刘坤一海防思想和实践

Liu Kunyi’s Thought and Practice of Coastal Defense

晚清海防是以维护政治稳定和本土安全为目标,其得失成败与地方督抚海防思想和实践密切相关。晚清重臣刘坤一海防思想和实践在海防近代化过程中占有一席之地,其海防思想经历了萌芽于江西巡抚时期、形成于两广总督时期、完善于三督两江时期的嬗变历程,其海防实践聚焦于练兵、培养人才、造船、制器及筹饷等方面,其海防思想和实践体现了海防目标的变化性、海防建设的务实性及海防策略的多样性等特点。刘坤一海防思想和实践的时代局限性是:“夷夏之辨”等传统观念制约其认识列强的深刻性和效法西学的彻底性;南北洋集团之间的矛盾制约其南洋海防事业的发展并使得南北洋海军难以真正形成合力;地方缺乏独立的人事权、财政权及军权使其许多海防思想难以付诸实践。

The goal of coastal defense in the late Qing Dynasty was to maintain political stability and local security.Its success or failure was determined by the thought and practice of local governors.Liu Kunyi,an important minister in the late Qing Dynasty,occupied a place in coastal defense modernization.His coastal defense thought underwent an evolution along with his experience as provincial governors,and his coastal defense practice focused on soldier training,talents cultivation,shipbuilding,equipment making and salary raising.His thought and practice reflect the changeability of coastal defense objective,the pragmatism of coastal defense construction and the diversity of coastal defense strategies.They also demonstrate limitations,that is,traditional concepts such as Yi-xia distinction restrict his understanding of western powers and his imitation of Western learning;the contradictions between the North and South Ocean blocs restrict coastal defense in the South Ocean and make it difficult for the Navies to form a joint force;and the lack of personnel,finance and military power make it difficult for him to practice his ideas.