美国所藏丁文江往来书信(1919～1934)

韩 琦

(中国科学院自然科学史研究所,北京 100190)

美国所藏丁文江往来书信(1919～1934)

韩 琦

(中国科学院自然科学史研究所,北京 100190)

文章披露了新发现的美国所藏27封丁文江往来书信,简要分析了他和美国自然史博物馆馆长奥斯朋、安得思、谷兰阶、苏格兰地质学家巴尔博的通信,及其与洛克菲勒基金会的交往,以揭示丁文江担任中国地质调查所所长和中央研究院总干事期间出色的组织能力,及其在募集图书和资金方面所作出的卓越贡献。

丁文江 中亚考察团 奥斯朋 安得思 地质学 古生物学

民国初年地质学史研究近年来成为学者关注的焦点之一,因为这一时期不仅诞生了中国地质调查所,也有许多瑞典、美国、法国、英国、俄国地质学家在中国工作,共同探讨地质学、古生物学、古人类学乃至考古学的重大问题。中国学者与外国学者之间既有竞争,又有合作,促进了中国地质学的迅速发展,北京也成为跨国科学交流的中心。近年来,笔者因从事相关研究,多次赴欧美查阅原始档案材料,发现了大量中外学者往来书信,原文多为英文、法文,其中丁文江(1887～1936)的书信尤为重要。

丁文江是20世纪中国科学界最重要的领袖人物。他早年在格拉斯哥大学学习动物学,兼习地质学,回国后又拓展到古生物学研究,致力于地质研究所的创建和人才的培养,1916年成立中国地质调查所,担任所长(1916～1921),又创办地质学和古生物学刊物,与国际学术界建立了广泛的联系,对中国地质学的本土化起到了重要的作用。1934年,担任中央研究院总干事,为科学机构和科学事业的发展作出了杰出贡献。

本文收录丁文江往返书信共27封,分别藏于美国自然史博物馆(纽约)、辛辛那提大学和洛克菲勒基金会。其中16封为美国自然史博物馆藏,起止时间为1919～1934年,分别为致馆长奥斯朋(H. F. Osborn, 1857～1935)信4封,奥斯朋回信2封；致安得思(R.C.Andrews, 1884～1960)信7封；致谷兰阶(W.Granger, 1872～1941)信1封；致自然史博物馆信1封,回信1封。辛辛那提大学藏有致巴尔博(G.B.Barbour, 1890～1977)信3封,写于1933～1934年。洛克菲勒基金会藏有8封,起止时间为1921～1934年,其中致G.E.Vincent(1864～1941)信3封；顾临(R.S.Greene, 1881～1947)致丁文江3封,丁文江回信1封；致步达生(Davidson Black, 1884～1934)信件1封。

这批信件是民初地质史研究难得的史料,下面择其重要者对相关背景做一简要介绍。

1919年,丁文江因参加巴黎和会绕行美国,在纽约期间曾拜访美国自然史博物馆馆长奥斯朋,不遇,之后开始了通信交往*美国《科学》(Science)杂志对丁文江访美有简单报道。在华盛顿时丁文江访问了C.D.Walcott，并由他介绍给奥斯朋。1919年步达生来华前，马修(William Diller Matthew，1871-1930)将他介绍给丁文江，说明在纽约时丁文江可能见过马修。。第一封信写于纽约(1月29日),介绍了三年前成立的约有20名员工和陈列馆的中国地质调查所,并谈到了筹建图书馆的必要性。由于第一次世界大战期间造成的交通阻隔,地质调查所战后迫切需要从各国科研机构获得资料帮助,丁文江访问了华盛顿,美国学者G.O.Smith(1871～1944)和C.D.Walcott(1850～1927)已答应提供著作,丁文江希望奥斯朋也能赠送地质学、生物学等相关学科的出版物。2月7日,奥斯朋回信,表达了未能与丁文江见面的遗憾,表示愿与中国地质调查所精诚合作,赠送一套较完整的博物馆出版物,并已安排馆员提供奥斯朋以及古脊椎动物部其他学者的出版物。丁文江收信后,迟至4月22日才在巴黎回信,解释他因去洛林考察铁矿,后染流感,未能及时回信,并向奥斯朋表达了感激之情,表示地质调查所正处于建立科学声誉的阶段,在世界上还没有其他国家的人像美国人那样对中国地质学家的努力表示同情,中国人永远不会忘记来自美国自然史博物馆的最初鼓励。

1921年3月25日,丁文江致信奥斯朋,对美国中亚考察团的到来表示欢迎,受北京大学之托,邀请奥斯朋演讲。他对奥斯朋答应赠送一套化石样本副本给地质调查所表示欢迎。丁文江也想在中国建立一个真正的自然史博物馆,打算寄送中方出版物给美国自然史博物馆,并希望美国自然史博物馆回寄不同的出版物。

