A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 55 Weihaiwei

The ship sailed out of Bohai Bay and first stopped at Weihaiwei, where it needed to pick up some British people.

Since the establishment of Weihaiwei during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, Weihaiwei and its affiliated Liugong Island have always been important places for coastal defense.

In 1888, the Beiyang Navy was established, and Liugong Island was also an important base.On the island, an engineering bureau, a machine factory, and a coal station have been established successively, and a large number of military facilities such as the Beiyang Navy Admiralty Office, Weihai Naval Academy, naval mansions, barracks, iron piers, and forts have been built.There are still many Beiyang naval sites on the island.

Later, the Sino-Japanese War was defeated, and the entire Beiyang Navy was wiped out.In addition to ceding land, paying compensation, and opening more trading ports, the Qing government also allowed the Japanese army to station in Weihaiwei. Liugong Island was occupied by the Japanese army for three years.

Then in July 1898, the British rented Weihaiwei and built Weihaiwei and Liugong Island into a training and recuperation base for the Royal Navy.They used Liugong Island and military facilities along the coast for fleet exercises, gunnery training and infantry shooting training, and used Weihai's suitable climate and beautiful environment to build a summer resort.

Weihai is now also a well-known health resort with a pleasant climate.In those years, when summer came, the island was overcrowded, and the business of the merchants also flourished.At this time, Weihaiwei and Liugong Island have become the "back garden" of the Royal Navy's Far East Fleet.

This forced rent situation continued until 1940.

The special mission was moored at Weihai Port, and Lockhart, the Chief Executive of the British Consulate in Weihaiwei, personally received Zai Zhen and his party.

Lockhart was a typical colonialist who conspired to occupy more land in Kowloon and the New Territories.This guy has also intensively studied Chinese for several years, and even studied Confucianism, and is good at engaging in soft policies.

Speaking of which, although the Chief Executive of Weihaiwei was also appointed by the King of England, his status was lower than that of the Governor of Hong Kong.But when it comes to the scope of power, it even surpasses the Governor of Hong Kong.

"Honorable Zhen Beizi, welcome from far away, welcome from far away!"

Lockhart spoke fluent Chinese and came over to shake hands with Zai Zhen.

In fact, Zai Zhen didn't like him very much. It would be too embarrassing for him to talk to a concession chief who was forced to rent.

Zai Zhen said: "Mr. Lockhart, please arrange personnel to board the ship as soon as possible, so as not to miss the voyage."

Lockhart said unhurriedly: "The county magistrate of Wendeng County under the jurisdiction of Dengzhou Prefecture in your country has also come to our office. Does Zhen Beizi need to meet?"

The entourage, Liang Cheng, seemed to have heard the news from somewhere, and without waiting for Zai Zhen to reply, he said directly: "Mr. Lockhart, the county magistrate is not yet in his turn to see Lord Bei. Since we need to wait, let's have a cup of tea in the office." .”

Liang Cheng whispered a few more words in Zai Zhen's ear, Zai Zhen frowned slightly, and then said, "As the special envoy of the imperial family, it is inconvenient for me to meet with officials of my country in the concession, so we still talk inside."

Lockhart seemed to have planned a good show, but since Zai Zhen said so, he had no choice but to give up.

After Zai Zhen and Lockhart entered the office, Li Yu walked over and asked Liang Cheng, "What trick did the British do?"

Liang Cheng snorted coldly: "Follow me."

Outside the gate of the Weihaiwei Administrative Office, a row of local officials from the Qing Dynasty stood, and they even presented two banners in the name of local businessmen.

One reads "Wan Guo Xian Xi", and the other reads "Zhu Xiao Hua Feng". "Wan Guo Xian Xi" means that all countries in the world are happy because of Edward VII's coronation;

On the left side of the banner is written "The Great British Emperor Ruilan", and on the right side is "Dedicated by the Merchants and People of Weihai Wharf".

Liang Cheng walked up to the county magistrate and said angrily, "Who told you to do this?"

When the county magistrate saw Liang Cheng's second-rank Dingdai, he quickly replied: "My lord, we organized it spontaneously. And I heard that Master Bei came to this county, and the local people wanted to pay their respects."

Liang Cheng said coldly: "It's not necessary, you can do whatever you want, but it has nothing to do with the special envoy and Master Bei, do you understand?"

The county magistrate had also prepared a red envelope, but he didn't expect to hit a wall.

After Liang Cheng finished speaking, he stopped talking nonsense, turned around and left.

Li Yu saw that the county magistrate and his party hung the banner of "Wan Guo Xian Xi" under the eaves of a house, and there was a portrait of the new King Edward VII in the house, and then kneeled and kowtowed three times in front of the banner and the portrait Great gift.

Li Yu felt an inexplicable sense of nausea welling up in his heart, and spit on the ground, what a low-browed, servile slave!

No wonder Liang Cheng didn't let Zai Zhen see it, otherwise it would be a diplomatic incident.

More than two hours later, all the people and goods that needed to board the ship were loaded on Weihaiwei's side. The envoy did not want to stay longer, and immediately pulled anchor and sailed to Shanghai.

Shanghai was regarded as an official berth, and the welcoming team was more formal: Lu Haihuan, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Sheng Xuanhuai, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Yuan Shuxun of Shanghai Road, and Fei Shikai, Deputy Chief Taxation Officer, came to see them in person.The British Consul was also present, and even the British soldiers arranged by the Ministry of Industry of the British Concession lined up at the pier to greet them, which was quite a spectacle.

Sheng Xuanhuai's servant is the second grade, he is also the Minister of Railways, and because of his contribution to the southeast mutual protection, he also rewarded the crown prince and Taibao. He is an absolutely powerful figure.

Many people may know him more because he brought down Hu Xueyan, but this actually involved the power struggle between Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, and the two of them were very at odds.Hu Xueyan started his career with Zuo Zongtang, and Sheng Xuanhuai was with Li Hongzhang.

In fact, Sheng Xuanhuai has made great achievements. He was the first to start the construction of China Shipping Merchants. He was the first bank in China, and it was through him that the Hanyang Iron Works really grew.Education is even more remarkable. The most famous ones are Beiyang University and Nanyang Public School. Beiyang University is now Tianjin University, and Nanyang Public School is the predecessor of Shanghai Jiaotong University and Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Sheng Xuanhuai also represented the China Merchants Group this time, and he arranged the Anping Steamship.

Few of the royal family and nobles at that time could swim, and most of them were landlubbers, who had a natural fear of the sea.Therefore, Sheng Xuanhuai repeatedly asked the captain's mate to avoid the wind and waves, and it would be bad if he got seasick.

Fortunately, Zai Zhen was quite satisfied with the itinerary from Tianjin.Of course, they were too happy.

The main purpose of the mission's berthing in Shanghai is to change ships. This kind of ultra-long-distance transoceanic voyage has to be undertaken by experienced British ocean liners.

Zai Zhen, Sheng Xuanhuai and others had a simple meal before boarding the British ship Penentini again.It's not that they don't want to eat, the main reason is that Liang Cheng has repeatedly warned Zai Zhen that the sea is by no means always so calm, and it's better to have less food in the stomach.

Everything is in order, the goal is to go straight to London!
(End of this chapter)