Lot 1761

1836 (1 Sep) Canton to Cumsingmoon, Edward Crooke Esq. to E.F. Veneables on board opium clipper Water Witch, river boat mail from Canton to Cumsingmoon. The letter content is about the difficult opium trade condition, in which the letter mentioned the following: “… I am afraid I shall not be able to do so the smugglers promise to buy it next voyage as they say. But they never have the money with them, so if you can sell it do so and I will not trouble you again. I don’t know how to get the moneydown here but perhaps you can do that for me…..” On the front side, Edward Crooke further reminded EF Veneables :”…to sell his chest opium and send the money down; target to sell his chest opium but could not – price minimal 700 ref ; Patna 780-85 @ 800 Malwa 750 or so Turkey 700 –– If I sell will advise ship immediately –– So note 5 Sept (for Bombay), sold his chest opium at 680 to Tenchong cash in a week or 10 days ––

1836年9月1日，廣州致金星門之信： Edward Crooke 致 E.F. Veneables，信中談及鴉片市場低迷，買家雖口頭承諾下次購買，實則無現金交易。他請對方代為售出其一箱鴉片，並設法將款項送達。金星門的角色：作為鴉片走私轉運港，Cumsingmoon此時成為英國船隊與中國買家間的重要交接點，提供鴉片交易的避風港。 信中提及當時不同產地鴉片的行情參考價格： Patna：780–800 銀元 Malwa：約 750 銀元 Turkey：約 700 銀元 期望售價至少為 700 銀元。 信末補述：他已於9月5日售出該箱鴉片予「Tenchong」，價格為每箱680銀元，預計一週至十天內收妥款項。 信件反映1830年代後期鴉片市場波動加劇，供需失衡導致價格回落，連700銀元的目標價也難以實現，折射出貿易環境惡化。買家如Tenchong多以賒帳交易，延遲付款一週以上，反映鴉片貿易日漸依賴私人信用與地方管道，增添風險。鴉片戰爭前夕的商業壓力現象：英商對市場失控的焦慮、資金回籠困難，逐步累積為後來英方對清政府壓力的藉口與導火線之一。