1921年4月18日,丁文江致信安得思。由于当天上午,他们刚刚商谈了合作计划和工作地点的划分,因此丁文江此信目的主要是想强调中国地质调查所已对直隶、山东、山西、河南、陕西、甘肃、满洲以及热河附近的小部分地区,以及四川夔州府、万县等地感兴趣,希望保留这些地区给地质调查所和瑞典地质学家安特生(Johan Gunnar Andersson, 1874～1960)考察。地质调查所会将所有材料和信息供谷兰阶使用,也会向他展示一些好的发掘点,前提是谷兰阶不做任何哺乳动物化石的采集,也不撰写任何上述地区的文章。美国在上述地区之外的任何地点考察都会受到欢迎,地质调查所也会提供力所能及的帮助,并会和美国自然史博物馆分享部分化石副本。5月17日,丁文江再次致信安得思,谈到等安特生回来后将讨论考察计划,并让谷兰阶去好的化石地点。5月23日,丁文江又一次致信安得思,重申4月18日信的内容,提到安得思已承诺避开在丁文江申明的区域考察,但为了让谷兰阶获得一些好的藏品,丁文江决定把夔州和万县地区让给谷兰阶发掘,地质调查所已在此处发现哺乳动物化石。丁文江跟刚从野外调查回来的安特生谈及安得思的友好态度,安特生不仅同意丁文江让谷兰阶去万县考察的建议,还愿意将他此前考察过的热河化石点让给谷兰阶,*1919年7月,因尚未有人对内蒙古地区进行系统的脊椎动物化石搜寻,时任北洋政府农商部矿务顾问的安特生决定前往那里进行考察,并在热河、二登图等地进行了化石发掘。次年6月,他再次前往该地,并深入戈壁,在滂江、哈尔鄂博等地发掘出不少古生物化石。参见J.G.Andersson,“Essays on the Cenozoic of Northern China”,Memoirs of the Geological Survey of China (地质专报), Series A (甲种), 1923(3), pp. 36- 52.而热河动物群十分重要,因为它与中国其他地方发现的化石十分不同。

1921年9月28日,奥斯朋致信丁文江。他对丁文江的合作态度表示感谢,并提到安得思的来信,称丁文江与安特生、葛利普(A.W.Grabau, 1870～1946)为美国中亚考察团在中国所从事的地质学、古生物、考古学研究作出了很大贡献。作为对这种合作精神的回馈,美国自然史博物馆也将尽力帮助中方。奥斯朋对中国地质调查所发现的新石器时代人类感兴趣,期待有更多考古发现,并一直追溯到旧石器时代。

奥斯朋拟帮助中国在北京建立自然史博物馆,并赠送多余的样本。对于这一筹建计划,丁文江在1923年1月6日致信安得思,表达了自己的考虑和担忧。他指出,中国地质调查所已设有陈列馆,多年来不仅收集、描述和展出地质学样品,对古生物、考古样品也多有关注。为保持地质调查所在这方面的优先权,避免竞争和重复,丁文江并不希望美国在这些方面努力,而地质调查所也没有收集动植物样本的计划。

1924年7月27日,丁文江致信奥斯朋,信后附有一份备忘录,由丁文江、翁文灏共同起草,分别寄给中美两国公使。因为得知庚子赔款用途的新消息*1924年5月,美国众参两院以庚子退款用于我国教育文化事业为条件,分别表决通过了此案。9月,正式成立“中华教育文化基金董事会”(The China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture)。,丁文江希望获得相应资助,用于地质调查所的建设,并试图通过奥斯朋的影响力来达到这一目的。备忘录的大致内容是,美国人退还庚子赔款,款项不应浪费,使用经费应遵循下列原则：第一,从经济的角度看,这笔经费应当支持现有的机构,而不是建立新机构。第二,既然经费已决定用于教育和文化事业,那么从广泛意义上说,应包括科研机构。中国已有一些优秀的科研机构,如果可以获得资助,无疑会大大促进它们的有用性和效率。第三,资助的选择标准,首先要考虑的是那些已有很好学术成果记录的机构。如果这些原则被认可,那么可以说服把相关资助拨给地质调查所。备忘录还介绍了地质调查所自1916年建立以来,在地质图绘制和矿产资源勘察方面所做的大量工作,这两点对于任何国家的地质调查所来说都是最为重要的功能。除此之外,地质调查所还在努力做纯粹的科学研究,比如古生物学和考古学。除了实用的目的之外,地质调查所已成为智力活动(intellectual activity)的中心。备忘录中对地质调查所在地质测绘、矿产调查、古生物学、考古学、博物馆和图书馆、其他科学工作(如地层学、构造地质学、地震调查、地文学、气候变迁)、出版物等方面过去三年的工作做了总结。这些工作是在八年中完成的,而每年预算只有5万美元经费,人员仅有20位地质学家和古生物学家,2个外国学者与10个回国学生,但是出色的成果已经获得国内外的认可。他们估计每年预算6～10万美元,才能扩充博物馆,并防止人才的流失。

