Sir Robert Hart had been gone three years, and in his place was a man trained by him (Sir Franc then Mr., Aglen), on whose yea and nay the Chinese could rely as thoroughly as they had on his. Behind him. were Commissioners. of tested probity well-known to the country's bankers either personally or by reputation, and well known also to such other bodies, guilds for instance, as came within the orbit of Customs administration. Was it not natural that, when revolatio disarranged Government depart. ments, causing among other confusing events the flight of Customs Superintendents from their ports, the Chinese authorities should agree te put Customs money into the safe keeping of the foreign employees of the Service?
"The process whereby this was done was not, of course, as simple or as uniform or as spontaneous as so condensed a statement makes it seem. Yet it is, believe. true to say that ach pressure as was brought to bear was exercised en the grounds of urgency rather than to overcome opposition, There war. as far as Tam aware, remarkably little opposition.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.