从“牛角Paracel”转为“西沙群岛Paracel”——18世纪末至19世纪初西人的南海测绘

Name Change from“Horn-shape Paracel”to“Xisha Qundao Paracel”: On Westerners' Survey in South China Sea between the End of 18th Century and Early 19th Century

在中越两国关于西沙群岛主权争议中,有关普拉塞尔(Pracel)或帕拉塞尔(Paracel)的历史资料,是越南方面论证西沙群岛主权归属的关键性证据。在航海史上的不同时期,Paracel所指并不相同,初始所指是越南海岸线外一南北走向呈"牛角"状的沙礁群,与西沙群岛都是南海航线上的危险区域,但两者截然不同。18世纪让·达约在越南沿海的测绘,证明了"牛角"Paracel实为早先的航海家认识上的谬误。为继续沿用这一地名概念,豪斯伯格将"牛角"头部以东的岛礁,即今西沙群岛,纳入Paracel之中。1808年罗斯船长的南海测绘,发现外沟航线上的危险区域,即西沙,实为海中的群岛,而内沟航线上的危险区域,即"牛角"Paracel,大多数岛礁并不存在。于是Paracel成为专指西沙群岛的名称。在豪斯伯格的推广下,这一命名逐渐得到认同。1830年以后,"牛角"Paracel从西文文献中消失。因此,越方的证据并不能成立。

In the dispute over the sovereignty over Xisha Qundao,Vietnamese side has taken historical Pracel or Paracel as its pivotal evidence for its claim of sovereignty. In different periods of maritime navigation history,Paracel has been used to confusingly refer to different geographic entities: The hornshape Paracel and Xisha Qundao. Both being dangerous for navigation in South China Sea,they are yet completely different from each other. Jean D'ayot's survey along the Vietnamese coast in the eighteenth century proved that the horn-shape Paracel was but nonexistent. In order to keep the name on,James Horsburgh brought into Paracel the area east to the 'horn',that is,the present day Xisha Qundao. In 1808,Captain Daniel Ross surveyed South China Sea,and found that the dangerous area on the outer navigation line,i. e. Xisha,was in reality a group of islands,whereas the majority of the islets that constitute the so-called horn-shape Paracel were non-existent. Thereafter,Paracel became an exclusive name for Xisha Qundao. This name became popular as a result of Horsburgh's insistence. After 1830,the horn-shape Paracel disappeared completely from Western literature. This is to say that the evidence offered by Vietnam can never stand.