中国首建电报线路再考辨

Reconfirmation of the First Telegraph Line Constructed by China

电报是西方近代重要科技文明成果,中国于19世纪70年代将之引入。遗憾的是,迄今学术界关于中国自建首条电报线之认定却莫衷一是,有海衙线说、台南线说、津沽线说、津沪线说等四种观点。本文以为,这些观点皆不正确。海衙线说的错误在于该线并不存在,新近出版的《李鸿章全集》为此提供了重要证据。后三线说的错误一方面在于持者皆未注意到,前此李鸿章已在天津建成津衙线,另一方面亦缘于当事人与当时人的一些模糊表述,从而造成"历史的误会"。故,比所谓的海衙线稍晚、而较后三线更早建成的津衙线才是中国自建的首条电报线。上述情状提示,史学研究者在对待史料的问题上需十分审慎,方为科学的态度。

As an important western modern scientific and technical achievement,telegraph was introduced to China from the 1870s.Unfortunately,however,until now it is unable for the academic circle to agree on the first telegraph line constructed by China itself and four viewpoints about the first line are held： Haiyaxian,Tainanxian,Jinguxian and Jinhuxian.But all the above mentioned lines are not the first telegraph line.Because Haiyaxian did not exist then,according to Li Hong-zhang＇s Complete Works published recently,and the latter three lines existed after Jinyaxian which was constructed in Tianjin by Li Hong-zhang.The mistaking of the latter three lines for the first also came from some vague indications of the people who knew something about the lines at that time,thus causing ＂the historical misunderstanding＂.Therefore,Jinyaxian was truly the first telegraph line constructed by China itself.The confirmation of the first telegraph line shows that the history researcher must be very careful to deal with the historical data.