| 摘要: | 一八七五年到一八八一年間，清政府與英國之間進行了四筆大型軍購案，總共買了十三艘軍艦。這四筆訂單都是由海關總稅務司赫德(Robert Hart)及海關駐倫敦代表金登幹(James Duncan Campbell)經手。本文將討論這四筆軍購案的過程，包括背後的動機、艦型的選擇及決策的經過。 牡丹社事件的刺激而有了第一筆訂單，原議採購鐵甲艦，卻因經費支絀 及清政府缺乏決心而改為訂購三、四百噸級的蚊船四艘。一八七八年日本新購三艘鐵甲艦自英國風光駛回，中國受此刺激而有第二筆訂單，仍然是四艘蚊船。第三筆訂單是英國最新發明的巡洋艦兩艘，是李鴻章為購買鐵甲艦做準備而產生。 第四筆訂單最特別，不全然是因為外患，而是因為內憂而產生。本文將在第五章中敘述這場一八七九年到一八八○年間的「己卯爭款案」，負責籌集海防經費的李鴻章，如何成功的反制地方督撫爭奪海防款項，而產生了第四筆的蚊船訂單。最後，以一八八二年中國出兵干預朝鮮壬午軍亂來肯定這四筆軍購案。中國之所以勇於出兵，就是擁有了這十三艘軍艦。 除了經費支絀，中國遲遲未買鐵甲艦的另一原因為赫德的反對。當時列強鐵甲艦正處於實驗期，許多造價高昂的鐵甲艦一完工就註定是失敗的產品。赫德的反對適使中國避免了浪費的投資。 During 1875 –1881 the Qing Government underwent four major weapon purchase ;including 13 military vessels. Robert Hart—Inspector-General of Chinese Customs and James Duncan Campbell—Non-Resident Secretary of Customs (London Office) personally were engaged in this purchase. The main purpose of this paper is to review the process of this purchase ,including its motives,the choice of the vessels and the final decision of this purchase. . The first purchase was triggered by the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874. Instead of buying the Ironclad, four vessels of 300-400 tons gunboats were purchased due to budget shortage and lack of determination by the Qing. In 1878 Japan bought 3 Ironclads, triumphantly sailing back home from British, which triggered the Qing Government the second purchase of another 4 Gunboats. The third purchase was two newly-invented British cruiser ,which was initiated by the governor Li Hong-zhang, who was meant to have bought the Ironclad. The fourth purchase, the last and the most particular one, was the purchase of another 3 Gunboats, which was not caused by foreign threats, but the domestic struggle,happening among the various governors during 1879 -1880. Finally, in 1882 the Qing government sent military force to interfere the Korean turmoil , sending vessels to successfully deter the Japanese,which justified the purchase of the weapons as well. Besides budget shortage , Robert Hart’s strong opposition was the other reason for not buying the Ironclad, which saved the Qing from wasting large amount of money. Actually, the highly-cost Ironclad, at that time, was still at the experimental stage And eventually doomed to failure. |
