A WONDERFUL BRITON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 5

A WONDERFUL BRITON.

SIR ROBERT HART. RETIRING, FROM HIS LIFE WORK, IN CHINA. . BI.XELEGUAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYMGni. 1 Poking, April 23. Sir Robert- Hart, .after forty-five years' control of:the Chinese 'Customs, "has started for 'En'gland:..on'':a''iyear's leave-','of absence.' It is'not' ospycted that' lie wijl> return'. Sir Robert , received . a . tremendous sendoff .frop Peking. 1 ■ .:, ', SIR: ROBERT ; AND HIS SUCCESSOR, v :. ' Sir Robert . Hart is perhaps: the greatost of those' Britons/who,' like Kaid Sir. Harry Maclean .in 'iloroc'co,: hav?'-. elected' to five their lives . to', the- devoted, .servieo, of: "sick ' nations. His niaguificent' administrative work in : has seldom been equalled iu ' modernlimes! Bom in;-'.lreland, iii.-1835,. Sir''Robert Hart,:, after .passing\thipii^h''various, educational: ln--stitiitions 'iin .-.Taiuiton',''"Dublin', : : and Belfast,' made- his ' first.; voyage, to 'China at' the - age : of ■ 19,; as.' asecretary: : in-j the. Consular Service, rDuring the firsji.' year-of jliis ;rosidence -iii 'that cbuiitry,, ho' 'was .'a;' Supori)Unierary' interpretori • held-the' Superiutoudo'ncy :i of: Trade-'.in' Hong-Kong,'-and was -attaohed to tho British Consulato at , For.tlie.,next, fiyo : years lie■filled a number of 'important Consular' and - oth,er-.offices; .until, ih:'lßs9,: : h?-,sevored''hi? connection with the British:.sorvice and- entered the; Chinese •Vlmpe'rid--'-' I Ma , ritime'':;; Customs:' : M'itliin 'two'; years he' was actiiig -as Inspector-. s General,' of ' tho!-'Chinese 'Ciistoinsi'- and' i was .definitely appointed to_ that in', .1863.; j1 V ':, ! - -.' V', . 1

) During tho-45 years which' lmvo elapsed smco' tlien, .'Sii; Eob.ert lias umdoub'tediy, been, ai behind tho- throne/'- Although he ! ; was .gazetted British r Minister; Plenipotentiary ;ih. 1885, lie: declined/ the honour.' Jn 'mrist ofthe stirring /events -which have 'agitated ! China since the'; Taeping (rebellion,' the lriflu'ehce and advice .of Sir. .Robert Hart liavo played an-im-portant and, vfrequehtly,';invisible pajit. ; But prpminently to ,'the front on ! occasions: whon ..complications; arose/ ;'with;, foreign and 'a strong .hand; was needed"'to' "save the face" of - tlie Chinese . Government, 'lii.'sucli critical situations Sir Robert acted; not as..a European' diplomatist 'engaged 'in "stineezing" a weaker Oriental ! l'owbr,- but rather as an honest and incirruptible Chinese •patriot labouring -to defend the interests and iiiphold the .prestige of his native country.- - ' The full ; 'extent' of-Sir Robert; Hart's influence and exertions in "We civil,,'financial, and military regeneration of his adopted' country will..perhaps nevor.' be known. • : But it' would .be difficult'to ' believe .that his! memo'rial to.,the Chinese.. Govornnieht,. embodying.a, number of salutary recommoridations for-civil"' and military. reform,■ and presented in 1871; was the only ' document of its' kind " which he framed during' the last; 36 . years; It - would fill.imuch space. 'to : :,eniim'ei ; ato . the many distinctions ! which have b'eon . showered upon Sir Robert—the; ihAnjr ■ decorations ■ bostowed :upon him .by iEinperors, Kings. Queens, Presidents,' •and itlie ld.te' Pope, and; the.', many: learned, societies who. have-Jiphoured ' themselves br olecting. him as a member/, Sir Robert married, in 1860, a daughter of Dr." • Bredon, of Portadown, - and , has one .'son, Edgai ,; Bruce ifho.was born'in 1873. r : ' '■'.v • :/Writing to a friend in EnglaAd, Sir Robert . Hart; I wag photographed' myself the -§ fc her aay; allow me .to send you .'a'; copy. Is it at '•all. recognisable? v i: am still alone; Lady Hart and the young people—l have' now. three grandchildren—are at home, where they ■ have heen'waiting for my return over\twenty, years. What a'slice to be cut out of'a'domes- ; tic life! However, Fates ' would Jiave * so. . . . 'Tho , months and are ? slipping i jpd both ■ youth ana. middle age : are ' j things of tho past. I am now an old—a : - very old ti hope to be freed from harness next year.. Formanvy£arspastßooo employees ; worked, under the direction of the little autocrat of Peking. ;.;No foreigner: knows so s?i- ° f ,.t:' lo mysterious ' inner'workings of Chinese life. Since his arrival - in the East fifty-four years _ago Sir, Robert■ has Kept' "a diary, which will form an inexhaustible niine of - information - tho first half-cetitury of China s slow awakening. - • VSir Robert E. Bredon, K.C.M.G., Deputy-In-spector-Goneral of , the Imperial Chinese fori- : time Customs, has assumed control of the' Customs as successor to Sir Robert Hart. Ho is t brother-ui-law to Sir. -Robert, and, of course an Irishman. He first saw tlie,light at PoS down on February i, I S 4G. "Sir Robert' Sn\ nf S Hf PP^? lnl , ent y..^ the eorrespo," dent of the Standard, .is criticised by foreigners, thov opinion in some: quarters bdin» that a stronger man s required in vinw 7,? (he fact. f that Poking V Gover'nme" \a '■ never withdrawn its, edict.' of May 0, 1906°' Pie edict of Maj-; 8, IMS,, was'as fo lows•-lieh-Liang, President of Mhe Board of Ra venue, ;is hereby appointed Superintendent of Cnstpms affairs. Tong-Shao-Yi, junior VicePresident of the Board of Foreign, Alia r, " ,«, apponiited Associate Minister of Customs $ ' fairs. All the Chinese ami foreigners om- ' ployed at the various Customs offices are pl ac " d under their control;' Both the.so 'offices were new creations and it was pointed out, 'on the i appearance of this ed,ct, that it meant a : step towards active Clunese management oi ' Customs, althongh,such an idea was strongly repudiated by the Pek.ng authorities when I approached on tho matter. ■ , ■ 7 1 Sir Robert Bredon passed for tL A rm „ Medical Staff in ISGV and' retired in 1873 : when he joined the Chinese Customs. Ho has , many honours. 1