Foochow Arsenal

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The Foochow Arsenal (Chinese:福州造船廠), also Mawei Arsenal (Chinese: 馬尾造船廠) was one of several shipyards in China built under orders of Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, leaders of the Qing government's Self-Strengthening Movement (Zìqiáng, 自强) of the mid to late 19th century. The shipyard was situated in Mamoi (now Mawei), a port town within the jurisdiction of Foochow (now Fuzhou), which is several miles up the Min River.^[1] Construction of the shipyard, the renowned Naval school (船政学堂), and other facilities began in 1867 under the supervision of Prosper Giquel and other French experts.^[2] The shipyard was almost entirely destroyed by French forces in 1884 during the Sino-French War of 1883-1885,^[3] in the Battle of Foochow.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Seltzer, 1133; Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board.
2. ^ Thomson, vol II, pl. XV; Viénet; The 1911 Edition Encyclopedia.
3. ^ Viénet.

[edit] References

• Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board. "Chinese Ports 1996: Fuzhou; Harbour Plan". Accessed 26 September 2002.
• The 1911 Edition Encyclopedia. "Fuchow". Accessed 24 September 2002.
• Ovenden, Richard. John Thomson (1837-1921): Photographer (Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, The Stationary Office, 1997), 17-18.
• Seltzer, Leon E., ed. The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World (New York: Columbia University Press, 1952).
• Thomson, John. China and its People in Early Photographs: An Unabridged Reprint of the Classic 1873/4 Work (reprint, New York: Dover Publications, 1982).
• Viénet, René. L'épisode français peu connu des Pescadores. Accessed 24 September 2002.
• White, Stephen. John Thomson: Life and Photographs (New York: Thames and Hudson, 1985), 20-23.