丁文江致巴尔博信共三封,为赴美参加国际地质学大会前后所写。其中一封写于返程途中(波兰华沙,1933年10月4日),当时丁文江刚访问俄国离开,汇报了在俄国的所见所闻和观感。1934年11月1日的信写给时在伦敦的巴尔博,回答了有关中国地质学方面的诸多问题。

丁文江与洛克菲勒基金会的顾临、Vincent也有书信往来。1922年,丁文江写信给Vincent,希望给地质调查所寄送一些出版物。Vincent给他回了信,帮助丁文江联系了美国纽约科学院、纽约植物园、哥伦比亚大学、美国自然史学会、麻省理工大学、麻省农业学院、耶鲁大学的博物馆、康奈迪克特艺术与科学院、宾夕法尼亚大学博物馆、卡耐基博物馆、芝加哥菲尔德自然史博物馆以及一些出版社,这些机构大部份愿意提供相关出版物,只有少数因为资金问题无法如愿。

纵观这批信件,让我们生动而直观地感受到民国初年的国际学术氛围。丁文江的信件分别写于地质调查所、北票煤矿有限公司、中央研究院等机构任内,内容涉及地质调查所的资料交换计划、与美国中亚考察团的合作、为地质调查所寻求资金支持等方面,从中可以深切体会到以丁文江为代表的中国学人的风采。当时正值地质调查所草创之初,筚路蓝缕,百废待兴,丁文江等人正是怀揣发展中国地质学的远大梦想与执着热情,才会孜孜不倦努力寻求国际上的学术资源和资金帮助。丁文江的书信行文流畅、文字优美、表达清晰,充分展示了其领导、组织乃至外交才能。与不同国家的科学家打交道,既有相互切磋共同发展的热情邀请,又有研究领域、地域划分等方面的冷静思索,有礼有节,不卑不亢,一切都以逐步推进中国地质学发展为目的。我们重温这批信件,不仅可以重建民国初期地质学发展史,体会前辈学人的艰辛,并且为当今学术交流提供借鉴,对新时代科学发展也大有裨益。今年是丁文江诞生130周年,特发此文,以资纪念。

1 丁文江致奥斯朋信(1919- 01- 29)*“农商部Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce”信笺。丁文江所用信封印有“Hotel Manhattan”,位于纽约Madison Avenue,应该是丁文江的住处。

29thJan. 1919 New York.

Prof. H. F. Osborn,

The Natural History Museum, New York.

Dear Sir,

The Chinese Geological Survey was organized some three years ago with a staff about 20 men and a geological museum. We at once felt the necessity of forming a working library. We realized however that the shipping difficulties caused by the War was a stumbling block and decided to wait for better times.

The end of the War has at last come and we hasten to ask all the scientific institutions to render us help. In America Dr. Smith and Dr. Walcott have already promised to send us as complete a set of their publications as possible. May I hope that you will not refuse us your most valuable contribution？

Our main interest is of course geology, but any paper on related subjects such as biology etc. is also welcome.

As I am on my way to Europe in connection with the Peace Conference, please address any communication on the subject to Dr. W. H. Wong, Acting Director of the Geological Survey, Peking, China.

Thanking you in advance,

Yours faithfully,

V. K. Ting

Director of the Geological Survey of China.

2 奥斯朋致丁文江信(1919- 02- 07)

February the seventh, Nineteen hundred nineteen

Dear Sir:

On my return to The American Museum of Natural History on January thirty-first, I deeply regretted to learn that I had missed your visit to the Museum. I hasten to say that we desire to coöperate in every way possible with the Chinese Geological Survey and will begin by sending you as complete a set of the publications of the Museum as is possible from the duplicates which have been preserved.

Personally, I have requested the Librarian of the Osborn Library to select a complete set of my own publications and those of my colleagues in the Department of Vertebrate Palaeontology, together with my Bibliography.

As you have requested, I am directing this letter to Dr. W. H. Wong, Acting Director of the Geological Survey, Peking.

Believe me, with most cordial wishes for the development of this great subject under your administration, and promising our most hearty coöperation at all times in every way in our power.

Faithfully yours,

President.

Dr.V.K.Ting,

Addressed: Dr. W. H. Wong, Acting Director,

Geological Survey, Peking, China.

3 丁文江致奥斯朋信(1919- 04- 22)

8, Rue Monsieur, Paris.

22 April, 1919.

Dr. H. F. Osborn,

President, The American Natural History Museum, New York

U. S. A.

Dear Sir:

I must apologise for not writing to thank you for your letter of Feb.7th long before this, but my excuse is that I was away from Paris on a visit to the iron deposit of Lorraine and on my return I have been laid up with influenza.

No other people in the world has shown so much sympathy for our efforts to reorganise ourselves as the Americans, and let me assure you that the Chinese are more than grateful. We will try our best to deserve such sympathy by continuous effort. You may be at least sure that the books which you have so generously sent us will be constantly used and well cared for. When we are in the position to establish our scientic credit, we will never forget that the first encouragement came from America.

Faithfully yours,

V. K. Ting.

Director of the Geological Survey of China.

