晚清是中国历史上政府最腐败的时期。然而,赫德掌管下的海关,却是大清帝国一块“沙漠中的绿洲”。赫德是位英国人,任职海关总税务司将近半个世纪。他在任期间将中国的通商口岸由13个发展到43个,雇员由数百人扩大到数千人,海关收入的银子由原先的几百万两增加到最后的三千万两,占大清帝国年收入的 Late Qing Dynasty was the most corrupt period of government in Chinese history. However, Hart under the control of the Customs, but it is a piece of Qing Empire “oasis in the desert.” Hurd is an Englishman and has been in charge of the General Taxation Division for nearly half a century. During his tenure, he expanded the number of China’s commerce ports from 13 to 43, expanding the number of employees from several hundred to several thousand and increasing the amount of money received by the customs from the previous two million to the final thirty-two million, Empire annual income