A "silver dispute", the twists and turns behind the journey of the Beiyang sailors.
The birth of the Beiyang Naval Division and the diplomatic turmoil.
On December 17, 1888, the Beiyang Naval Division was officially formed on Liugong Island, becoming the strongest of the four naval forces of the Qing Dynasty, ranking ninth in the world, with 25 ** ships and 50 auxiliary ships**, the most powerful of which is the "Seven Towns and Eight Distances" fifteen ships**. Most of the combat ships of the entire Beiyang Naval Division were British-made, but the main ships were German-made. However, during the construction process, the British ** actually tried to directly control the Beiyang Naval Division, which was categorically rejected by the Manchu **, causing a series of twists and turns.
Behind the diplomatic strife.
In July of the 11th year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty (1861), in fact, Tongzhi had just ascended the throne at this time, and the blood had not yet been wiped clean. At that time, the official of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the official of the Prime Minister of Beijing, actually became a foreigner-controlled customs, a situation that made the Manchu Qing ** feel extremely humiliated. At this time, the Englishman Hurd ** General Department of Customs, a country's customs was controlled by a foreigner, which caused strong dissatisfaction among the Manchu Qing **.
It should be pointed out that Hurd is only the first General Department of Customs, because the real head of the family, Li Tai, has returned to the UK for a vacation. However, Hurd made an urgent appointment with Prince Gong, I hope to win the ** order of the Qing Dynasty. He believes that this order will not only bring huge income to **, but once successful, the British *** will hand him the post of the General Department of Customs, so that he can become a foreigner who can control the customs of a sovereign country.
Prince Gong's dilemma and negotiation skills.
Prince Gong Yi?At that time, there was a rush to form a modern Qing navy, and within the imperial court, the local governors also had many proposals for this. However, the biggest problem was the financial difficulties of the imperial court, which needed financial support for the war effort, and the construction of a modern navy required huge sums of money. It is estimated that the ** of one ** is as high as 1.3 million**, which Prince Gong did not expect.
In the negotiations with Hurd, Yi?Two opinions were expressed: one is that the cost should be paid in stages, and the other is that the cost should be preferential. He also subtly indicated to Hurd that Germany was interested in the order. Although Hurd scolded the Germans for being brazen, he also understood the financial difficulties of the Manchu court.
The climax of the diplomatic game.
Hurd proposed a solution, saying that it would not cost much to buy a fleet of a dozen small gunboats from the British, and that the budget could be kept within a million taels of silver. He suggested that by imposing additional duties on opium and customs duties, millions of taels of silver could be raised in a year. In addition, Hurd promised that the Royal Naval College would help the Qing navy train officers and provide military instructors, so that the Qing navy could develop combat effectiveness in a short period of time.
The settlement of the silver problem and repeated negotiations.
The silver problem was quickly resolved, and the British Navy was willing to provide training. However, all this is right?It seemed too good to make him distrustful and suspicious. In an unfavorable situation, Yi?He had to agree to Hurd's conditions and began to work out a plan for the purchase of ships with the Military Aircraft Department.
However, at this critical moment, Hurd recommended to the British ** that his superior, Li Tai, buy ** on behalf of the Qing court**. This recommendation complicates the whole situation, and Lee has played a key role in this diplomatic game.
The strategy of the British ** and the concessions of the Manchus.
On behalf of the Manchus, Li Taitai reached an agreement with the British** to place an order for seven warships and one supply ship. However, Li Tai even recruited more than 600 foreign sailors for the fleet in the contract, which eventually led to the dissatisfaction of the Manchu Qing ** over the control of the fleet.
After a series of negotiations failed, Li Taitai went to the Yamen of the prime minister in Beijing and tried to ask Prince Gong for helpPressure. However, Yi?did not see him, but expressed his rejection of the contract by sending a note to the British Minister to China, Bruce. This action caused alarm in the United Kingdom** and eventually led to the renegotiation of the contract.
The climax of the diplomatic struggle and the disappointment of the Manchus.
After the two sides renegotiated, an agreement was reached, the first leader of the fleet was selected by the imperial court, Aspen was the second in command, and all the affairs of the fleet were handled by the two ** through consultation. However, Li Tai later reversed his word and demanded to act in accordance with the original contract, otherwise the fleet would be dismissed and sold. This action made Yi?Extremely surprised, in the end, in order to protect the dignity of the country, he asked for the support of the US Minister to China, Anson Po.
The end result and reflection.
On the second day of November in the second year of Tongzhi (1863), the Prime Minister's National Affairs Yamen sent a note to the British side, rejecting the "Contract 13" and requesting an auction**, and the proceeds should be returned to China. After the Manchu Qing ** paid the salaries and severance pay of all the fleets of Aspen and other fleets, everything finally came to an end.
Epilogue. This diplomatic turmoil made the road to the establishment of the Beiyang Naval Division tortuous and full of waves. In the struggle for silver and power, the Manchus lost actual control of their own navy for a time. This history not only reveals the involvement of foreign forces in China's affairs, but also makes us think deeply about how to protect the independence and dignity of the country in modern society.
This article recounts in detail the diplomatic disputes during the establishment of the Beiyang Navy at the end of the 19th century, revealing the dilemma faced by China and the intervention of foreign forces at that time. Throughout the process, the Qing Dynasty was unable to compete for money and power, which eventually led to the issue of control of the Beiyang Naval Division becoming a complex diplomatic game.
First of all, the article vividly portrays the political situation at that time. During the Tongzhi period, the Qing Dynasty was in a difficult diplomatic and military situation, not only facing internal and external troubles, but also being subject to pressure from foreign powers. The British forces tried to directly control the Beiyang Naval Division through the General Department of Customs and Excise of the Qing Dynasty, which humiliated the Qing court. This political phenomenon reflected China's weak position in international affairs at the time.
Secondly, the article describes Prince Gong by describing itThe negotiation process with Hurd, the chief of customs and taxation of the United Kingdom, showed the tortuous nature of China's diplomatic relations at that time. In the negotiations, Yi?expressed his position and cleverly proposed changes to the **fee and**. However, the British side took a tough stance in the negotiations, trying to gain more power while mastering the ** order. In this process, Yi??'s negotiation skills and the pursuit of interests by the British reflected the complexity of international relations at the time.
The article then highlights the reasons why the silver issue became the focus of negotiations. In the historical context of the time, the Qing Dynasty faced financial difficulties, and the reparations outside the civil war made it difficult for the imperial court to provide sufficient funds to support the construction of the navy. This made Prince Gong Yi?Stuck in passivity, having to find a solution in negotiations. Hurd's proposal to buy a fleet of small gunboats became a solution to the silver problem, but it also sparked a power game that followed.
Finally, the article highlights the culmination and final outcome of the diplomatic game. The Manchus made a series of concessions in complex negotiations with the British, but ultimately held on to their national dignity at the height of their diplomatic struggle. Yi?By rejecting the 13th Article of the Contract, he demonstrated his determination to defend the rights and interests of the state. However, the whole incident also reflected China's weak position in diplomacy and military at that time, as well as the country's economic difficulties.
Overall, this article shows the dilemma of China's international affairs and the tortuous process of diplomatic struggle through an in-depth interpretation of historical events. For the reader, it will provide a deeper understanding of the complex situation facing China at the end of the 19th century, as well as the challenges faced by the country in its foreign relations.
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