Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-11
MAY BE EASILY REGULATED.
Facts About the Chinese Imperial Gus.
toms Service.

In May, 1854, when the Triad rebels
(the Boxers Of their day. entered the
native city of Shanghai, the proyin-
cIal authorities found themselves nm
able to collect the imperial customs
revenue, and the consuls OF the United
States, England, and France Joined in
the appointment of an inspector-an
act approved by our government, so
that our share in this work dates
back to the democratic administration
OF Pierce and Marcy. By 1860 the
TAPPING rebellion threatened the exis-
telce OF the empire. and Prince Kung.
head Of the Tsung-i-Yamen, placed in
the hands OF Mr., H. ~ Lay, the Eng.
lshman appointed to this work, the
collection of customs at the five treaty
ports, and proposed that the salt-taxes
OF southern China should also be ad-
minlStered by him-a precedent today
OF an obvious value Mr.. Lay was suc-
ceeded in 1868 by Sir Robert Hart,
Customs were then collected at IS
ports by foreign staff of 200 mem
bers, and the revenue was S,50O.O0O
taels-then about $12,000,000. The
service in 1899 had S75 members. of
whom So were northumberland
France, and Germany alone having a
larger number on the force; the ports
number 80, and the revenue collected
amounts to 22,5O0,O0O tales-about
Sl5,OOO,OOO at the current price of
silver. Large as is this service and
important the work, it rests on pre-
scription and precedent 1t has had
only the implied regulation and
guarantee of treaty; and when Sir
Robert Hart, in 1885, was appointed
British minister, he found himself
unable to name his successor, at once
resigned his place as her Majesty's rep
resentative, and returned to his post
at the head of the customs service.
Nothing could then have seemed more
improbable to Sir Robert than his
presence as a fugitive in the legation
of which he was for a brief period the
head, after thirty-seven years service
in the employ Of the Imperial Govern
ment
The customs service has charge of
a revenue marine service, including
revenue cutters and cruisers, and Of
the light and harbor service of China
and OF the Imperial college, In 1893
an Imperial postal service was estab-
lished under it's care, whose plan, as
elaborated by Sir Robert Hart, pro-
posed a foreign postal superintendent
at the capital of each province, and a
European postmaster in each This
was at first organized only on the
coast. In 1896 regulations were issued
for acquiring private postal agencies;
and while the work of reorganization
has been much interrupted and the
government keeps up its courier sys-
tenn (Pao Wenkiuh), the principle Of
instrusting its postal service toforeign
hands has been fully recognized by the
Imperial administration. An English
man has always been at the head Of
this customs service. An Englishman,
R. E. Bredon, was in 1898 appointed
deputy inspector general, with a veiw
to Sir Roberts succession. and over
half the fOrce-479 out of S75-is
British. While there are appoint
ments from other nations, this has
occasioned a constant jealousy among
the other powers; but the existence OF
this sryice, its successful working for
nearly half century, and the steady
extension Of it's field. shows how
easily it could be made the model Of
an international regulation of Chinese
affairs.-Talcott Williams, in the
Review Of Reviews.