Sir Robert Hart - The Romance of a Great Career, 2nd Edition by Juliet Bredon
page 66 of 137 (48%)
page 66 of 137 (48%)
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The original construction in semi-foreign style from plans by the early Jesuit Fathers was doubtless still easy to trace; an ornate façade brought unexpected memories of Versailles, while on crumbling walls old European coats-of-arms, carved, for the sake of their decorative beauty, beside Oriental dragons and phoenixes, remained to surprise and delight the eye. Unluckily business too often stood in the way of pleasure, for the 'sixties were very busy years. China was just beginning to realize that she could no longer remain in peaceful self-sufficiency; intercourse with foreign nations she must have, willing or no; that meant drastic changes--changes in which the I.G.'s advice would be valuable. Thus circumstances helped him into a unique position, one without parallel in any other country; he was continually consulted on hundreds of matters not properly connected with Customs administration at all, and he was in fact, if not in name, far more than an Inspector-General. [Illustration: A PICNIC IN OLD PEKING--TOWARDS YUEN MING YUEN.] Much of this advisory work, too, was of the most delicate nature: some involved intricate dealings with several Powers having conflicting interests. The slightest false move would often have been sufficient to snap the frail thread of negotiation. It is not to be wondered at if he made some mistakes--he would have been scarcely human otherwise--but as a rule his tact and energy carried to a successful issue whatever he began. "What is your secret power of settling a difficult matter?" a friend |
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