OPIUM CLIPPER

[aukepalmhof]

Benin issued in 1996 a set of stamps which show us sailing vessels the 100F stamp and 1000f MS shows an “opium clipper”.
Opium clipper: Named after a clipper who predominantly carried opium. Between 1830 and 1850 the opium clippers, vessels of English or American origin, were used for the smuggling of opium from India to China since the Chinese government wanted to prevent the importation of Indian opium. The opium clippers operated in a sea area that was in the interests of Great Britain. In 1840 - 1842 led to the war with China, the opium war. The war ended on September 25, 1842, with the peace of Nanking
Very fast small sailing clippers carried opium from India to China, many were built in India in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century. Some were used as tea clippers before she was used in the opium trade and after carrying, opium to China was returned to England with a cargo of tea from China. The waters between China and India were piracy-infested waters, and the opium clipper was heavily armed and carried a large crew.
After arriving in Chinese waters the opium cargo was mostly transferred to Chinese ships in the river delta or coastal waters and then transported by these boats up the local waterways.
The opium clippers were mostly rigged as brig, bark, and schooners. The stamp shows us a bark-rigged vessel.
One built-in 1832 did have the following dimensions 43 x 9.4 x 5.2m (draught).
Till so far the clippers have not been identified.

There is a story of these small clippers on shipstamps, see
viewtopic.php?p=21384&hilit=opium+clipp ... per#p21384

Source: Aak to Zumbra. Navucula, and The Opium Clippers by Basil Lubbock.
Benin 1996 100f and 1000f, sg 1385, Scott 853, and sgMS 1388, Scott 856.