The Memorial recently presented to to Throne by the Shuiwuch'a (Revenue Council) on the departure of Sir Robert for Europe and the selection of Sir R. E. Bredon as acting Inspector-
General of the Imperial Maritime Castoms has been published, and the following is a summary of its contents.
The Controllers-General Rich Liang and Li Hai-huan (both posts being now vacated, Na Tung hasibeen appointed in their stead.) have received a letter from the Inspector-General asking leave to visit England this Spring after an absence of fully thirty years in China and recommending the present Deputy-Inspector General as his locum tenons. The memorialists find that the Inepector-General has faithfully served the Chinese Government for nearly fifty-five years, and has aided the finances of China and many other important affairs concerning Chioa's relations with the Powers, during his long tenure of office as chief of the I. M.C. As a recognition of his valuable services, th memorialists request that a special honour should be conferred upon him by the Throne in order to encourage other foreign employees in the Chinese Their Excellencies Tib Liang and Li Hai-hoon pointed out that in view of his long service and great experience in the I. M. C., the actual Deputy Inspector-General is undoubted ly the most suitable man for the responsible post during the absence of the Inspector-General in Europe. The Memorialists, therefore, strongly mend that Sir Robert Bredon be appointed Acting-Inspector-General so as to ensure the maintenance of efficiency in the Customs; which is the most important and soundest financial asset: of the Chinese Empire at the present moment. As an appropriate honour Sir Robert Bredon should be given the brevet rank of a Provincial Treasurer as to place him on an equal footing with the Provincial Treasurers, Judges and Territorial and Customs Taotais in the various Provinces. In conclusion, the Controllers-General stated that the Shuiwuchn would continue to rate with the Inspecorate-General for the purpose of maintaining the existing excellent condition of the Chinese Customs.
The Imperial Rescript states that the memorial has been noted; and, as an Imperial recognition of his' services, Sir Robert Hart is given the brevet rank of a President of a Ministry in Peking, while the Acting Inspector-General receives the brevet rank Provincial Treasurer of a Province.
Judging from the above, the Acting Tnspector-General was appointed Imperial Rescript and not by Edict; but it is said that no foreign employees ever have been appointed by Edict. Even Sir Robert "Hart was appointed Inspector-eneral in 1863 by a memorial from the defunct Tesungli-yamen. The brevet rank of Provincial Treasurer cannot be translated as Licut.-Governor for even a Treasurer of a Province is entire under the Viceroy or Governor of that Province, In fact, these is no rank of Lieut.-Governor in' Chi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.