再說幾句美國庚款退款檔案

（20190802 補）還有一些該檔案中比較重要的內容想列出來，就在這吧，不另開貼了。

一，義和團事變中死亡的美國人：（pp163-4）這是來自美國申請賠款委員會1902年11月17日給美國公使Edwin H. Conger的報告（156--）中列出的：

Name                          Age          Place                    Date

Frank Edson Simcox     32         Paoting-fu             June 30.

May Gilson Simcox       31               “                          “ 

Paul G. Simcox              6                 “                         “

Francis Simcox              4                 “                         “

Margaret Simcox      10 mos.          “                         “

P164

C. V. R. Hodee               27            Paoting-fu           June 30.

Mrs. Hodge                   25               “                         “

George Yardley Taylor  38               “                         “

Horace T. Pitkin             31              “                       July 1

Annie A. Gould              33              “                         “

Mary S. Merrill               37              “                         “

Ernestine Atwater          12            Taiyuen-fu           July 9

Mary Atwater                  9               “                         “

Hattie J. Rice                  12            Tsehchou-fu        July 13.

Mary B. Huston              34            Kaop'ing Hsien       “

J. E. Desmond                                 Ku-Chao              July 21 

Mariette Manchester       28                 “                     “

Dwright H. Clapp             55           Tai ku                   July 31.

Mrs. D. E. Clapp               55             “                          “

George L. Williams           42             “                         “

Francis W. Davis               43             “                         “

Susan Rowen Bird            33             “                         “

Mary L. Partridge              34            “                          “

Ernest R. Atwater              35        Pen Chou-fu        August16

Lizsie Atwater                                    “                          “

Celia Atwater                       7            “                          “

Bertha Atwater                    5            “                           “

Charles W. Price                 53           “                          “

Page165

Eva Jane Price                     45        Fen Chou-fu       August16 

Florence x. Price                   6               “                        “

Hilda S. Anderson               27          Norgo Borto        Sept. 1.

Hannah K. Lund                   26                “                     “

Carl H. Suber                       28                  ‘                     “ 

這名單是死亡的平民，報告說（159），在圍困（siege）中，有67人死亡，168人受傷。      另有在保衛領館戰鬥中死亡的海軍陸戰隊名單：
Sergent（士官） John Fanning
Private（戰士） C. B. King
               J.  Kennedy
               J. W. Tutcher
               H. Fisher
               R. E. Thomas
               Albert Turner
               J. H. Schroeder

 

二，下麵是唐紹儀帶去的國書，也就是光緒皇帝詔書的翻譯（599）

LETTER OF CREDENCE.
(Translation).
THE EMPEROR OF CHINA
to
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
GREETING:
Mr. President:
China has always maintained the most friendly relations with the United States since the establishment of intercourse between the two countries. By taking the initiative in proposing the remission of a portion of the indemnity as provided by treaty Your Excellency has won the respect of mankind for magnanimity and just dealing.
Furthermore, the Congress has given signal proof of friendliness by giving efect to your Excellency's recommendations. In sincere appreciation of this generous action, we hereby appoint Tong Shoa Yi, an oficial with the rank of President of a Ministry and Governor of the Province of Fengtien, as Special Ambassador to proceed to the United States for the purpose of presenting this our letter. We have always placed entire confidence in his eminent ability, clear perception, and sterling integrity. We have specially comanded him, in the discharge of his duties, to convey to Your Excellency, the expression of our grateful thanks, and testify to Our lasting friendship. It is our hope that the relations of the two countries will be further strengthened by mutual confidence. Long may Your Excellency enjoy good health and happiness! May the American people be ever blessed with prosperity and peace! These are our heartfelt wishes.
Given on the 24th day of the 8th moon in the 34th year of Kwanghsu (September 19, 1908).
         

三，決定退還庚子賠款的聯合決議 1908年5月25日通過。（p236-8）

60th Congress    S.R. 23

1st session   [ Report No. 1107.]

In the House of Representatives

January 17, 1908

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs  

February 27, 1908

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed.

[omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in Italics ]

JOINT RESOLUTION

To provide for the remission of a portion of the Chinese indemnity.

