In order to facilitate the smuggling, the British had permitted certain Chinese junks to fly the British flag. This also enabled these vessels to be protected by British ships-of-war from pirates, which at that time were very numerous off the southern coast owing to the economic depression. The Chinese, for their part, placed every possible obstacle in the way of the British. In 1856 the Chinese held up a ship sailing under the British flag, pulled down its flag, and arrested the crew on suspicion of smuggling. In connection with this and other events, Britain decided to go to war. Thus began the "Lorcha War" of 1857, in which France joined for the sake of the booty that was expected. Britain had just ended the Crimean War, and was engaged in heavy fighting against the Moguls in India. Consequently, only a small force of a few thousand men could be landed in China; Guangzhou, however, was bombarded, and also the forts of Tianjin.