4 丁文江致奥斯朋信(1921- 03- 25)

Peking, March 25, 1921

Dear President Osborn:

Your letter of the 10th Feb. reached me a few days ago, and I hasten to thank you heartily for your extreme courtesy. Mr. Andrews’ letter came to hand sometime ago, but as he will leave America before my answer can possibly reach him, I have not written. I need hardly tell you that we are looking forward with intense interest to the arrival of your expedition and I have been trying to think out a general plan which will be satisfactory to all concerned.

Your interest in the Far East is most encouraging to those of us who have been struggling out here for the last few years. It does one good to hear that such an eminent scientist as yourself is paying great attention to our problems. I was unfortunate enough to have missed you both times when I called at the museum, but your letter gives me the hope that I will very soon have the chance of entertaining you in my own country. Such a visit can not fail to rouse [sic] interest in scientific researches in China, and I am already authorized by the National University of Peking to invite you to give a few lectures on any subject you choose, and I sincerely hope that you may find it possible to accept such an invitation.

Your kind promise to hand to us a duplicate set of your collection is of course welcome, for it has always been my ambition to help to establish a real natural history museum in China, as I was deeply interested in zoology before I turned to geology. It reminds me however that we still lack the publications of the American Museum, for except the books you yourself personally sent us in 1919, we have not yet received any of the publications of the American Museum-we have not applied for them in fact, because we have been waiting to have some publications of our own before asking for outside help. Now we have ready a number of bulletins and memoirs of which I enclose a few copies. Will you kindly send us a complete set of the various publications of the Museum as well as putting us on your permanent exchange list？

Thanking you once more,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

Director of the Geological Survey of China

5 丁文江致安得思信(1921- 04- 18)*“农商部地质调查所The Geological Survey,Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce,Peking (China)”信笺。

April 18th, 1921.

Roy Chapman Andrews Esq., Peking.

Dear Mr. Andrews,

With reference to our conversation this morning about the best plan of coöperation and division of labour, I should like to let you know that we are already interested in the following areas and want to preserve them for the Survey and Dr. Andersson to work in exclusively.

Provinces: Chihli, Shantung, Shansi, Honan, Shensi, Kansu, Manchuria; Small area round Hallong Osso as shown by map, District of Kueichoufu and Wanhsien (Szechuan).

We shall be delighted to put at Dr. Granger’s disposal all our material and information and if possible, to show him some of our best localities provided that he will not make any collections of fossil mammals in, or write any paper on the areas mentioned above. You are perfectly welcome to work in any other place not thus preserved, and we will try to give you all the help we can and provide such duplicates as we are able to share for your Museum in return for this courtesy.

Hoping that you will approve of the proposal.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

6 丁文江致安得思信(1921- 05- 17)

17 May 1921

Roy Chapman Andrews Esq.,

10, Tzui Hua Hutung,

Peking E.

Dear Mr. Andrews,

Herewith I enclose the map and a letter from Dr. Andersson. The letter was dated 3rdMay but did not reach me until this morning!

As soon as he is back we will discuss our plan in detail, and I hope to be able to put Dr. Granger on to some good locality so that he can make a good collection straightway.

I have heard that the Chinese student Mr. Yuan is still in America. Do you want me to hurry him back？

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

7 丁文江致安得思信(1921- 05- 23)*“农商部地质调查所The Geological Survey,Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce,Peking (China)”信笺。

23 May 1921

Roy Chapman Andrews Esq.,

TzuiHuaHutung, Peking.

My Dear Mr. Andrews,

You will remember the letter I handed to you in my office on the 18th of April in which I stated the areas which we wanted to be reserved, namely, the provinces Chihli, Shantung, Shansi, Honan, Shensi, Kansu, Manchuria, small areas round Hallong Osso, and the district of Kueichoufu and Wanhsien. You have already kindly promised that the above areas should be excluded from your program, but after thinking over the possible ways of giving Mr. Granger some locality from which he could obtain a good collection straight away, I thought that we might hand over to him the district of Kueichou and Wanhsien which we have discovered to produce fossil mammals. Dr. Andersson has just returned from his field trip, and after I have told your courteous attitude towards our work, he not only agrees to my proposal that we should let Dr. Granger go to Wanhsien, but he is also willing to hand over to him the HallongOsso locality for collection. The latter locality is of considerable importance as it contain [sic] a fauna which is quite distinct from that of China proper.

Please let me know if you have received my last letter and the map. I may add that Dr. Andersson is leaving for Manchuria in a weeks time and is very eager to have a talk with you.

Yours sincerely

V. K. Ting

P. S. Many thanks for the generous remarks you made about our work the other night.

8 丁文江致安得思信(1921- 05- 27)

27 May 1921

Peking

Dear Mr. Andrews,

Thank you very much for your kind invitation to dine with you on Monday. I shall be delighted to come.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

P. S. I hear from Dr. Andersson that you are going to have Mr. Kungpao King that night. I shall much prefer that you will say nothing about our plans for the museum that night.

