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The lucrative trade between China and Britain in the 19th century comprised mainly tea and opium. Opium addiction became such a problem that the Qing Dynasty tried to prevent the import. They closed the waterway up to Canton and seized over 1 million kilograms of opium requiring merchants to enter into a bond not to deal in the drug. [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FzPZcyAGzT0C&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=Captain+Charles+Elliot,+R.N.,+Chief+Superintendent+of+British+Trade+in+China&source=bl&ots=7FspVCNamQ&sig=8DyezNem9h7hDcZkIiTjhCwyQcs&hl=en&ei=7NzeSr3RK4me4QahlLUS&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Captain%20Charles%20Elliot%2C%20R.N.%2C%20Chief%20Superintendent%20of%20British%20Trade%20in%20China&f=false Captain Charles Elliot RN], Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China tried to negotiate with the Chinese but was continually rebuffed. There were naval confrontations on the Pearl River and Britain sent an expeditionary force from [[Singapore]]. The Bogue Forts at the mouth of the river and subsequently Canton were captured. The Chinese were also defeated at the mouth of the Yangtse River and Shanghai was occupied. The war ended in August 1842 with the Treaty of Nanking which opened five treaty ports to trade, ceded Hong Kong and granted an indemnity to Britain.  == Expeditionary Force =='''Naval Squadron'''*Royal Navy Warships:HMS Wellesley:HMS Alligator:HMS Conway:HMS Larne:HMS Algerine:HMS Rattlesnake<br>*HEIC Steamers:Atalanta:Madagascar*26 transports and store ships<br>'''Ground forces'''*HM 18th Regiment*HM 26th Regiment*HM 49th Regiment*Royal Artillery*Engineers 

[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0xoEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA122-IA1&dq=Elliott+1839&lr=&ei=rH6NSP66AYX2iwHfqISmBQ#v=onepage&q=Elliott%201839&f=false Chronology] Google Books<br>[http://www.pdavis.nl/China_Ships.htm Royal Navy and HEIC vessels engaged in operations] www.pdavis.nl