《沿江沿海各省炮台图说》与叶祖珪的海防思想

Map and Introduction of River and Coastal Forts with Canons and Ye Zugui's Thought on Coastal Defence

中国国家博物馆收藏有清末北洋水师统领叶祖珪绘制的《沿江沿海各省炮台图说》两册,该图以西方海图的形式展现了中国沿海及长江中下游沿岸各要隘处海防炮台的概况。1899年末至1900年初,叶祖珪奉清政府之命,率领重建的北洋水师巡视海防,以应对意大利强租浙江三门湾的企图,《沿江沿海各省炮台图说》即是在此次考察后绘制的。该图说不仅地图绘制精确,还附载关于海防炮台建设的长篇条陈,充分反映了叶祖珪的海防思想,具有珍贵的地图学及近代军事史研究价值。同时,作为清政府处理三门湾事件的产物,此图说也是晚清重要历史事件的见证。本文在简介传世晚清海防炮台图说概况的基础之上,对《沿江沿海各省炮台图说》进行初步探究,试图通过论述此图的绘制史实以及蕴含的海防思想,展现其文献和历史价值。

Maps and Introduction of River and Coastal Forts with Canons （Ye Zugui, Qing dynasty, two volumes, National Museum of China） shows coastal defence forts along China＇s coasts and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River using Western style naval charts. From the end of 1899 to early 1900, under orders from the Qing government, Ye Zugui as Commander of the Beiyang Fleet led the reconstructed fleet on an inspection tour of China＇s coastal defence, in response to Italy＇s demand for Sanmen Bay in Zhejiang province. Maps and Introduction of River and Coastal Forts with Canons was written after this trip. The charts are accurately drawn, accompanied with detailed reports on the construction of forts. They reflect Ye＇s thought on coastal defence and are valuable for researchers on cartography and modern military history. As a result of the Qing government＇s handling of the Sanmen Bay Incident, this book is also a witness to an important historical event in the late Qing. The current paper is a preliminary research on this book based on an overview of late Qing maps of coastal defence forts, so as to present the literary and historical value of this book.