1927年愛仁輪事件的司法求償與中英外交

Claim Action of the SS Irene Case in 1927 and the Sino-British Diplomacy

應俊豪(Chun-hao Ying)

《國史館館刊》 64期 (2020/06) Pp. 1-35

摘要

1927年的愛仁輪事件，是一件牽涉很廣且甚具爭議性的海盜劫案。就劫案本身來說，或許不過只是民國時期廣東大亞灣海盜勢力猖獗，肆意劫掠往來輪船的日常寫照之一。然而，就事件的後續發展而言，卻極具戲劇性。遭到海盜襲擊並被劫持至廣東大亞灣水域的愛仁輪船，因為航跡詭異，被正在周邊水域執行巡邏任務的英國海軍L4潛艦發現，故試圖攔停該輪，執行營救任務。然而諷刺的是，愛仁輪雖被海盜劫持但並無人員因此傷亡，反倒是英國海軍潛艦的武力攔停舉措，適得其反，造成該輪因中彈引起大火而沉沒。總計高達24名乘客，因援救不及而命喪大海。愛仁輪事件發生後，國民政府外交部曾向英國提出抗議交涉，痛責英國海軍違反國際法與慣例，在中國領海擊沉中國輪船。英國政府卻否認海軍的武力攔停舉措有任何的違法失當之處，也拒絕進行懲處與撫卹賠償。由於外交交涉未有結果，蒙受重大損失的愛仁輪船東──輪船招商局乃決定另謀他路，尋求司法救濟手段，聘請英籍律師在香港高等法庭提起訴訟，控告英國海軍潛艦艦長，要求其負起所有相關人員撫卹與財產損失的責任。除了司法求償外，輪船招商局後來也運作國民政府外交部，持續推動求償行動，希望透過司法與外交途徑的雙管齊下，促使英國海軍為愛仁輪事件負起其應有的責任。究其實際，愛仁輪求償案的勝敗，不僅關係到肇事責任歸屬的認定，還有著更為重大的意義，亦即對英國海軍在中國水域執法權的質疑。如果輪船招商局勝訴，等於確認英國海軍在中國海域的不當執法，將對住後海盜案件的處理，形成實質影響。位處第一線的英國海軍艦長，恐將因寒蟬效應，不敢再任意動武壓制海盗劫案，但反之海盜活動，則可能因此受到鼓舞，而益發不受控制。本文擬根據中、英雙方原始檔案資料，探究愛仁輪事件求償案的始末。透過此案，也可以略窺民國時期中國新式企業處於內憂外患的不利環境下，如何因應調適的辛苦歷程。

關鍵字

愛仁輪 ； 輪船招商局 ； 海盜案件 ； 中英關係 ； 中國艦隊

並列摘要

SS Irene case in 1927 was not only the most serious incident of piracy in South China sea in the 1920s, but also a historical event with great significance. SS Irene of the China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company was pirated by notorious pirate from the Bias Bay in Kwangtung. The incident was accidentally witnessed by the submarine HMS L4 of the British Navy, which then tried to intervene and rescue SS Irene. But the hasty intervention and military action of HMS L4 unfortunately backfired, leading to the sinking of SS Irene and the drowning of 24 innocent Chinese passengers. Due to the heavy casualties, the Nationalist government asked the British government to offer a formal apology, punish the naval officers in charge, and pay compensations to those dead and injured. However, the British government refused and accused the Chinese government of indifference and inaction on the piracy problems in Kwangtung. The SS Irene Case thus became a major dispute between China and Britain in the late 1920s. Both sides worked hard to find international traditions in defending her own position and criticizing the other. After the tragedy, without sufficient governmental support, the China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company took claim action and tiled a lawsuit in Hong Kong against the Captain of HMS L4 for the loss of the steamer. The process and result of this lawsuit involved not only the legal controversy itself but also a debate between the British and Chinese on how to deal with piracy in Chinese waters by force. The role of the China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company in this case provides a clear example of how a new enterprise tried to survive international struggles and figure out a way to protect it business interest against the backdrop of China's internal weakness and disorder.

並列關鍵字

SS Irene ； China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company ； Piratical Case ； Sino-British Relation ； China Station

參考文獻

《國民政府外交部檔案》（臺北，中央研究院近代史研究所藏）〈愛仁輪被英炮艦擊沉〉。

Department of State (United States). Records of the Department of State Relating to the Internal Affairs of China, 1910-1929.(M329) Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1960（美國國務院《中國國內事務檔案》，簡稱RIAC）（臺北，中央研究院近代史研究所郭廷以圖書館藏）RIAC/893.8007/44.

Great Britain, Colonial Office, Original Correspondence: Hong Kong （英國《殖民部檔案》）（香港，公共圖書館藏）CO 129/506/8. CO 129/507/3. CO 129/508/4. CO 129/513/8. CO 129/515/1.

Great Britain, Foreign Office. Central Correspondence, Political, China, 1905-1940. London: Public Record Office（英國《外交部檔案》）（臺北，中央研究院近代史研究所郭廷以圖書館藏） FO 371/6646. FO 371/11670

《工商日報》，香港，1928年。