Buller served in China during the Second Opium War, which also began in 1857. When the Chinese authorities arrested the crew of The Arrow, a ship formerly registered as British for piracy, Prime Minister Palmerston seized upon the excuse to provoke a long-intended war. The intention was to force the Qing Dynasty to legalise British opium (narcotics) smuggling and to open up Chinese markets to British traders and manufacturers. Many British MPs protested that the war was immoral. Buller arrived in China towards the warās end in 1860 and acquired āsplendid shawls, chess men and fine old enamel ornaments from the Empressās dressing tableā for his sisters during the looting of the Qing summer palace. However, he refused to wear his campaign medal.