The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-05
What Il II cans to others.
La Marquise de Fontenoy

TRANClS ARTHUR AGLEN, who has
~ lately succeeded TO the Inspector
Seneralship OF imperial customs
In China, held for nearly half u
century by the late Sir Robert Hurt the
organizer and creator OF the service,
is the son OF an English archdeacon.
and the son-in-law OF Professor Isaac
Bailey Balfour. Kings botunist In
Scotland, professor OF botany In the
University OF Edinburgh, and one OF
the most celebrated botanists OF Eu-
rope. Frank Aglen was educated u,
Marlborough College. Joined the I'm
pefiai customs service in 1855, twenty
three years ago. and became The rIsnt
iaho man VI Sir Robert hart. direct
lhs the entire service Tor his chez
Heh the latter VAS shut uD in Pckln
turing the siege OF the foreign lesa-
iiohs oy the Boxer rebels. He is re-
markedly leyel-headed man possus,ed
OF a knowledge or Chinese dialects ana
character which can only be compared
win that OF his predecessor, and Is
the author OF many reforms in the SER
wee, notably, tnat which requires a
thorough acquaintance with the prin-
cipal Chinese vernaculars. He is only
forty, Two years OF age. and therefore
Sun In the prime OF life.
Sir Robert Hart, By tho by, left a
fortune OF little over 4 half mil
non dollars. which represents In part
me savings from his large salary from
the Cnincae government during nifty
~ ears. and In part, TOO. the big none
Larry gifts which IL presented 10 him
IRON time to time. Chinese Official
dom Is corrupt TO the core. Indeed,
world where official graft plays so
great role. and where II Is SO Sener-
ally accepted as compatible with prin-
ciples OF private honor and int.gri.y.
NO man had greater Opportunities OF
graft than Sir Robert Hart, as the all
powerful head OF the customs service,
accountable 10 no one and to nothing,
excepting his own conscience. and that
ne should have died in relatively mod
crate circumstances. especially wnen
ms fortune is compared with lhe
altogether colossal wealth acCumulat-
ed by his contemporary, Lii Hung
ChanB. whose opportunities were not
so great fully confirms all that has
been written in. these letters and else
where, concerning his single minded
service to the Chinese government.
His fortune, such AS 1t Is, along with
MS paronetcy, is Inherited by his only
son. Sir Edgar Bruce Hart, who rep
resents the Chinese customs service In
England, and who will be remembered
~ this country as having been the
Chinese representative at the lntcrna-
tiohal Postal Union Congress III Wash
ington In 1891; figuring in similar
capacity at the Congress held at Rome
In 1906. He has the blue button Of a
mandarin OF the third rank, and has
Inherited from his father. not only cer-
tain Chinese titles of nobility, but also
his noble ancestry. For the Chinese
government. In It's desire to honor The
late Sir Robert, presented him, along
with nobility for himself, also nobIli-
ty for three generations of his ances-
tors. So that In spite of Sir Roberts
being a relatively self-made man, his
son finds himself with four genera
tons OF patrician forbears.
Sir Edgar's well paid position in
, London as representative of the
Chinese customs service in England,
Is not likely to be disturbed by any
revolution in China. For the Inn
periallsts, rs we'll as the rebels. alike
honor and cherish the memory OF tho
! late Sir Robert Hart. as the most faith
fun foreign servant of their nation
and moreover, his salary is derived,
not from the national treasury, but
from the funds of the customs service,
which ever since tho organization by
Sir Robert Hart, have always been un-
der European control.
learn that Sir Edgar and his moth
er, the now widowed Lady Hart, have
| resolved to sell by auction the marvel
Gus collection of Chinese curios nc
cumulated by Sir Robert Hart, and only
part of which vas lost in the Boxer
| rebellion OF 1907 This should bring
some wonderful masterpieces OF Chi
neoe art into the market, and will also