光緒二十四年九月一日(1898年10月15日),清廷任命督辦鐵路大臣盛宣懷(1844-1916)代表中國與英商簽署〈江蘇浙江省之蘇杭甬鐵路草約〉四條,同意借英國資金建造鐵路。光緒三十一年(1905),浙江眾京官向商部呈稱,欲成立商辦浙江鐵路公司,自行建造浙江地區的鐵路,此行動得到清廷的允許。但是,盛宣懷與英商簽署的草約隨後浮上檯面,激起浙江鐵路公司主事者的不安情緒。屬於浙籍官紳的浙路代表,曾兩度前往北京與中央部會協商,希望解決因借款而起的爭議。除了浙籍官紳穿梭於清廷與浙江鐵路公司之間,浙江巡撫亦須承擔來自中央部會與浙江諮議局議員的壓力。本文在借款造路、預備立憲的大環境下,考察位處清廷與浙江鐵路公司之間的浙籍官紳與浙江巡撫,呈現清末政治秩序變動的一種面向。
On October 15, 1898, Sheng Xuan-Huai, representing the Qing court, negotiated with British representatives. He signed the "Protocol of Suzhou-Hangzhou-Ningbo Railway of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces" on October 15, 1898, and agreed to borrow money from the British merchants to build the railway. In 1905, Zhejiang officials stationed in Beijing applied to the Ministry of Economic Affairs for the establishment of the Zhejiang Railway Company, which was subsequently approved by the Qing court. Zhejiang officials, gentries, and merchants who invested the Company later learned of the protocol signed by Sheng Xuan-Huai, and thus tried to abolish it in consideration of their interests. To resolve the dispute, representatives of the Company negotiated twice with the central government. This paper asserts that Zhejiang officials, gentries, and provincial governors were caught between various stakeholders, bearing pressure from all sides. By examining the tensions and interactions among them, this paper further explores the changes in institutions and political order in Late Qing.