Opium Clipper Ships 1824 Gold Plated Banner Ornament

William John Huggins The opium ships at Lintin, China, 1824 In the early 1800s, the British controlled 90% of the Chinese opium trade. Clipper ships, which were fast sailing vessels with narrow decks, large sail areas, and multiple masts, were popular for smuggling opium and were known as "opium clippers". The First Opium War was fought between China and Britain from 1839 to 1842. The war was a response to Britain's illegal importing of opium into China from India, which caused widespread addiction. The British victory in the war opened up the lucrative Chinese trade to British merchants. By 1830, there were more than 100 Chinese smugglers' boats working the opium trade.