英国东印度公司与南中国海水文调查(1779～1833)

The British East India Company and the Hydrography of the South China Sea

1779年起,英国东印度公司设立英国史上第一个水文调查部门,投入人员、船只和设备,并利用新式测绘仪器与技术,持续搜集公司亚洲主要贸易海域的水文信息,约与此同时,由公司主导的英国对华贸易大幅成长,南中国海因位处船只往返广州的海域要冲,遂成为公司调查的重点区域之一。文章讨论公司勘查南中国海过程中,"孟买海军"(Bombay Marine)船舰、公司商船、华人海员扮演的角色,也比较分析公司水文师(Hydrographer)前后出版物的异同,尝试重构不同时期公司认知南中国海水文的进展,包括确认主要岛群、暗沙、礁岩的实际分布情形,调查特定区域的潮汐、风向、洋流等。另外,也论述公司赞助调查所得的益处,以说明科学研究与商业赞助之间的关联性:一是降低英人船只的航行风险;二则是有助于筹划或开发合宜的航线,缩短航程时间;此外,也增加航道的选择性。

The British East India Company （hereafter the Company） established the first hy- drography department in UK history in 1779. Personnel, capital, ships and equipment were invested and new measuring instruments and technology were used continuously to collect ocean hydrographic information about the Company＇s major trading regions. The South China Sea was an important nauti- cal zone vital for the ships travelling to and fro between China and India, and around this time, the Anglo-Chinese trade dominated by the Company grew rapidly. This article will discuss the roles played by the vessels of the Company＇s Bombay Marine, the East Indiamen and Chinese sailors, and compare and analyze the differences in the publications of the Company＇s successive hydrographers. Through these aspects, this article try to reconstruct the ac- tual progress in knowledge about the South China sea, including the confirmation of the layout of the main islands, shoals and reefs, and the investigation of currents and tides in specific areas. In addi- tion, the article demonstrates the advantages gained from the surveys for the Company, and explains the relationship between scientific research and commercial patronage. These advantages included a decrease of the navigation risks, a reduction in sailing times, and greater flexibility in route options.