SIR ROBERT HART.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 136099, 25 April 1908, Page 9

SIR ROBERT HART.

DEPARTURE FROM CHINA.

United 'Pitta a.sioci»lion—By ET*etrie T»<e{jraph—Copjrichv. PEKIN, April 23. Sir Robert Hart, after 45 years' control of tihe Ghintse Customs, has-start-ed for England on a year's leave of absence. He is not expected to rotura. Ho received a tremendons eend-off at Pekin.

A genius for organisation, an industry that is unremitting, an honesty that cannot be assailed—those three qualities have made Sir Robert Hart the trustee of European interests in China. No political ovent for years has so gravely affected those interests as the practical suporsession of tho In-spector-General of Customs by the anti-foreign mandarins Tong-shao-yi and Tieh-liang (wrote Mr Douglas Story a year or two ago). For over forty years Sir Robert Hart has enjoyed absolute independence of action in tho administration of tho Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs/ He has reported to tho Foroign Board upon all matters affecting the external revenue of China, and the integrity of his department has been the guarantee of every foreign loan. Sir Robert's whole lito Uas been passed in China. In matters of sentiment and patriotism ho is more Chinese than the Chinese themselves. He has sacrificed his birthright of communion with bis fellows in intellect and in nationality to China. The ■weary years of» his service in Pekin have cut him off from almost every intimate expression of the of civilised humanity throughout two generations. He has sacrificed his career in the diplomatic world to China. In 1885 he was gazetted British Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of the Emperor of China; but he retained the appointment just sufficiently k>ng to permit of his rosigna<taon to readh Downing street. Men of Sir Richard Hart's stamp cannot bo bound with the red tape of official trad&tion. He has sacrificed the <anrjoyment of his domestic circle to China. I was in Pekin when Lady Hart came back on a visit to Sir Robert. For a quarter of a century husband and wife had not met; his daughter, who had been carried away a baby in arms, returned a full-grown woman. As I strolled past the official residence ot the Inspector-General that night and hearkened to tho strident strains of the Customs najfciv© band thundering a Cakewalk in welcome of his wife,, I wondered what honour China could devise adequate to reward the man who had suffered so much in her service. Two months later China look action to render his life's "work useless, and in so doing manifested her ineradioaWo Oriental ingrati-tudo.