华洋合作:中国近代疏浚业之诞生(1897—1911年)

China’s International Cooperation:The Birth of the Modern Chinese Dredging Industry(1897-1911)

疏浚业是与港口、航道建设密切相关的重要产业。19世纪末津、沪两地先后出现了以机械为动力的近代疏浚机构,有效地改善了两地的航道条件,对贸易开展起到了推动作用。由于缺乏技术和资金支持,中方不具备独立负担近代疏浚业的重任,疏浚机构最终是由与航道治理相关的华洋各利益集团合作的形式出现的,并以关税附加税为主要经费来源。这个利益集团既是决策者,又是出资方,同时还是河道治理的受益人,因此可以有效缩短决策时间,最大程度地提供资金和技术支持,推动中国近代疏浚业的发展。

The dredging industry is a significant industry,closely related to the construction of coastal ports and channels.At the end of the 19 th century,the modern dredging industry was established in Tianjin and Shanghai,which played an important role in maritime navigational improvement and trade development.Due to lack of technical and financial support,the Chinese government was unable to take charge of the modern dredging industry independently.The mutual cooperation of various interest groups,related to maritime navigational improvement,had great effects on the establishment of dredging organizations,which took the tariff surcharge as the main source of funding.These interest groups were decision-makers,fund-providers and beneficiaries of maritime navigational improvements.Likewise,they had the motivation to reduce the time taken in decision-making process,provide technical and financial support,which would eventually promote the development of the modern Chinese dredging industry.