Changes in Sino-British trade before the First Opium War based on supercargoes

The Sino-British trade system before the First Opium War was not a static structure entirely controlled by the Qing government; instead, it underwent a process of reconstruction through Sino-British interactions. In fact, Sino-British trade was essentially under joint management by the Guangdong authorities representing the interests of the Qing government and the supercargoes representing the interests of the British East India Company. Using James Drummond and William Jardine as case studies, I examine the activities of the supercargoes, representing the social elite, in China and the role-switching between East India Company employees and private merchants. Through the analysis, the thesis aims to reveal the symbiotic relationship between the Hong merchant system and the British East India Company’s monopolJardiney on trade with China, highlighting the pivotal role supercargoes played in shaping Sino-British trade and relations before the First Opium War.