<Articles>"Pirates" on the West River during the Late Qing Period : Trade, Shipping and the Dispute over "The Right of Patrol" (Special Issue : SEA)

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  • <論説>清末西江の「海賊」 : 「緝捕権」問題と貿易・航運 (特集 : 海)
  • 清末西江の「海賊」 : 「緝捕権」問題と貿易・航運
  • セイマツ ニシコウ ノ 「 カイゾク 」 : 「 シュウホケン 」 モンダイ ト ボウエキ ・ コウウン

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Abstract

The West River 西江 is the longest of the rivers that comprise the Pearl River 珠江 system, and with the decision to allow foreign trading ships in the river at the end of the 19th century, ten small ports in the Pearl River Delta area were recognized as embarkation and disembarkation points for passengers in addition to the opening of the ports of Wuzhou 梧州, Sanshui 三水, and Jiangmen 江門. As a result, trade on the West River greatly expanded, and the transport of passengers between Guangzhou and Hong Kong/ Macao mushroomed, and there was a shift from junks to small-scale steamboats. In response to the increase in maritime transport, bandits disguised as passengers would board these small boats that plied the West River and other interior rivers, and many incidents of robbery occurred in coordination with those on land. Resultant injury to foreign ships and foreign passengers led to the recognition of the problem of piracy on the West River by Great Britain and other foreign nations. In regard to West River "piracy, " the Qing government implemented a policy of strengthening inspection of passengers placing guards on board, and introducing patrols and Qing naval forces, which had a positive effect to a certain degree, but was far from a total solution. Amidst this situation in July of 1906, the S.S. Sainam, owned by the Hong Kong Steamship Company, was attacked by pirates, and the incident resulted in the death of an English missionary doctor. After the incident, the British who were dissatisfied with the policy of the Qing government towards the pirates sought to pin the blame on Cen Chunxuan 岑春煊, Governor General of Guangdong and Guangxi, for the continuing incidents of piracy. When Cen Chunxuan was transferred, the British demanded reparations for the victims of the Sainam incident. Additionally, the authorities in Hong Kong and the British merchants there exercised their influence and tried to have foreigners of Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs oversee patrols on the West River in a form that would not violate Chinese sovereignty. The Qing Foreign Office (Wai-wu Pu) was inclined to cooperate in negotiations with the British, but the local authorities in Guangdong opposed the British demands. As the negotiations were stalled, the British strengthened the deployment of naval forces on the West River due to the continuing piracy against British ships, and thus placed pressure on the Qing side. In response, Chinese newspapers reported in regard to the Qing Foreign Office's readiness to recognize the use of naval forces in maritime customs and that Governor General of Guangdong and Guangxi opposed it and argued that the naval forces should be placed under the control of Guangdong Provincial government without violating Chinese sovereignty. As a result, Guangdong gentry and merchants began a movement opposed to the British demand for the right of patrol that would violate Chinese sovereignty. As a result, British consideration of Chinese sovereignty became meaningless.

Journal

  • 史林

    史林 100 (1), 106-140, 2017-01-31

    THE SHIGAKU KENKYUKAI (The Society of Historical Research), Kyoto University

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