinary course.

On the side of the Chinese authorities, however, there was no relaxation of effort. Several