<研究ノート>『柴田剛中欧行日載』より

Abstract

いわゆる両港両都開港土市延期交渉の為、竹内保徳を正使とする一行が、文久元年～二年 (1862～63) にわたり、欧州六箇国に派遺された。この一行は、それが鎖国のあと最初の欧行であり、かつ当時日本との間に最も外交上問題の多かつた英・仏・露 (樺太定境の目的もある。) へ使することからして、各国事情の偵探が、また大きな目的であつた。組頭柴田剛中の日記によれば、全行程は、(一)、往路、(二)、五箇国巡行、(三)、普仏再渡、(四)、復路に分けられるが、ここでは (一) を紹介する。江戸出発 (十二月二十二日) 後最初の外地香港には、事情探索に一週間の滞在をしているが、これには当時の米国の南北戦争の影響があつた。以後シンガポール (太平天国の乱を探る。) はじめ、英アジア政策上の要点を辿り、エジプト (トルコ領) を経て、マルセーユに到着 (三月五日) しているが、エジプトおよびマルタでは「仏器先後渡」の紛糾が起つた。これ等実際の体験により、一行の国際感覚は大いに高められた。

In order to postpone the foreigner's residing period in Edo 江戸 and Osaka and to open the ports of Niigata 新潟 and Hyôgo 兵庫, the party, leaded by Yasunori Takeuchi 竹内保徳, was sent to the six countries in Europe, such as France, England, Holland, Prussia, Russia and Portugal, from 1862 to 1863; this meant the first travel to Europe after a long national isolation and the Important mission of investigating the condition of these countries with which our country had many diplomatic problems. According to the diary of Takenaka Shibata, chief attendant, we can divide their whole travel into four parts, (1) the outward travel, (2) the round travel of the five countries beside Portugal, (3) reentrance into Prussia and France, and (4) the return travel. This article treats the section (1) the outward travel. After the sailing from Edo 江戸 on January 21st, through Nagasaki 長崎, they stayed for a week in Hong Kong to investigate conditions there, this long stay which was under the influence of the Civil war in America. And then, passing Singapore at first and other points for the English advance to Asia, through Egypt of the then Turkish territory (under the construction of Suez Canal), they reached Marseilles on April 3rd. On the way they investigated in Singapore they investigated the Boxer Rebellion and in Egypt and Malta some trouble happened between France and England about the problem whether first landing place should be France or England. Through these experiences they had their international sense more improved.