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major source of opium,--the Levantine region of Turkey. Amer
icans either bought it directly at the Levant's major port of
Smyrna (Izmir) or obtained it indirectly through brokers in
Europe and England. Merchants in Philadelphia and Baltimore
7
were the first Americans to trade earnestly in opium to China.
Most prominent among merchants in this early trade were two
Philadelphia brothers, James S. and Benjamin C. Wilcocks. As
early as 1804 or 1805, B.C. Wilcocks arrived at Canton, where
he remained until 1829. He handled the actual business trans
actions while his brother James traveled as supercargo on
vessels which bought opium at Smyrna and transported I to Can-
8
ton. Stephen Girard of Philadelphia and Willings & Francis
of Baltimore also speculated in the opium trade during its
earliest years. Their profits quickly attracted the atten
tion of J. & T.H. Perkins of Boston.
From the time Americans began dealing in Turkish opium,
9
they possessed a virtual monopoly in that variety of the drug.
7
Downs, "American Merchants and the Opium Trade," pp.
421-22. Although Baltimore merchants were involved in the ear
liest years of the opium trade, they were no longer in it after
1
the early 1820 s. The port's role in the American China trade
was negligible. During the period 1815-44 there is no record of
an American merchant from Baltimore residing at Canton.
8
Both Wilcocks brothers, although actively engaged in the
opium trade, served as American consuls. Benjamin C. Wilcocks
was consul at Canton, 1814-22, while James S. Wilcocks was consul
at Mexico City, 1822-33.
9
There were various aualities of Turkey opium and the
buyer had to be careful to watch what he was buying. "Good
quality, is moderately soft or liable, Qf �.reddish brown�
�
broken, and free from leaves an other impurities ... there l:..
� spurious opium of little value, is mixe� with sand and small
stones which it will not do 12 take--" Letter, Perkins & Co.
to R.B. Forbes, Feb. 28, 1828, Boston, Museum of the American
China Trade, Forbes Family MSS.
