英商太古安慶輪劫案與中英善後處置交涉（1928）

SS Anking Piracy and the Sino-British Negotiations on Pirates Suppression

應俊豪(Ying, Chun-Hao)

《海洋文化學刊》 27期 (2019/12) Pp. 79-113

摘要

廣東海盜問題是中國歷史上一個老問題，只要廣東稍有動盪不安或是發生戰亂，粵南沿海地區即可能演變成為海盜犯罪的來源與淵藪。而近代以來，當英國攫取香港作為殖民地後，因其毗鄰廣東，自然也免不了受到中國局勢發展的牽連，必須時刻面對廣東海盜的挑戰。1928年9月，英商太古輪船公司（China Navigation Co.）所屬的安慶號輪船（SS Anking），即遭到廣東海盜的荼毒。該輪搭載約1400名乘客，從新加坡出發，預計途經海口、汕頭、廈門，最後再折返香港，但卻在途經海南海口後，遭到偽裝乘客的廣東海盜攻擊，英籍船員死傷慘重，輪船則被劫往廣東紅海灣。安慶輪劫案後，英國駐華官員籌思規劃，窮盡各種手段，致力於海盜問題的解決。第一個方案是透過外交交涉途徑，向廣東當局施壓，希望其能夠立即探取軍事進剿行動。這個方案也很快就獲得廣東當局的善意回應，此乃因在國民革命軍北伐軍事行動後期，中英關係已經有相當顯著的改善，廣東當局顯然亦不願因此劫案而影響到雙方關係。不過，可惜的是，海盜勢力在大亞灣一帶顯然深耕已久，劫掠登岸後的撤退路線與掩護手法極其完備與熟練，所以即使廣東方面大規模動用武力進剿，但如無長期駐防方案，確實恢復地方秩序，恐也不易收一時之效。英國規劃的第二個解決方案，乃是希望能夠延續晚清以來的反制海盜方式，推動中英合作剿盜行動，特別是由英國海軍提供直接援助，以便與廣東海、陸軍共同進行剿盜行動。但中國方面依然還是不樂見英國介入中國內政事務過深。究其實際，廣東當局雖然表面上不反對考慮與英國合作，以避免損及兩國友誼，但實際上還是寧願自行派遣武力進剿海盜，以免除後續可能的爭議。英國規劃的另外一個解決方案，則是由香港調派海、陸軍部隊，逕自前往進剿海盜據點。但是就英國駐華官員來說，還是有許多的顧忌必須慎重看待。因為此時貿然動用武力，逕自在中國領土上執行報復行動，極可能對中英關係造成衝擊。況且就安慶輪劫案後的善後處置來看，廣東當局確實在獲知劫案後不久，即調動海軍艦艇與陸軍部隊前往進剿，並未以消極態度敷衍了事。於情於理，英國方面自然也不好再執意繼續推動獨立武力剿盜行動。然而，究其實際上述三個方案，似乎都無法有效解決英國方面念茲在茲的廣東海盜問題。誠如英國《經濟學人》（The Economist）雜誌駐香港特派員所觀察到的，任何方式均無法有效制止海盜繼續劫掠船隻，因為「除非南方各省能夠恢復秩序，並在一個有效率的政府控制之下，否則（廣東海盜問題）就毫無辦法可施」。

關鍵字

安慶輪劫案 ； 太古輪船公司 ； 中英關係 ； 大亞灣海盜 ； 廣東海盜

並列摘要

Kwantung Piracy was an long-lasting issue in Chinese history. Each time a turbulence or civil war occurred in Kwantung, this province's coastal area became a breeding ground for piratical crime. Since the Britain took Hong Kong as her colony, Hong Kong's adjacency to Kwantung had made the Britain involved with the pirates directly. In 1928, a British shipping firm, China Navigation Company's steamer, SS Anking, was pirated by Kwantung pirates during her passage from Singapore to Hong Kong. Many crews were killed or severely injured by the piratical attack. In order to resolve the situation and fight the pirates, the British government took three approaches. Firstly, the Britain, by diplomatic negotiation, urged the Canton authority to take military action to suppress the pirates. This proposal was accepted and the Canton authority managed a military suppression on the coastal parts of the province. But the result was not satisfying as the pirates still successfully fled. Because military actions could not work well without a garrison being permenantly deployed on the coast to maintain the order. Secondly, the Britain proposed a military cooperation between the two countries to suppress the pirates. The Britain was willing to offer military aids, such as gunboats, to the Canton military authority fighting pirates. However, the Nationalist government refused the proposal and preferred coping with pirates independently rather than working with the Britain. Thirdly, the British government never gave up the option of sending their own naval fleet on to suppress the pirates. In Fact, in 1927, when the Canton authority ever intentionally ignored the British appeal for taking care of the piracy issue, the Britain did dispatch special expedition fleets to sweep and destroy the pirates' nests for three times. But in 1928, as the two countries' ties became warmer and improved, the British government, under discreet consideration, did not think it was a good idea to take an action that might jeopardize the Sino-British relations. However, no matter how the Britain worked out a proposal to deal with the piracy issues, it still could not really solve the problems. Just as a Hong Kong Correspondent of the Economist commented, the solution lied in Kwantung's situation! As long as Kwantung's situation was still deteriorating, the Britain should not expect any improvement on the piracy issue.

並列關鍵字

SS Anking Piracy ； China Navigation Company ； Sino-British Relationship ； Bias Bay Piracy ； Kwantung Piracy

參考文獻

“Anti-Piracy Measures in Bias Bay,” Major General C.C. Luard, General Officer Commanding Troops, South China Command to C. Clementi, Government House, Hong Kong” 7 May 1928, CO129/507/3.

“British Minister, Peking to Consul General, Canton, Foreign Office, Hong Kong, Commander-in-chief,” 2 October 1928, CO129/508/4.

“C. Clementi, Government House, Hong Kong to Major General C.C. Luard, General Officer Commanding Troops, South China Command,” 7 May 1928, CO129/507/3.

“C. N. Co. Ltd.: Anking Piracy,” Agents, China Navigation Co., Hong Kong to Messr. John Swire and Sons Ltd., London, 5 October 1928, CO129/508/4.

“Colonial Office to the Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office,” 8 July 1928, CO129/508/4.