卫三畏与美国早期的对华退款兴学计划

On Williams and His Plan of Using the Remission of Indemnity for a School

1858年中美签订赔偿条约,中国付给美国700,000美元损失赔偿费,所有的赔款付清后,还剩下二十多万美元余额。卫三畏提议用它在中国建一所学校,这是美国最早的退款兴学计划。该计划由于实施的条件不成熟而流产,但它表达了“用中国人的钱按美国方式教育中国优秀学生”的愿望,这种愿望对后来的庚子赔款兴学产生了重要影响。

According to the Sino-American indemnity treaty of 1858, China had settled upon the United States 700, 000 dollars for fire damages. When all the claims we, re paid, it appeared that some 200, 000 dollars of the indemnity would be left over. Williams conceived using that for a school in China and that was the earliest plan of using the remission of indemnity for a school. Due to lack of mature conditions, the plan failed. However, it demonstrated a good willing： using Chinese money to educate Chinese excellent students with American model. It had an important influence on the later Boxer indemnity scholarships.