Opium denied

be respected and protected by the state, but equally they must give up on the idea that they speak for everyone.

Christians in particular must now work graciously to surrender their unrepresentative privileges in education, law and government before these are torn from their grasp by an ever diminishing mandate.

NEIL BARBER Edinburgh Secular Society

Saughtonhall Drive to 8,500MW in the summer. I repeat my question: “How will the NNG project make any profit if Scotland currently has so much surplus generation plant?”

IAN MOIR Queen Street, Castle Douglas In 5 September’s Now and Then you mention that in 1839 “The first Opium War began in China”. This might suggest Chinese responsibility for that war.

In fact, the Chinese government had sought to ban the import of opium, which was causing social problems. Britain then went to war with China to force China to buy British opium (produced in the British Empire in India). The British motive for starting that war was to profit from the opium trade. A second opium war started in 1856.

DAVID STEVENSON Blacket Place, Edinburgh