游美始末与收获——新发现的清华学校首任校长唐国安先生的佚文

History and Outcome of the Chinese Educational Mission to the United States

据译者唐越先生介绍,《游美始末与收获》是他从英国剑桥大学图书馆找到并翻译的清华学校首任校长唐国安先生的佚文。文章扼要地概述了容闳开创中国亘古未有之留学事业的发端、发展、夭折的全过程,在向读者全面介绍容闳此举之艰辛、曲折、离奇的同时,亦披露了留学事业之夭折乃吴子登与陈兰彬联手搅局之故,并透露美国各界乃至总统格兰特等人亦曾出手拯救出洋肄业局,但终未能力挽狂澜于既倒。此外,本文还简述了幼童留美及回国后的情况,并以实例举证幼童们不但学习成绩超群,品行更受到美国同学、师长之称许。而他们回国后,各自在不同领域为国效力,更有人为国捐躯,借以证明幼童们皆有拳拳赤子之心。裁撤肄业局召回幼童,实乃政府极为不当之举,并进一步指出,若将留学事业进行到底,必为中国缔造大批有用人才。最后,作者简述了自己对政府日后派遣学生出洋留学应注意事项之建议。但此文是否为唐国安先生之作,译者未提出更多的佐证。现在先行发表,希望有关专家进一步论证、辨疑、确认。

As one of the recalled American-educated Chinese students from the US by the Chinese government,Tang Guoan gives a brief account of the unprecedented yet short-lived Chinese Educational Mission brought forwards by Rong Hong（alias Yung Wing）,the first ever American-graduated Chinese in the history of China.The author gives a full picture of whatever difficulties and misfortunes Rong Hong had to go through,and reveals that the sudden breakup of the mission was the result of a collaborative effort between Chen Lanbin and Woo Zideng,the first and third commissioner of the mission.He also unveils the fact that even the then US President Ulysses Grant tried to save the mission from its demise yet to no avail;its inexorable fate was sealed subsequently.A number of examples are given in this text to prove that the boy students distinguished themselves in their excellent studies as well as exemplary conduct.After their recall,many of them devoted their worthy abilities and services to the country,and some of them even gave their life in their brave war against the foreign powers.All of these are to make his point that they were patriotic students and the recall of them was down-right wrong on the part of the Chinese government.The author also argues that China at that time might have had a multitude of useful talents serving the country in different sectors,if the mission had been allowed to pursue its legitimate course,instead of nipping the enterprise in the bud.Finally,the author gives his five points as an advice to the authorities on any possible future mission of such endeavour.