再说几句美国庚款退款档案

（20190802 补）还有一些该档案中比较重要的内容想列出来，就在这吧，不另开贴了。

一，义和团事变中死亡的美国人：（pp163-4）这是来自美国申请赔款委员会1902年11月17日给美国公使Edwin H. Conger的报告（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                  ‘                     “ 

这名单是死亡的平民，报告说（159），在围困（siege）中，有67人死亡，168人受伤。      另有在保卫领馆战斗中死亡的海军陆战队名单：
Sergent（士官） John Fanning
Private（战士） C. B. King
               J.  Kennedy
               J. W. Tutcher
               H. Fisher
               R. E. Thomas
               Albert Turner
               J. H. Schroeder

 

二，下面是唐绍仪带去的国书，也就是光绪皇帝诏书的翻译（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，决定退还庚子赔款的联合决议 1908年5月25日通过。（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.

（补完）

 

就庚款美国档案还想再自说自话几句，这个档案很有学术价值，对庚子赔款/退款这个题目可以有很多文章可作，至少可以出一个博士论文，三个硕士论文（退款、唐绍仪访美和留学生），并且具有权威性，因为这是第一手原始资料，比如决定退款的日期，有些中文百科网上写为1908年6月11日，但是从这个档案里的文件看，应该是1908年5月25日，也就是美国国会联合决议（joint resolution）发布的日期。自这份档案公开后，如果还有讨论庚子赔款尤其是退还赔款的学术论著，不对该档案作参考的话，就降低了其学术性。
不光是庚款事，档案还有很丰富的时代气息，比如那个年代美国政府公文的书写格式，政府文件流通保管归档的程序等，这份档案都提供了大量实例，至少可以写个硕士论文没问题。比如它共有1098页，都是对原纸质文件进行拍照后作成微胶，所以保存了原貌，甚至一些空白纸张也原样录入，还有相当部分文件一式几份，可能是归不同部门需要，其实真正的文件本身不到1千页，可能就6、7百页。文件是如何编号的，从发信到收到，多长时间（文件上都盖有收件时间），有时国务卿会交给下面助理国务卿回信，或者让远东局处理，等等，挺有意思的。另外，那个年代，美国政府结构似乎比较简单，没有那么多层次，普通人可以直接给国务卿写信，也会及时得到答复。比如赔款申请，很多人不清楚，就给国务卿写信问，国务卿会作答，大部分可能是让助理国务卿回，还都会附上有关文件（比如国会相关联合决议）。
作为中国人，当然关心华人在1900年代在美国的待遇，头脑里肯定会想到1880年代通过的排华法案。但是该档案里，看不到对中国人的歧视，如果说唐绍仪访美时，美国上上下下的重视，从之前对唐绍仪经过之处国务院、州和市一一通知，，到抵达后自入境港口开始移民海关甚至军方各部门协调，给以方便和照顾，到民间组织对唐的重视邀请参加活动，等等，只因为唐的地位，那么档案中流露出的，美国人对中国留学生的态度，都很可以看出，这样说吧，受过高等教育的美国人对中国人在那个年代，没有歧视，当然不排除个别人和各别事件。
说到歧视，一个个案，是对“Chinaman”这个公认为歧视华人第一词的用语，如果要追溯其演变过程，这个档案也提供了实例，文件里至少两个地方用了这个词（我博客中引了一个，我还看到另一个，但是忘了记下来，），但是如果平心去看，看不出作者有歧视，只是这个词的字面意思--中国人。所以，可能是这个词后来被变化成歧视中国人的专用词，或者就是在1900年代，它可以是歧视义，也可以是中性义，至少没有现在这种禁忌触雷的感觉。
最后说说美国的档案，广义的，包括档案馆，图书馆，这些是公共的，再到报纸等这些私营的，都处处显示出美国对信息的重视，更是这种重视体现在实践中，我想在北美住过的都有体会，去图书馆，里面的服务人员的那种热情，细致，如果你没找到你要的书，她们那种失望可能比你还强烈，总要帮你想个办法，哪怕是她们图书馆之外的地方。我曾想要一篇1970年代的文章，发表在旧金山纪事报上（San Francisco Chronicles），我抱着“譬如勿得”（上海话）的心思给他们的读者服务地址发了电邮，结果很快，他们就给我把文章发过来了，还说，本来一般是要收费的。。。美国国家档案馆也是，我也跟他们联系过，索要过资料，结果也是很快就有回复。美国人是对信息的价值理解在世界上最深刻，并且付诸实践的，没有之一。当然美国钱多，也是原因之一(与之相比，英国档案馆就差了一点，没有电子化，如果不去现场的话，网上很难得到比较完整的信息）。但是这种意识深入人心是基础，记得南京新图书馆建成后，前几年一次我想查一篇报纸上文章，记得某年，日期记不得，去南图的报刊室，想请他们调出来，我一天天翻找，结果那个工作人员说这怎么查，实际上是他不愿意一趟趟跑，报纸可能是两个月的订在一起，一年的他要跑6趟，他宁愿坐在那看他的报纸。这就是差距，上面可能熊心薄薄，要把南图办成亚洲乃至世界第一，可是这种信息意识并没有渗透到下面人员，实践中打折扣。

我这段时间又迷上档案了，里面发现了不少料。慢慢一一上来，当然要注意版权，不过象我们这种普通人能看到，都是非限制版的东西。即使这样，还是要谨慎。

还要提一下Goole Docs,这是一款将图象转化为文字的app，我在看这份档案时，遇到想要翻译的文字，比较长的，经常先把英文扣出来，就用它，很好用，以前在微信上用过一些，但是功能不如Google Docs，档案里有些纸张时间长了，发暗，文字不是很清楚，但是Docs还是能分辩出来，当然会有错误，这是可以预期的，也确实有不少错误，但是总体已经很满意了。