蒲蓝田与清末民初川江航运的现代转型

Samuel Cornell Plant and the Modernization of Sichuan Steam Navigation during the Late Qing and the Early Republican Periods

近代川江行轮通商的兴起,是清末民初川江航运现代转型的标志。在这一转型过程中,蒲蓝田(Samuel Cornell Plant)堪称长江上游轮船航运史上经验最丰富的外籍专家。在技术层面,他最早成功开辟了川江行轮的通商航线;在制度层面,作为首任长江上游巡江工司,蒲蓝田建构起川江现代化的航道助航设施与行轮空间秩序;在知识层面,他最早设计出适合川江的轮船结构,撰写了影响深远的《长江上游宜渝间航行指南》。在近代川江行轮技术转移的本土化过程中,蒲蓝田承担了技术输入的“中间角色”。其历史启示在于,作为技术转移的最终受益方,特别是当中国本土技术能力与独立发展还存在差距时,通过合理的技术人才引进,配合制度建设与知识生产,最终实现技术创新的在地化是一条可行的路径。

The emergence of steamship travel marked the modernization of navigation along Upper Yangtzc.River during the late Qing and early Republican periods.Samuel Cornell Plant played an instrumental role in this transformation.As an experienced foreign technical expert,he became the first to provide regular merchant steam navigation along the Upper Yangtze,and served as its first senior river inspector.He installed navigational markers and signaling systems.He also composed an influential manual for shipmasters and designed ship models suitable for sailing along the Upper Yangtze.Plant served as an intermediary who facilitated the localization of imported navigational technology.As his experience shows,when a gap exists between local and outside technological development,the introduction of foreign talent,and the construction of a system for intellectual transfer,is a feasible route for fostering indigenous innovation.