The Peking correspondent of the Times announces in Thursday's paper
that Sir Robert Hart, the Inspector. Generalof the Imperial Chinese Maritime Customs, left Peking on Wednesday for Europe. The largest international gathering ever seen at Peking said farewell to him at the station; but the correspondent remarks that, to the general surprise, few Chinese were present. Sir Robert Hart bas a year's leave of absence, and if he. does not return to China at the end of that time his successor will be appointed.. But in any case, owing to a reconstruction of the Customs Service, Sir Robert Hart's official career is virtually ended. That career has been remarkable. Sir Robert Hart was the real founder and organiser of the Chinese Customs. He served the Chinese Government with unwavering fidelity for forty- five years, and built up a wonderful service, perfectly efficient and free from all taint of corruption. As the Times says, the imports rose from 220,000,000 in 1864 to E67,000,000 in 1906, and China profited by being able to use the Customs revenue for various public services. Sir Robert Hart was autocratic, and it is unlikely that the same powers will be allowed to reside in the next head of the Customs, though if the undertakings of China are fulfilled he must be an English- man. The Westerner who serves an Eastern country must not look for gratitude, and if we may judge from the farewell to Sir Robert Hart at Peking, he received small recognition at the last from the country he served with an exclusive ardour.
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