9 丁文江致安得思信(1921- 08- 29)

29 August 1921

Geological Survey, Peking

R. Andrews Esq.

Dear Mr. Andrews,

I was so busy that I did not manage to telephone to you until 4 this afternoon when you had gone to Kung HsienHutung. I was going to ask you to come over at 5, but as it is too late now, please come here anytime between 9 and 12 on Wednesday.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

10 奥斯朋致丁文江信(1921- 09- 28)

In re Third Asiatic Expedition

September the twenty-eighth

Nineteen hundred twenty-one

My dear Sir:

I have just returned from an important archaeological and scientific tour in Western Europe and find excellent reports from Messrs. Andrews and Granger of our Third Asiatic Expedition.

I hasten to express our appreciation of the cordial manner in which you are planning for our coöperation, and of the generous spirit of scientific interest which you are displaying. Chief Andrews writes that both yourself and Messrs. Andersson and Grabau have done everything in your power to make our share in the great undertaking of geological, palaeontological, and archaeological exploration in China a success. I feel sure that you will never have any reason to regret this spirit of coöperation, but, on the other hand, that we shall be able to strengthen you as you have strengthened us.

I am especially interested in the report of the discovery of Neolithic man in China by your Survey. This in itself marks a distinct step forward which will be followed, I am confident, by further archaeological discoveries, possibly reaching back to Palaeolithic time.

Believe me,

Cordially yours,

President.

Dr. V. K. Ting,

Director, Geological Survey of China

Peking, China.

11 丁文江致安得思信(1922- 04- 15)*“农商部地质调查所 The Geological Survey 3, Feng-Sheng Hutung, W. Peking, China”信笺。

15th April 1922

Roy Chapman Andrews Esq.,

Kung HsienHutung,

Peking.

Dear Mr. Andrews,

I am glad to hear from Dr. Wong that the summary of Russian literature compiled by Leuchs has safely arrived. In his letter he explains that it was impossible to get the maps ready as the Russians never published any and to compile from the topographical maps would take far too much time.

Please kindly send me a draft (payable to Dr. Leuchs Munich) of 10,000 marks as agreed.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

12 丁文江致安得思信(1923- 01- 06)*“农商部地质调查所The Geological Survey 3, Feng-Sheng Hutung, W. Peking, China”信笺。

Jan.6, 1923.

Roy Chapman Andrews Esq.,

The Third Asiatic Expedition,

American Museum of Natural History,

Kung HsienHutung, Peking.

Dear Mr. Andrews,

I have just returned from a trip to Jehol and have heard with delight that your plan for establishing a Natural History Museum here in Peking is being pushed a step further. You have my best wishes for success.

Allow me however to make a suggestion. The term “NaturalHistory” includes in its usual meaning not only zoology and botany, but also geology, mineralogy and palaeontology. There is in Peking no real museum exhibiting zoological and botanical specimens which is urgently needed, but the Geological Survey has been since 1914, even before its official inauguration, deeply interested in, not only collecting, but also exhibiting objects illustrating the geology and palaeontology of this country in all their branches. In fact two new halls have just been built for housing the plant and vertebrate fossils collected by the Survey. It has been and, I think, will always be the policy of the Geological Survey not to neglect this educational side of its activities. It seems to me therefore a duplication of effort to represent these branches of science in a separate museum in the same city and that it is highly desirable to arrange some division of labour in order to avoid unnecessary competition.

I am well aware that in some countries the representation of both geology and palaeontology is left entirely in the hands of the natural history museum, and the geological survey confines itself to the making of geological maps, but this arrangement is by no means universal, and it is largely a matter of historical tradition where the museum had existed before the geological survey was organised, or again the survey and the museum are not in the same city. Of late there is more and more cooperation between these related institutions even in such countries. For example the English Geological Survey is moving from its historical home in Jermyn Street to South Kensington in order to be near to the British Museum, and the close relation between the U. S. Geological Survey and the Smithsonian Institution is no doubt well known to you. In China the Geological Survey has already organised a geological and palaeontological museum before any scheme of forming a general natural history museum was thought of. It seems to me therefore not unnatural that it should claim to be the official representative of the sciences of geology, mineralogy and palaeontology including prehistoric archaeology in which it has been deeply interested, on which it has done a considerable amount of work, and for which it has spent not a little money to house and exhibit the collections. I think this will in no way interfere with the original scheme of the Third Asiatic Expedition which has every right to leave its collections—even the geological and palaeontological collections—in any museum or institution it may consider best suitable. I am only hoping that the natural history museum you are trying to organise will recognise the priority of the Chinese Geological Survey in collecting, describing and exhibiting geological and palaeontological objects, and come to some arrangement or understanding to avoid competition and duplication of effort in the interest of science.

