| Since the 1870 s,marine crises came one after another,the Qing Dynasty army retreated one step after another.In this situation,the late Qing Dynasty newspapers deeply realized the lack of the concept of sea power was one of the important reasons for the Qing Dynasty going to decline.It was particularly marked by the discussion on the finance of costal defence for the Qing Dynasty which caused by Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1874.After that,how countries could manage the sea and safeguard their maritime rights had become one of the essential news topics on the late Qing Dynasty newspapers.By publishing maritime news,the late Qing Dynasty newspapers presented views about sea power,stated their positions about safeguard sea power,continued expanding the meaning of sea power,promoted the communication of the concept of sea power in the late Qing Dynasty society.This study adopts case analysis and textual analysis to chronologically investigate the maritime news of Shun Pao from 1872 to 1911,then analyses the concept of sea power and significant influences through its communication.Meanwhile,this study also investigates other late Qing Dynasty newspapers such as Shu Daily,Sin Wan Pao,Eastern Times and so on,combines official documents,letters,memories and historical compilations to make sure the accuracy about newspaper news and historical facts,hope to reveal the strong connection and profound significance between maritime news and communication of the concept of sea power on the late Qing Dynasty newspapers.This study finds that,by summarising the experience and lessons of sea warfare,demonstrating the facts about how foreign countries made use of their own navy to strengthen national power,introducing the competition for sea power among different countries,the representative late Qing Dynasty newspaper Shun Pao presented varieties of views about sea power,for example like“strengthen coastal defence to consolidate national defence”,“train navy to raise national prestige”,“found naval force to achieve national prosperity and enrich people”,“scramble sea power to safeguard national sovereignty”.In the process of communicating the concept of sea power including coastal defence career,naval force construction,maritime rights and sovereignty of South China Sea,the late Qing Dynasty newspapers had refined sea power judgements,constructed specific meanings of sea power.In-depth knowledge about managing sea and safeguarding maritime rights on the late Qing Dynasty newspapers,which had reflected collective awakening of the consciousness of sea power in modern China. |
