英国皇家地理学会所藏上海开埠早期英租界地图考释

Research on an Early Map of English Settlement Collected by the British Royal Geographical Society

英国皇家地理学会收藏的一张开埠早期上海英租界的地图没有标注绘制时间。一种观点认为,该地图绘制于1846—1847年,另一种认为绘制于1844—1847年。两种观点均属推测。根据地图上的信息,结合当时英租界的测绘情况,可以推出该地图大致绘制于1846年10月1—19日。该地图为目前所见近代上海英租界最早的一幅城市地图,为早期上海英租界城市发展史提供了有力证据,并弥补了《上海道契》记载的不足,具有十分重要的史料价值。

A map of the English Settlement in Shanghai right after its port-opening collected by the British Royal Geographical Society did not mark its drawing time. One view holds the map was drawn in 1846-1847,another infers that in 1844-1847,but both are speculative. We reconsider its drawing time and try to evaluate the map based on the information on it. The results show the map should be drawn from October 1st to October19th,1846. It is the earliest map of English Settlement in Shanghai having found,and a very important source to study the developing process of English Settlement. Also,this map is of great value for the study of Land Deed.