New-York tribune., 1900-07-15
SIR ROBERT HART.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE GREAT IN
SPECTOR-GENERAL OF CHINESE
MARITIME CUSTOMS.
from rh. London Telegraph

From The London Telegraph.
In the riot and slaughter amid which our c3un, a
trymen In NoTthern Ghina are Te 'i9 Mould b. more
anxiety than for any diplomats OF them an ar 3lg
famous institutions OF China Years ago. speaking
of Mr.. GIadstone's pre-eminence. Mr. Chamberlain
Which had to be viewed from distance in order
that their & msm{ Ge IN the East hardly
see Sir Roberts work clear and whole enough 70
l. a disposition to underrate its significance. The
unique quality OF his career Is thSI aonT d IA ms 5
Emperor of China. he has retained the ehtlIe conn
denee o. Tld ms he's own department the rulers of
China may ask his advice only 10 negIeSt II, ou'
bers but he is allowed by The Grand Council some
biarssrcbv that they have refused all the rest
He is now sixty-three years OF age. ana ior loIt{
eight OF them he mas dwet and held office IN
china. Only last year Sir Robert was summoned
to the Tsungli- Yamep in order tnat ne rtion ms o
consulted point that had arisen IN O
with the customs revenue W hen, WIN uue sot
emnty he had given his considered opinion onS & OF
the members OF that august pody GoSer'eu L T1s
was not what you said on the suoJect, ~lteI 80 Mo
aIt ssa9 3ske9 X before r said the G. Thereupon vol
of the reports Of the Pr0ceeGsS i1 MIN of his
speech upon the same matter thirty years ago. go
Ghnese rs yerV accurste Sir Robert could only save
face by declaring that MS OPINION mon av-bat va
shSTsfo s4ersS s to he twice consulted the same
topic by the mandarins, even after thirty ye9rS Is
urnnf Of confidence such as no other ti!SllSIlllaH
has ever received within the four seas
FOND OF SOCIETY.
The official residence of the Inspector-Gieneral IN
Peking built by him with i. sPeTaa f rIeTTan ~
ment Not than quarter OF nlle rom n @ IlIe
PPompdnnd Of sufcient size contain the offices
of the NJ. c. and 10 house most or tne eems[d itd
sta STAFF T., workns T ms hours % though he requires work
S 81 .. b. y,eII and thoroughly done. and 10 quote
'Sral recent criticism on English stateman. he Is
rather appreciatiye than Gons'aG[s st enfir4i>
dinIomatic IN it's composition he extends reguad %
and splendid hospitality Every %eeA G fnitoVSad
nv a small dance to which the representatives. OI
gatherings in his house are T9 Sp Fond of dancing
he has long had in his pay well trained pano OF
Chinese i3sic These men in trim black uni
form come from Canton and w9uo 90. 90 no H SOrt
of PeLfng Sir Robert strives TO keep allVe inc
sSSeS % S1Dspector-CieneraI of Imperial Maritime Gus
the / G. as he is always caled-pesah 20
orgSlHe d ar th present moment 1t includes some
900 Foreigners Of ali nattonaties and some 5000 TO
Nno natives In the central office at PeklIlS are
engaged besides himself an Englishman, FTenCn Ii
man German, an Austrian an AneIlGaari, Gsa az.
iit4e hiIe since he suggested that at the customs
Mss where these gentlemen mostly live a different
of the week the objection was so genera tnal h
English still remains the common tongue or the
tab7a II is nj and proper. considering the inter
ma ational conditions of foreign trade that an ' R
jiffsren countries should be fairly represented III
The ranks of the service and Sir Robert has car
ried his impartiaty so far-so much TOO Iar some
of his critics say-that in of the most I'M
nortant ports the local head is of another nation
aIitv to his own. The l. NJ. c. control regulate
and lew the duties upon the foreign trade OF China
By the treaties of Nanking and Tien,Tsn, -nodlned -
and elucidated by many notes and agreements;
foreign imports are cleared for ~ Der cent al
vaorem This year, when the revision OF treaties
comes on the Chinese Government must do its best
TO supplement it's financial resources. sadly encum-
bered by the cost of the late war, by raising me
rates and it is understood that, subject the rea-
sonabe demands in regard to inland navigation and
internal trade being satisfied. foreign merchants
would not object additional PIP per cent being
exacted The ideal would be for the l. NJ C
% he extended native trade and provincial reVe-
But. the Chinese officials are forever din
ming into ones the prejudices of centuries
Will bar the way II they be not overruled by armed
force.
The last financial year a prosperous one Tor
the revenue derived from the customs. and Will
show an increase of something like 10 per cent 1t