外国公使驻京始末

18世纪末,西方国家为扩展其本国的商业利益,不断提出向中国派驻公使的要求。开始时包括马戛尔尼及阿美士德均是和平的交涉,继而是军事入侵。到19世纪中叶,发动第二次鸦片战争并打败中国以后,终于如愿以偿。西方国家的这一要求,有适应近代商品经济发展的客观要求,符合近代国际外交惯例的合理性成分。闭塞愚昧的清政府,既不能认清世界大势,接受西方的合理要求并发展自己,又不能有效地抵抗其军事侵略,终于导致了悲惨的结避,这种教训,当深以为戒。

At the end of the eighteenth century, in order to increase their own commercial profits, western countries continuously asked to dispatch ministers to Beijing. At the beginning, they, including Macartney and Amherst negotiated with Qing Government peacefully, then they began their military aggressions. At the middle of the nineteenth century, they launched the Second Opium War and defeated China. They have their wish fulfilled. Their requirement met the objective requirements of the development of commerce and accorded with modern international diplomatic practice. It was somehow reasonable. The out-of-the-way and ignorant Qing Government could neither get a clear understanding of the world situation, accept western countries' reasonable requirement and develop itself, nor could it resist their military aggressions effectively. At last, Qing Government suffered miserable endings. We should learn much from this lesson.