1 Resolved. by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

2 States of America in Congress assembled,

3 That the President is hereby authorized to consent to a

4 modification of the bond for twenty-four million four hun

5 dred and forty thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight

6 dollars and eighty-one cents, dated December fifteenth,

7 nineteen hundred and six, received from China pursuant to

8 the protocol of September seventh, nineteen hundred and

9 one, for indemnity against losses and expenses incurred by 10 reason of the so-called Boxer disturbances in China during

11 the year nineteen hundred, so that the total payment to be 12 made by China under the said bond shall be limited to the 13 sum of eleven thirteen million six hundred and fifty-five

P237

2

1 thousand four hundred and ninety-two dollars and sixty-nine 2 cents and interest at the stipulated rate of four per centum

3 per annum, and that the remainder of the indemnity to which 4 the United States is entitled under the said protocol and bond 5 may be remitted as an act of friendship, such payments and 6 remission to be at such times and in such manner as the

7 President shall deem just: Provided, That within one year

8 from the passage of this resolution any person whose claim

9 upon the Chinese indemnity, nineteen hundred. was

10 presented to the United States commissioners or to the

11 Department of State and disallowed in whole or in part may

12 present the same by petition to the Court of Claims, which

13 court is hereby invested with jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate such

14 claim, without appeal, and to render such judgments de novo,

15 or in addition to any allowance or allowances heretofore

16 made, as, in each case shall be fully and substantially com-

17 pensatory for actual losses and expenses of the claimant

18 caused by the antiforeign disturbances in China during the

19 year nineteen hundred, excluding merely speculative claims

20 or elements of damage: And provided also, That the sum of two 21 million dollars be reserved from the Chinese indemnity,

22 nineteen hundred, for the payment of such judgments, the

23 same to be paid by the Treasurer of the United States as and

24 when they shall be certified to the Secretary of the Treasury

25 by the said court, and any balance remaining after all such

Page238

3

1 claims have been adjudicated and paid shall be returned to the

2 Chinese Government in such manner as the Secretary of

3 State shall decide, and the Secretary of the Treasury is

4 hereby authorized and directed to so return the same: And

5 provided further, That all evidence furnished by the claim-

6 ants, and statements made by them to the said commissioners

7 or to the Department of State, shall be transmitted by the said

8 Department to the said Court of Claims and considered to-

9 gether with such other additional testimony as may be pre-

10 sented by either side, and the Government of the United

11 States shall defend the said claims in the said court by such

12 attorney or attorneys as may be designated for such service

13 by the Attorney-General of the United States: Provided

14 further, That in no case shall the Court of Claims award a T

15 principal sum to any claimant which, together with the prin-

16 cipal sums said claimant may have already received by de-

17 cision of the United States commissioners and the Department

18 of State, shall exceed the amount originally claimed by said

19 claimant.

Passed the Senate January 15,1908.

                Attest: Charles G. Bennett, Secretary.

        By H. M. Rose

                                            Assistant Secretary.

（補完）

 

