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Keeping the Foochow Navy Yard Afloat: Government Finance and China's Early Modern Defence Industry, 1866–75

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

David Pong
David Pong
Affiliation:
University of Delaware
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Abstract

The Foochow Navy Yard was founded in 1866 by Tso Tsung-t'ang with the assistance of two French naval officers. In their opinion, they had provided ample funding for the enterprise, which was to construct a modern naval dockyard and academy, to build sixteen gunboats, and to train the Chinese in all aspects of naval construction, marine engineering, navigation and command of the small squadron, all within a five-year period. By a liberal interpretation of the contract, Tso managed to commit the government to funding the project for a total of seven years, up to early 1874. Since the objectives were by and large attained by that date, one could say that the Navy Yard was a success.

Type
Articles
Information
Modern Asian Studies , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 121 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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