Author: Second Historical Archives of China Institute of Modern History, CASS
Language: English
ISBN/ISSN: 7119013394
1990; Hardcover;200×270mm;4351

This is the first comprehensive collection of letters and telegraphs from the confidential archives of China’s Imperial Maritime Customs Service. These documents bring to light previously unpublished details of the workings of China’s Customs Service in the late Qing Dynasty. All together 3,528 letters and 4,496 telegraphs between Robert Hart and J.D. Campbell have been collected, along with an additional 426 telegraphs between Robert Hart and his brother, James Hart.

Robert Hart (1835-1911), an Englishman, held the post of Inspector General of the Maritime Customs for 50 years (1861-1911). James Duncan Campbell (1833-1907), a confident and close friend of Robert Hart, was selected in 1874 to be Director of the London Office of the Maritime Customs, a post he held for 34 years. He became an important assistant to Robert Hart. During their 34 years of regular correspondence, Hart wrote Campbell about China’s political situation, the diplomatic policies of China’s rulers, business of the Maritime Customs and the general circumstances in China, as well as his personal matters. He also directed Campbell to carry out various secret activities in Europe and Britain for the government of the Qing Dynasty – in diplomatic affairs, in the procuring of foreign loans, arms and warships, as well as in arranging his personal investments and other private matters. Campbell, in return, reported to Hart details of the political and economic situation in Britain and Europe and the coverage by the foreign press on China. The telegraphs between the negotiations and signing of the India-Tibet Treaty.

The information found in this correspondence will, in a broader sense, fill in our understanding of the political and economic situation in late Qing Dynasty. As Hart once wrote to Campbell, “Should these letters … ever be published to the world, they would certainly yield an interesting picture of Chinese and European history from 1874 to 1907.”

ISBN of Volume I: 7-119-01339-4
ISBN of Volume II: 7-119-01389-0
ISBN of Volume III: 7-119-01430-7
ISBN of Volume IV: 7-119-01490-0

Contents of Four Volumes

Vol. I

Editor's Note
Preface I
Preface II

Years 1874      Letters 1 – 123     Years 1879     Letters 557- 645
         1875                124 – 226          1880                646 – 764
         1876                227 – 310          1881                765 – 895
         1877                311 – 410          1882                896 – 1018
         1878                411 – 556          1883                1019 – 1150

Vol. II

Years 1884      Letters 1151 – 1279     Years 1890     Letters 1801 – 1903
         1885                1280 – 1383             1891                1904 – 1997
         1886                1384 – 1487             1892                1998 – 2108
         1887                1488 – 1588             1893                2109 – 2223
         1888                1589 – 1695             1894                2224 – 2344
         1889                1696 – 1800

Vol. III

Years 1895      Letters 2345 – 2448     Years 1902     Letters 3025 – 3110
         1896                2449 – 2558             1903                3111 – 3218
         1897                2559 – 2661             1904                3219 – 3318
         1898                2662 – 2752             1905                3319 – 3415
         1899                2753 – 2839             1906                3416 – 3507
         1900                2840 – 2930             1907                3508 – 3528
         1901                2931 – 3024

Table of Contents

Telegraphs

Years 1874      Letters 1 – 76    Years 1891     Letters 1917 – 2011                           
         1875                77 – 163           1892                2012 – 2069
         1876                164 – 252        1893                2070 – 2133
         1877                253 – 350        1894                2134 – 2369
         1878                351 – 413        1895                2370 – 2598
         1879                414 – 480        1896                2599 – 2859
         1880                481 – 608        1897                2860 – 3184
         1881                609 – 681        1898                3185 – 3430
         1882                682 – 765        1899                3431 – 3548
         1883                766 – 863        1900                3549 – 3692
         1884                864 – 1032       1901                3693 – 3867
         1885                1033 – 1453    1902                3868 – 4020
         1886                1454 – 1536    1903                4021 – 4149
         1887                1537 – 1696    1904                4150 – 4253
         1888                1697 – 1914    1905                4254 – 4334
         1889                1815 – 1856    1906                4335 – 4414
         1890                1857 – 1916    1907                4415 – 4496
Appendix: Telegraphs between Robert Hart and James Hart

Vol. IV

Notes to the letters
1874    1891
1875    1892
1876    1893
1877    1894
1878    1895
1879    1896
1880    1897
1881    1898
1882    1899
1883    1900
1884    1901
1885    1902
1886    1903
1887    1904
1888    1905
1889    1906
1890    1907
Chronologies of Robert Hart and J. D. Campbell
Official Ranks in the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Service
Index I Letters
Index II Telegraphs