5. Lin took action to seize British opium stockpiles in 1839
Having failed to achieve a diplomatic solution to the illegal trade in opium, and in response to British lobbying to legalize the trade, Lin moved to suppress it, in accordance with Chinese law. China announced that dealers in illegal opium were subject to the death penalty, with the Daoguang Emperor releasing an edict in March 1838 which included, “Any foreigner or foreigners bringing opium to the Central Land, with design to sell the same, the principals shall most assuredly be decapitated, and the accessories strangled; and all property (found on board the same ship) shall be confiscated”. The Emperor granted a grace period for enforcement of 18 months.
The following year Lin summoned the council of Chinese merchants known as the Cohong, who served as intermediaries with the British traders. Lin informed the twelve members of the Cohong that he considered them traitors, and demanded that they confiscate the opium then held in China by British and American traders. The British merchants offered to turn over a small amount of the drug, less than 10% of what was stored in warehouses and aboard ships. The British Superintendent of Trade, a deputy of the Crown, announced that all foreign merchants and their stockpiles were under the protection of the Crown. Lin responded by closing off access to the 13 Factories region and closed the channel of the Pearl River to navigation.