This action lead to the destruction of opium at Humen, an event which caused relations between Britain and China to deteriorate further.

However, when the Qing government issued a bond that required foreign merchants to not deal in opium if they wanted to do business in China, Elliot ordered all British shipping out of Chinese waters.

One merchant ship, the Quaker-owned Thomas Coutts, arrived in China and successfully unloaded its cargo at Canton.

The Chinese allowed the merchant ship to conduct its business as it was known that the Quakers refused to deal in opium.

Royal Saxon herself was not involved in the action and slipped into Canton under the cover provided by the Chinese fleet.