I have been hesitating a great deal in writing this letter as it may seem that I am trying to interfere with your plans, but I have finally decided to do so in rereading Dr. Osborn’s letter of 10th Feb. 1921 in which he said as follows:

“We conceived the plan of presenting to the Chinese Government a duplicate set as far as possible of all the collections.—This we hope will prove a stimulation for a general natural history museum in China. It may be that the plans for the future of the Geological Survey are so broad that they would include the exhibition of objects of general natural history interest; our collection would be best presented to the Survey. This is a matter which I will be glad to discuss with you when I visit China.”

Remembering also your willingness of accepting my suggestion for collecting vertebrate fossils, I am encouraged to think that you will receive this in the same spirit in which it is written. To avoid misunderstandings, I may add that the Geological Survey has no plan to include zoology or botany in its museum which exhibits only geological, palaeontological and archaeological specimens.

To the best of my knowledge you have never yet gone through our museum. Perhaps you may have the idea that we are confining our attention to practical geology which is by far not the case. Dr. Wong is in fact organising a special exhibition of our palaeontological material. I think he will take care to invite you. Even if the particular day is unsuitable, you are welcome to come any other time if you will only let Dr. Wong know a few hours in advance. I think an inspection of our collections will give you a far better idea of our plans than any letters I can write.

As I understand that you will probably refer all such matters to President Osborn, I have taken the liberty to send him a copy of this letter.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

Director of the Geological Survey

13 丁文江致奥斯朋信(1924- 07- 27)*“北票煤矿有限公司 The Peipiao Coal Mining Co., Ltd Head Office”信笺。

Tientsin, July 27, 1924

Henry Fairfield Osborn, Esq.,

President of the Natural History Museum,

New York.

Dear President Osborn,

I enclose herewith a memorandum submitted by Dr. W. H. Wong and myself to the American Minister in Peking which explains itself. May I hope that you will use your great influence with your government to support our claim？ A similar memorandum has also been sent to the Chinese Minister in Washington.

I had the pleasure of dining with Mr. Andrews the other day when I was in Peking and was greatly interested in his plans for the expedition.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

July 27, 1924

Memorandum

The generosity of the American people in returning to China the remaining portion of the Boxer indemnity imposes upon the Chinese a duty to devise ways and means to utilize the fund to the best advantage that such generosity may not be wasted. It seems to the undersigned that before putting forth any particular scheme or claim, the following principles must be recognized.

1. The money should be used to subsidies existing institutions rather than establishing new ones, since this is obviously the best policy from the point of view of economy.

2. It has already been decided to employ the money for educational and cultural purposes. Now this should be interpreted in the most comprehensive sense so as to include those institutions which are doing scientific research. For education and culture cannot be improved by teaching alone—most of the institutions of higher learning abroad fulfil the double function of teaching and research, the latter being necessary even to make the teaching effective. In China there are a few organisations which have been doing a good deal of research work under difficult conditions, and any help from the new fund will enormously increase their usefulness and efficiency.

3. In making any appropriation to such institutions first consideration should be given to their past record which is after all the only just standard.

If the above principles are admitted, then the undersigned wish to submit the claims of the Geological Survey to those in charge of the said fund. The importance of such an institution needs not be enlarged upon, as similar organizations exist in all the civilized countries. The Chinese Geological Survey can perhaps put forth a greater claim than usual. For ever since its organization in 1916, it has not only undertaken the work of making geological maps and the surveying of mineral resources, both of which are the primary functions of the Geological Survey in all countries, but it has also strived to carry on purely scientific researches such as paleonto-logy and archeology. So apart from practical utility, it has become a centre of intellectual activity. The following is a summary of the work already done by the survey during the last 3 years of its existence:

1. Geological mapping-the provinces of Shantung, Shansi, and Kiangsu have been already surveyed on the scale of 1∶200,000, two sheets on the scales of 1∶1,000,000 are in the press. The latter cover large parts of northe [sic] eastern China and are made according to the rules adopted by the international Geological Congress. Two more sheets will be ready in a short time. In addition reconnaisance surveys on various scales have been made all over China including such distant provinces like Yunnan and Kansu.

2. Surveying of mineral resource-Every mineral region has been visited by the members of the Survey and the results of such work have been published in a memoir. “TheMineralResourcesofChina”. Special attention has been paid to the coal and the iron fields. A very detail monograph on the iron resources has already been published with a profusely illustrated atlas, and a monograph on the coal resources on similar lines is in preparation.

3. Paleontology and archeology:-Extensive work has been done in the above mentioned subjects and the results have partly been published in a series of monographs entitledPaleontologiaSinica. Dr. J. G. Andersson, sometimes Director of the Geological Survey of Sweden, and Professor A. W. Grabau, formerly professor of paleontology in Columbia University, have contributed largely to this branch of scientific work, but famous scientific workers all over the world, such as Schlosser of Germany, Boule of Paris are also among our co-workers.

4. Museum and Library:-The Geological Survey has organized a museum considering of 7 exhibiting not only the mineral deposits, but also, stratigraphy, dynamic geology, paleontology and archaeology. The library contains nearly 20,000 volumes and is in exchange with scientific institutions all over the world.

