Modern Asian Studies 40,3(2006)pp.631-662.2006 Cambridge University Press doi:10.1017/S0026749X06002058 Printed in the United Kingdom Robert Hart and Gustav Detring during the boxer Rebellion HANS VAN DE VEN University of Cambridge This article focuses on Robert Hart during the Boxer Rebellion.My reconstruction of his activities is based on a recently discovered file in the archives of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service held at the Second Historical Archives in Nanjing.While it has long been known that Hart corresponded with Qing officials during the Siege itself and while a few letters have been published,2 the file contains more than one hundred exchanges between Hart and Qing officials written after the end of the Siege of the Legations.I have further relied on a box of documents dealing with the Boxer Rebellion in the Hart Manuscript Collection at the Queen's University of Belfast,including Hart's notes on his meetings with Qing officials.3 These materials provide insight into the way Hart was able to persuade the Qing and foreign countries to begin negotiations and illustrate the critical role he played in fashioning the Boxer Protocol signed on 7 September 1901. Robert Hart was perhaps right that he was in a unique position to mediate.Just after the end of the Siege,he wrote James Duncan Campbell (1833-1907),the Non-Resident Secretary in charge of the London Office of the Customs Service,I am horribly hurt by all that has occurred,but there it is,and we can only try to make the best of it!I hold on to be of use to the Service,to China,and to the general interest.I think I can be of use,and only I in all three directions, I'Qu Han'(Out Letters),Maritime Customs Service Archives,Second Historical Archives of China,679(7)/112.Hereafter Out Letters. 2 Circular 961 (5 October 1goo),in Stanley Wright,ed.,Documents Illustrative of the Origin,Development,and Activities of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service (Shanghai, Statistical Department of the Inspector General of Customs,1938),Vol.II,238-54. This collection includes letters from the Zongli Yamen to Hart. 3 Papers Relating to the Boxer Disturbances',Hart Manuscript Collection, Queen's University Belfast,MS 15/4.Hereafter Boxer Disturbances. 0026-749X/o6/s7-50+$0.10 631Modern Asian Studies 40, 3 (2006) pp. 631–662.
C 2006 Cambridge University Press doi:10.1017/S0026749X06002058 Printed in the United Kingdom Robert Hart and Gustav Detring during the Boxer Rebellion HANS VAN DE VEN University of Cambridge This article focuses on Robert Hart during the Boxer Rebellion. My reconstruction of his activities is based on a recently discovered file in the archives of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service held at the Second Historical Archives in Nanjing.1 While it has long been known that Hart corresponded with Qing officials during the Siege itself and while a few letters have been published,2 the file contains more than one hundred exchanges between Hart and Qing officials written after the end of the Siege of the Legations. I have further relied on a box of documents dealing with the Boxer Rebellion in the Hart Manuscript Collection at the Queen’s University of Belfast, including Hart’s notes on his meetings with Qing officials.3 These materials provide insight into the way Hart was able to persuade the Qing and foreign countries to begin negotiations and illustrate the critical role he played in fashioning the Boxer Protocol signed on 7 September 1901. Robert Hart was perhaps right that he was in a unique position to mediate. Just after the end of the Siege, he wrote James Duncan Campbell (1833–1907), the Non-Resident Secretary in charge of the London Office of the Customs Service, ‘I am horribly hurt by all that has occurred, but there it is, and we can only try to make the best of it! I hold on to be of use to the Service, to China, and to the general interest. I think I can be of use, and only I in all three directions, 1 ‘Qu Han’ (Out Letters), Maritime Customs Service Archives, Second Historical Archives of China, 679(7)/112. Hereafter Out Letters. 2 Circular 961 (5 October 1900), in Stanley Wright, ed., Documents Illustrative of the Origin, Development, and Activities of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service (Shanghai, Statistical Department of the Inspector General of Customs, 1938), Vol. II, 238–54. This collection includes letters from the Zongli Yamen to Hart. 3 ‘Papers Relating to the Boxer Disturbances’, Hart Manuscript Collection, Queen’s University Belfast, MS 15/4. Hereafter Boxer Disturbances. 0026–749X/06/$7.50+$0.10 631