·原天津海关大楼

        清同治五年十一月(1866年12月),中国海关总税务司赫德与清政府总理衙门达成协议,由海关兼办邮政。同治六年正月二十八日 (1867年3月4日),海关总税务司将《邮政通告》寄给津海关税务司,确定了邮件封发时刻表和邮寄资费;规定除收寄使馆、海关公文外,还有私信。这是海关在天津筹办近代邮政的开始。
        清光绪二年(1876),总税务司赫德进一步请设送信官局,并拟在北京、天津、烟台、牛庄(今营口)、上海5处海关,仿照欧洲办法开办。赫德受命后,指派津海关税务司德璀琳以天津为中心,在5处海关先行开办,于是近代送信机构——“海关书信馆”应运而生。
        光绪四年二月二十日 (1878年3月23日),德璀琳在天津发布公告: “海关书信馆”对外开放。由此,官办的近代邮政机构,开始收寄华洋公众信件,标志着中国近代邮政正式发端。而天津是近代邮政的发祥地。
        为了让公众知晓邮路、资费等情况,光绪四年三月二十九日 (1878年5月1日),海关书信馆向外发布了 《邮政通告》,并由当月15日起实行。
        海关书信馆设于天津海关大公事房内(今营口道与张自忠路交口)。但是,中国商民多年习惯于向民信局交寄邮件,海关书信馆建立后,民间用之者甚少。为了与民信局竞争,德璀琳委托天津大昌商行经理,于光绪四年六月(1878年7月)初,在天津三岔河口 (今狮子林桥附近),开办了第一个邮政代办机构——华洋书信馆。
        光绪五年十一月十日 (1879年12月22日),总税务司赫德向各地海关发布通令,说明邮务总办事处暂设天津,所发纯属邮递业务性质的指示,各海关应予照办。天津遂成为海关邮政之总汇。光绪五年十一月三十日 (1880年1月11日),海关书信馆改名为海关拨驷达局(英语译音,意即邮政)。
        光绪二十年(1894),津榆(山海关)铁路全线竣工。转年,天津至牛庄间的陆运骑差邮路,跑行了17年之后,其中的津榆段改用火车运送。这是全国最早利用火车运邮之始。
        光绪二十二年(1896)初,由于邮政的迅速发展,使拨驷达局又相继推广到沿海、沿江的19座城市。邮政局所的网路初具规模。
        光绪二十三年正月初一日(1897年2月2日),天津海关拨驷达局改名为大清邮政局(简称大清邮政津局),设在拨驷达局原址(今解放路111号),仍由天津海关税务司负责。当时,大清邮政局有邮政专职人员14人。现在,大清邮政局大楼除了东南角破损重修外,整个楼基本完好。这是我国现存历史最早的大清邮政局办公楼。
        In ancient China,communications mainly dependedon post horses. Modem post began to develop in Chinawith the influence from overseas. In December 1866,General Taxation Department of China`s Customs andPrime Minister Yamen reached an agreement,allowingthe customs to manage post services. Post offices wereset up in Tianjin,Shanghai,Zhenjiang and Beijing. Thiswas the beginning of modern post service in China. OnMarch 4,1867,General Taxation Department of China`sCustoms mailed Post Service Notification to TianjinTaxation Department of Customs,which specified theschedule of mail deliverance and postage. Besides mailsfrom embassies and customs,the services also coveredindividual letters. This is the beginning of post servicein Tianjin by the Customs.
        In 1876,Robert Hart,head of General TaxationDepartment,applied for setting up the Mail ServiceBureau. PM Yamen forwarded the application toLi Hongzhang,who was in charge of on-goingwesternization campaign in Tianjin. Li approved andsuggested that Robert Hart took charge to build fivebureaux affiliated to the customs of Beijing,Tianjin,Yantai,Niuzhuang and Shanghai in European style. Inthe spring of 1878,Robert Hart left China for businessin Europe and with permissions from Li Hongzhang,entrusted the issue to Dertring,head of Tianjin TaxationDepartment of Customs. Dertring built five bureauxaround Tianjin,which was the birth of "Mail ServiceBureau of the Customs".
        On March 23,1878,Dertring issued a notice inTianjin about the operation of these bureaux,whoseservice including mails from the public. This was thestart of modern post service in China,which originatedin Tianjin.
        To let the public understand the post roads andpostage,post bureaux issued the Post Notice on May 1,1878,which was implemented on May 15.
        Modern post offices in Tianjin were named the"Customs Mail Office" located in Tianjin Customs,later relocated to Zizhulin of French Concession (thecross of Jiefangbei Road and Yingkou Street). Chinesebusinessmen were used to mailing via Civil Mail Bureauand seldom via Customs Mail Office. For competition,Dertring entrusted the president of Dachang shop toopen the first post agency "Huayang Mail Office" inJuly,1878 at Sanchakou,Tianjin (near Shizilin Bridge).
        On December 22,1879,Robert Hart ordered eachcustoms to continue post business in northern seaportsand Beijing and to extend business to other seaports. Theheadquarter was located in Tianjin headed by Dertring.All customs must follow directions about post servicefrom Taxation Department of Tianjin. On January 11,1880,Customs Mail Office changed its name to CustomsPost Office.
        In 1894,a railway from Tianjin to Shanhaiguanwas completed. In 1895,post services from Tianjin toJiuzhuang by horses for 17 years were changed by train,which was also the beginning of posting by train in China.
        In the beginning of 1896,Customs Post Officespred business to the cities along rivers and coast.Besides the above-mentioned five cities,post officeswere set up in 19 cities including Chongqing,Yichang,Shashi,Hankou,Jiujiang,Wuhu,Zhenjiang,Suzhou,Hangzhou,Ningbo,Wenzhou,Fuzhou,Xiamen,Shantou,Guangzhou,Qiongzhou,Beihai,Mengzi andLongzhou. The post service network was praised by thegovernment and the people for its efficiency.
        On February 2,1897,the Customs Post Officewas renamed as Post Office of Qing Dynasty withoutlocation change and still charged by Tianjin Customs.

        

·大清邮政津局