5. Other scientific work includes stratigraphy, tectonic geology, earthquake investigations, physiography and change of climate. Many important papers dealing with such subjects are to be found in the various publications of the Survey.

6. Publications:-The following publications have already appeared:

Bulletin, No., 1- 5.Memoirs.Ser. A., No. 1- 3; Ser. B., No. 1- 2; Ser. C., No.1.PaleontologiaSinica., 4 monographs.

All these have been accomplished in the space of 8 years with as an annual budget: of $50,000, and a staff of 20 geologists and paleontologists including two foreigners already mentioned and 10 returned students. That the work has been appreciated both by the foreign scientific institutions and the Chinese public is shown by the fact that numerous articles of appreciation have appeared in the scientific papers in Europe and America and that the library and the museum have been built by private donation.

Money, however, is urgently needed in order to extend the museum and to defray the current expenses, for in common with the other government institutions, the appropriation of the Geological Survey has not been regularly paid for many months. If nothing is done to improve the financial status, the institution must in time suffer disintegration and many of its most active members will be obliged to resign. It is estimated that an annual budget of 60,000 to 100,000 dollars is needed to put the institution on a proper basis. Any help given either in the form of an endowment fund or an annual grant will save the institution from decay.

Director of the Chinese Geological Survey

Acting Director of the Chinese Geological Survey

14 丁文江致谷兰阶信(1927- 04- 13)*“农商部地质调查所The Geological Survey 3, Feng-Sheng Hutung, W. Peking, China”信笺。

13th April 1927

Dear Granger,

Herewith I enclose a map showing the Lake Deposit containing mollucs [sic] near Chutsing. If in any near future you find yourself in Yunnan, the place will be worth visiting as mammalia fossils may also be found.

Your sincerely,

V.K. Ting

15 丁文江致美国自然史博物馆信(1934- 11- 01)*“国立中央研究院 ACADEMIA SINICA,HEAD OFFICE,48 CHEN HSIEN KAI,NANKING, CHINA”信笺。

November 1, 1934

Dear Sir:

We are trying to collect for our library the Constitution, Rules, and Regulations of scientific institutions of different countries. We should be obliged if you would kindly send us a copy of such documents of your organization and affiliated institutions.

Any other information concerning the work and present condition of your organization will be welcome. We hope also that you will send us any such publications as you have already in hand.

Yours Sincerely,

V. K. Ting

Secretary General

Academia Sinica

American Museum of Natural History

New York City, U. S. A.

16 美国自然史博物馆致丁文江信(1934- 12- 17)

December the seventeenth

Nineteen hundred thirty-four

Dear Sir:

In response to your letter of November 1st, I am sending you under separate cover a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of The American Museum of Natural History and also a copy of our latest Annual Report.

We trust that these documents will contain information useful for your purpose and shall be glad to cooperate with you further in supplying additional material if you wish.

Very truly yours,

Assistant Director

Dr. V. K. Ting, Secretary General

Academia Sinica

48 Chen Hsien Kai

Nanking, China

17 丁文江致巴尔博信(1933？)

Nord Hotel Sunday.

Dear Barbour,

You are the very man I wanted to see, but unfortunately your note did not strike my eye until one o’clock this morning so there was no means of telephoning according to your instructions. Besides I am engaged all day today and it will be difficult to find a convenient time and place to meet. I think the best way is to come here to lunch any day you are coming up town. I am usually at home for lunch, but please telephone before hand to make sure.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

18 丁文江致巴尔博信(1933- 10- 04)*丁文江所用为华沙“Polonia Palace Hotel”信笺。

My dear Barbour,

At last I have come out of U.S.S.R!

I entered Russia on the 30thAug. & left it on the 3rd Oct. In 34 days I travelled some 8000 kms. I was at Moscow, Leningrad, Tula, Baku, Tiblis-Vladikavkas (across n. Caucasus), Rostov, Donetz Basin, Dnieprostrog (the big hydro-electrical station) and Kiev. I saw a great deal of the oil, iron & coal industry of U.S.S.R.

Everywhere I saw new buildings (l’Américaine), and in the mining districts new deve-lopment works. They have increased their petroleum production by 100%, & coal & iron 50%. If nothing unforseen happens, U.S.S.R. will probably attain the economic level of W. Europe in 25- 30 years time.

That does not mean that life in U.S.S.R. is in any way easy. Thanks to the good harvest this year, bread is no longer scarce, but everything else is! All the food and clothing which the people needed but did not get have gone into the heavy industry.

I think the Communist regime is going to stay. The young generation is quite reconciled to it; the old is not, but the latter does not count.

I was everywhere received with great courtesy. The Russian geological service actually sent a man to go with use at their own expense (accounting to some 3,000R). Nor did anybody try to restrict my freedom of movement. Nevertheless the journey has been a rather strenuous one and I arrive at Warsaw with the sense of relief.

In a few days I will sail from Venice for China.

