The opium clipper Lanrick, Thomas Goldsworthy Dutton, 1835

The clipper brig lanrick was used to carry opium from india to china. This trade was illegal but was used to obtain the silver that chinese tea merchants demanded in payment for the tea that was sold to european and american merchants. Since there were so few goods that could be traded into china, the british organised the production of opium in india and then took it to china to sell there. The type of vessels used for this were called opium clippers. They were noted for their fast sailing qualities. These were smaller vessels than the "china clippers" or "tea clippers" that took tea and other chinese products to europe or america. Date: 1835.