就庚款美國檔案還想再自說自話幾句，這個檔案很有學術價值，對庚子賠款/退款這個題目可以有很多文章可作，至少可以出一個博士論文，三個碩士論文（退款、唐紹儀訪美和留學生），並且具有權威性，因為這是第一手原始資料，比如決定退款的日期，有些中文百科網上寫為1908年6月11日，但是從這個檔案裏的文件看，應該是1908年5月25日，也就是美國國會聯合決議（joint resolution）發布的日期。自這份檔案公開後，如果還有討論庚子賠款尤其是退還賠款的學術論著，不對該檔案作參考的話，就降低了其學術性。
不光是庚款事，檔案還有很豐富的時代氣息，比如那個年代美國政府公文的書寫格式，政府文件流通保管歸檔的程序等，這份檔案都提供了大量實例，至少可以寫個碩士論文沒問題。比如它共有1098頁，都是對原紙質文件進行拍照後作成微膠，所以保存了原貌，甚至一些空白紙張也原樣錄入，還有相當部分文件一式幾份，可能是歸不同部門需要，其實真正的文件本身不到1千頁，可能就6、7百頁。文件是如何編號的，從發信到收到，多長時間（文件上都蓋有收件時間），有時國務卿會交給下麵助理國務卿回信，或者讓遠東局處理，等等，挺有意思的。另外，那個年代，美國政府結構似乎比較簡單，沒有那麽多層次，普通人可以直接給國務卿寫信，也會及時得到答複。比如賠款申請，很多人不清楚，就給國務卿寫信問，國務卿會作答，大部分可能是讓助理國務卿回，還都會附上有關文件（比如國會相關聯合決議）。
作為中國人，當然關心華人在1900年代在美國的待遇，頭腦裏肯定會想到1880年代通過的排華法案。但是該檔案裏，看不到對中國人的歧視，如果說唐紹儀訪美時，美國上上下下的重視，從之前對唐紹儀經過之處國務院、州和市一一通知，，到抵達後自入境港口開始移民海關甚至軍方各部門協調，給以方便和照顧，到民間組織對唐的重視邀請參加活動，等等，隻因為唐的地位，那麽檔案中流露出的，美國人對中國留學生的態度，都很可以看出，這樣說吧，受過高等教育的美國人對中國人在那個年代，沒有歧視，當然不排除個別人和各別事件。
說到歧視，一個個案，是對“Chinaman”這個公認為歧視華人第一詞的用語，如果要追溯其演變過程，這個檔案也提供了實例，文件裏至少兩個地方用了這個詞（我博客中引了一個，我還看到另一個，但是忘了記下來，），但是如果平心去看，看不出作者有歧視，隻是這個詞的字麵意思--中國人。所以，可能是這個詞後來被變化成歧視中國人的專用詞，或者就是在1900年代，它可以是歧視義，也可以是中性義，至少沒有現在這種禁忌觸雷的感覺。
最後說說美國的檔案，廣義的，包括檔案館，圖書館，這些是公共的，再到報紙等這些私營的，都處處顯示出美國對信息的重視，更是這種重視體現在實踐中，我想在北美住過的都有體會，去圖書館，裏麵的服務人員的那種熱情，細致，如果你沒找到你要的書，她們那種失望可能比你還強烈，總要幫你想個辦法，哪怕是她們圖書館之外的地方。我曾想要一篇1970年代的文章，發表在舊金山紀事報上（San Francisco Chronicles），我抱著“譬如勿得”（上海話）的心思給他們的讀者服務地址發了電郵，結果很快，他們就給我把文章發過來了，還說，本來一般是要收費的。。。美國國家檔案館也是，我也跟他們聯係過，索要過資料，結果也是很快就有回複。美國人是對信息的價值理解在世界上最深刻，並且付諸實踐的，沒有之一。當然美國錢多，也是原因之一(與之相比，英國檔案館就差了一點，沒有電子化，如果不去現場的話，網上很難得到比較完整的信息）。但是這種意識深入人心是基礎，記得南京新圖書館建成後，前幾年一次我想查一篇報紙上文章，記得某年，日期記不得，去南圖的報刊室，想請他們調出來，我一天天翻找，結果那個工作人員說這怎麽查，實際上是他不願意一趟趟跑，報紙可能是兩個月的訂在一起，一年的他要跑6趟，他寧願坐在那看他的報紙。這就是差距，上麵可能熊心薄薄，要把南圖辦成亞洲乃至世界第一，可是這種信息意識並沒有滲透到下麵人員，實踐中打折扣。

我這段時間又迷上檔案了，裏麵發現了不少料。慢慢一一上來，當然要注意版權，不過象我們這種普通人能看到，都是非限製版的東西。即使這樣，還是要謹慎。

還要提一下Goole Docs,這是一款將圖象轉化為文字的app，我在看這份檔案時，遇到想要翻譯的文字，比較長的，經常先把英文扣出來，就用它，很好用，以前在微信上用過一些，但是功能不如Google Docs，檔案裏有些紙張時間長了，發暗，文字不是很清楚，但是Docs還是能分辯出來，當然會有錯誤，這是可以預期的，也確實有不少錯誤，但是總體已經很滿意了。