THE  INSPECTORATE  OF  CUSTOMS  375
from  Tls.121.898,792  in  1865  to  Tls.674,988,988  in  1905  ;
to  these  figures  must  be  added  Tls.28,523,449  in  1865
and  Tls.128,647,510  in  1905,  as  the  value  of  the  original
exports  of  Chinese  produce  carried  coastwise.  This  gives
Tls.803,636,498  as  the  value  of  the  trade  handled  by  the
Customs  during  1905,  but,  with  the  necessity  of  continuing
documentary  protection  at  every  stage,  the  work  done  by
the  Customs  is  by  no  means  measured  by  this  value.  During
1905  permits  and  protecting  documents  on  import,  export,
re-export,  re-import  or  transit  inland,  were  issued  for  goods
valued  at  Tls.1,737,546,961.
Sir  Robert  Hart,  the  organiser  of  the  Service  which  has
done  this  work,  was  born  on  February  20,  1835,  the  same  year
in  which  the  Empress  Dowager  of  China  was  born.  After
graduating  (A.B.  and  Senior  Scholar)  at  Queen's  University,
Ireland,  in  1853,  h e  was  appointed  Supernumerary  Interpreter ­
  to  the  British  Superintendency  of  Trade  at  Hongkong
in  May  1854  ;  and  in  May  1859  was  granted  special  permission ­
  to  resign  in  order  to  join  the  newly  instituted
Chinese  Customs  Service.  He  was  appointed  Officiating
Inspector  General  in  1861  and  Inspector  General  in  1863.
In  May  1885  he  was  appointed  Her  Britannic  Majesty’s
Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the
Emperor  of  China  and  also  to  the  King  of  Korea,  but  did
not  take  up  the  appointment,  and  continued  as  Inspector
General.  His  services  to  China  and  to  the  world  have
been  recognised  in  a  tangible  way  by  the  bestowal  of  many
honors.  From  China  he  received  in  1864  the  brevet  title
of  Provincial  Judge,  with  civil  rank  of  the  third  class  ;
in  1869  the  brevet  title  of  Provincial  Treasurer,  with  civil
rank  of  the  second  class  ;  in  1881  the  red  button  of  the
first  class  ;  in  1885  the  order  of  the  Double  Dragon,  second
division,  first  class,  and  the  distinction  of  the  Peacock’s
Feather  ;  in  1889  Ancestral  Rank  of  the  first  class  of  the
first  order,  dated  back  for  three  generations,  with  Letters
Patent  ;  in  1901  the  brevet  title  of  Junior  Guardian  of
the  Heir  Apparent  ;  and  in  1902  he  was  received  in  Audience