3&amp;2

THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
were  also  recognised  by  the  foreign  Administrations
having  postal  agencies  in  China.  In  1878  China  was
formally  invited  to  join  the  Postal  Union.  In  the  same
year,  while  on  a  visit  to  Paris,  the  Inspector  General
was  sounded  by  the  French  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs
as  to  a  possible  way  of  withdrawing  the  French  Post
Office  in  Shanghai  ;  and  while,  more  than  once,  the
British  Postmaster  General  at  Hongkong  expressed
his  readiness  to  close  the  Hongkong  Post  Office
agencies  along  the  coast,  arrangements  were  actually
discussed  for  the  absorption  by  the  Customs  Department ­
  of  the  Municipal  Post  Office  at  Shanghai.  But  no
definite  response  to  these  overtures  could  be  given,  or
final  steps  taken,  before  the  Chinese  Government  had
declared  its  intention  to  undertake  national  responsibilities ­
  ;  and  the  Customs  Department  continued  to
satisfy  only  certain  wants  and  prepare  the  system
for  further  development  till,  twenty  years  after  the
Chefoo  Convention,  the  Decree  of  the  20th  March,
1896,  appeared.  This  Decree  created  an  Imperial
Post  for  all  China,  to  be  modelled  on  Western  lines,  the
organisation  and  management  of  which  were  confided
to  Sir  Robert  Hart,  who  from  that  date  has  acted
in  the  double  capacity  of  Inspector  General  of
Customs  and  Posts.
“  This  long  hesitation  on  the  part  of  the  Chinese
Government  to  formally  recognise  and  foster  an
institution  known  to  have  worked  with  such  profitable
results  in  foreign  countries,  both  from  public  att^
revenue  standpoints,  may  be  to  some  people  a  matter
of  surprise.  But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  from
immemorial  times  the  Chinese  nation  has  possessed
two  postal  institutions  :  one,  the  I-chan  (or  Imperial
Government  Courier  Service),  deeply  rooted  in  officii
routine  ;  the  other,  the  Native  posting  agencies,  long
used  and  respected  by  the  people.  Both  give  employ
ment  to  legions  of  couriers,  and  are  still  necessary
the  requirements  of  an  immense  nation  ;  they  ca#