Empire Podcast Summary: Episode 249 – Victorian Narcos: Doomed Envoy to China (Ep 3)

Release Date: April 23, 2025
Hosts: William Dalrymple and Anita Anand
Podcast: Empire by Goalhanger

1. Introduction and Recap

The episode opens with William Dalrymple revisiting the previous installment involving Nandi Lee Das's mission from Great Britain to the Mughal Empire. The British intended to showcase their grandeur to the Great Mogul Empire through extravagant presents. However, the mission faltered as the gifts failed to impress the Mughal court.

William Dalrymple [01:43]:
"From the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India, history is shaped by power struggles and territorial conquests."

2. The British-Chinese Tea Trade and Opium Dilemma

Dalrymple elaborates on the 18th-century British discovery of tea, which transitioned from a luxury enjoyed by London’s elite to a staple for the broader British populace. This shift had significant geopolitical repercussions, notably exacerbating the Caribbean slave trade to supply sugar for tea.

The burgeoning tea demand led to a massive trade deficit with China. The British were importing vast quantities of tea, paying for it with gold generated from their Indian ventures. To balance the deficit, the East India Company coerced farmers in Bihar and Bengal to cultivate opium poppies. The British abstained from selling this opium directly to China to avoid a complete shutdown of the tea trade. Instead, they auctioned it to private traders, primarily Indian and Parsi merchants.

William Dalrymple [02:33]:
"So suddenly, in the course of the 18th century, China moves from being a place on the very peripheral of British consciousness to its main trading partner."

3. The Need for Diplomatic Relations

Given the critical nature of the tea trade, Britain sought to establish formal diplomatic relations with the Qing Dynasty in China. The goal was to facilitate smoother trade negotiations, reduce tariffs, and secure a more stable supply of tea without the escalating opium issues.

Anita Anand [05:04]:
"We've done it before. They've done it successfully before. They're very good at missions, they're very good at ambassadorial visits."

4. Misunderstanding Chinese Diplomatic Protocol

Dalrymple highlights a fundamental misunderstanding by the British regarding Chinese diplomatic customs. The Chinese viewed foreign missions not as equals but as tributary delegations seeking permission to enter the Chinese court. This cultural disconnect set the stage for diplomatic friction.

William Dalrymple [05:19]:
"But what they haven't taken in is that The Chinese for 3,000 years have a very particular way of dealing with diplomatic missions."
— [05:19]

5. European Perceptions of China

The hosts delve into European admiration for Chinese civilization. Figures like Adam Smith lauded China for its wealth, industriousness, and moral integrity. This admiration, however, was juxtaposed with a patronizing attitude, viewing Chinese achievements as reflections of European superiority.

William Dalrymple [08:44]:
"I have found in the Chinese nothing but the purest morality without the slightest tinge of charlatanism."
— Quoting Voltaire at [09:57]

Anita Anand [08:44]:
"We see an image of themselves, the kind of philosophers of the Enlightenment, in the great philosopher of ancient China."

6. Assembling the British Embassy

To impress the Qing court, the British meticulously prepared an elaborate embassy. This included assembling impressive scientific instruments, artworks, and technological marvels like a planetarium and a hot air balloon, all intended to showcase British ingenuity and modernity.

William Dalrymple [13:00]:
"They create this gigantic planetarium which has taken nearly 30 years to build and was deemed the most wonderful piece of mechanism ever emanating from human hands."

Anita Anand [14:03]:
"The hot air balloon... making the sky a highway that you can travel."

7. Key Figures: Lord Macartney and James Dinwiddie

The British delegation was spearheaded by Lord George Macartney, a seasoned diplomat of Scots-Irish heritage. Accompanying him were notable figures like James Dinwiddie, an astronomer and natural philosopher responsible for the planetarium and hot air balloon, and the Staunton father-son duo, Sir George Staunton and his 11-year-old son, George Jr., who were keen to learn Chinese.

Anita Anand [15:07]:
"George Very Jr. Has the distinction of being trained by the Jesuits."

William Dalrymple [16:10]:
"He wanted to make a grand impression in the country that he and most of his entourage had only ever encountered in their imaginations."
— [16:10]

8. The Voyage to China

The embassy set sail on two ships: HMS Lion from the Royal Navy and the East India Company’s merchant ship, Hindustan. The journey was arduous, spanning a year and navigating through Madeira, Tenerife, Rio, the Cape of Good Hope, Java, and Sumatra before reaching Macau.

William Dalrymple [28:04]:
"This is a big Embassy. There are 400 passengers on HMS Lion before you include the crew."

The British were confident in impressing the Qing Empire with their naval prowess and the grandeur of their ships, anticipating a warm reception.

9. Arrival and Initial Impressions

Upon reaching the Yellow Sea near Tianjin, the British were met by Chinese officials who, adhering to ancient protocols, treated them as tributary envoys. However, logistical mishaps were evident as their advanced diplomatic kit, including the planetarium and hot air balloon, remained in Beijing.

Anita Anand [32:00]:
"They are almost right from the get-go, dwarfed by the scale of this meeting."

William Dalrymple [33:09]:
"They’ve been on the road exactly a year now, realizing that as they approach Johol, it's exactly a year since they set off from the Thames."

10. Cultural Missteps and Realizations

The British delegation, optimistic and unprepared for the actual reception, soon recognized that their sophisticated gifts might not translate into diplomatic goodwill. Their lack of understanding of Chinese customs and the Emperor’s absence in Beijing complicated matters further.

Anita Anand [34:29]:
"They think they're going to turn up and just buy a force of mulberry suit. We're here, they've got none of their stuff."

11. Setting the Stage for Conflict

As the episode concludes, Dalrymple and Anand hint at the impending friction between the British and Chinese empires. The episode sets the groundwork for the ensuing Opium Wars, framing them as a consequence of deep-seated misunderstandings and conflicting imperial interests.

Anita Anand [26:00]:
"We try and explain what's going on in the world today through the lens of history."

William Dalrymple [36:50]:
"But there is a big but. And we will find what that but is in the next episode."

12. Notable Quotes

• William Dalrymple [02:15]:
  "The Portuguese have come up with really good ones, really good presents and I mean half of them were broken."

• Anita Anand [05:04]:
  "They've done it before. They've done it successfully before. They're very good at missions, they're very good at ambassadorial visits."

• William Dalrymple [09:57]:
  "I have found in the Chinese nothing but the purest morality without the slightest tinge of charlatanism."
  (Quoting Voltaire)

• Anita Anand [14:03]:
  "The hot air balloon... making the sky a highway that you can travel."

• William Dalrymple [33:09]:
  "They’ve been on the road exactly a year now, realizing that as they approach Johol, it's exactly a year since they set off from the Thames."

Conclusion and Cliffhanger

The episode masterfully intertwines historical narrative with engaging dialogue, painting a vivid picture of the British mission to China. It underscores the complexities of imperial diplomacy and sets the stage for the dramatic conflicts that would reshape Sino-British relations. Listeners are left eagerly anticipating the next installment, which promises to delve deeper into the pivotal moments that defined this fraught diplomatic encounter.

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