With kind regards to Mrs Barbour,

Yours ever

V. K. Ting

19 丁文江致巴尔博信(1934- 11- 01)*“国立中央研究院ACADEMIA SINICA,HEAD OFFICE,48 CHEN HSIEN KAI,NANKING, CHINA”信笺。

November 1, 1934

Dr. G. B. Barbour

Queen’s Gate Hotel

Queen’s Gate

South Kensington

London.

Dear Barbour,

Many thanks for your letter of 14th of October.

Here is my answer to your questionaires:

(1) My views about Yunnan have been considerably changed-not due to Gregory or Credner but due to careful working out of field notes (when I wrote the Congress paper I had no time to work the thing out), and to my observations in Kwangsi. The main point is that most of the overthrusts are really unconformities-the Permian (and possibly Moscovian) limestone overlies all sorts of Strata. Deprat thought these to be overthrusts. So did I. But now I am convinced that they are due to Hercynian (Premoscovian) folding.

(2) Yes, The articles contain some physiographical material. I have written to have these sent to you directly from the Independent Review office.

(3) Yes, In fact the idea was originally mine-I told Gregory in 1911 before I went to Yunnan when we were looking at Davie’s map together.

(4) Pay no attention to Credner who certainly talks through his hat.

(5) Heim’s mapping is worthless. The supposed cretaceous Red Beds are mainly Devonian. Hence the supposed overthrusts do not exist.

(6) I see no evidence whatsoever of Himalayan folding in China at all. Its general absence for Burma confirms my view that folding in Yunnan is largely Yenshanian.

(7) On the evidence of Yunnan alone it is not possible to date the folding very accurately. No beds older than Pliocene and younger than Jurassic have been discovered.

(8) Both fault scarp and fault-line scarp may exist. Most if not all the basins are true basins of subsidence.

I have told Wong about your idea of publishing your report on Lushan. He must finally decide.

Please do not forget to let me know the price of the lettering machine which I bought from you.

With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

P. S.-Remember me to your family and Wordie.

20 丁文江致Vincent信(1921- 09- 08)*“农商部地质调查所The Geological Survey,Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce”信笺。

8 Sep. 1921

G. R. Vincent Esq.

Dear Sir,

I enclose herewith a letter of introduction from my friend, Mr. R. C. Andrews. Will you kindly let me know when it will be convenient for me to call？ As I have to go to Tientsien on business, I shall be grateful if you will make an appointment a few days ahead so as to enable me to get back.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

21 G. E. Vincent致丁文江信(1921- 09- 26)

Sept.26, 1921.

Dr. V. K. Ting,

Directeur du Service Geologique Chinois, Peking.

My dear Dr. Ting:

I am sorry it was not possible for Mr. Rockefeller to visit the site which you have in mind for the new museum. I spoke to him about it, as I promised, and gave him a brief idea of what you were hoping to accomplish.

It was a pleasure to meet you again the other day in the Western Hills. We were much impressed with the institutions which are being built up there.

With best wishes, I am

Yours sincerely,

G E Vincent

22 Vincent致丁文江信(1922- 04- 20)

April 20, 1922

My dear Doctor Ting:

A number of responses have been received to requests for publications for the Geological Survey. I think you may be interested and am, therefore, appending a list of those received to date. We shall be glad to write you from time to time as we have information of further responses.

I hope that ample and valuable material may reach you promptly.

With best wishes,

Sincerely yours,

George E. Vincent

Doctor V. K. Ting

Director, The Geological Survey

Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce

Peking, China

23 顾临致丁文江信(1923- 05- 16)

May 16, 1923

My Dear Dr. Ting:

I have much pleasure in introducing to you Dr. Ellsworth Huntington, Research Professor of Geology at the Yale University, with whose important work you are doubtless familiar. I believe Dr. Huntington is planning to leave for the Far East and I can think of no institution in China which could be so helpful to him as the Chinese Geological Survey. We shall greatly appreciate any courtesies that you may be able to show Dr. Huntington.

Sincerely yours,

Roger S. Greene

Dr. V. K. Ting, Director

Chinese Geological Survey

Peking, China

24 顾临致丁文江(1927- 01- 17)

January 17, 1927

Dear Dr. Ting:

I am much distressed to learn from the Shanghai papers of the serious injuries which you suffered last month in an automobile accident. I hope very much that the encouraging reports which the newspapers gave as to the prospect for your early recovery were actually justified.

You must know with what keen and sympathetic interest your friends are watching the important work that you are doing in Shanghai. We believe that you have a very important contribution to make to the welfare of your country and to the establishment of better relations with foreign power based on the recognition of the right of China to the equal treatment which she deserves as a great nation.

I am expecting to leave for China early in May and hope to see you either in Shanghai or Peking early in June.

With kindest regards and best wishes, I am

Yours sincerely,

Roger S. Greene

Dr. V. K. Ting, Director

Shanghai-Woosung Special Municipality

Shanghai, China

25 顾临致丁文江(1927- 03- 21)

March 21, 1927

Dear Dr. Ting:

This will introduce to you Mr. Vincent Sheean, an American writer who is going to China partly to execute a commission for “Asia”, an American magazine published in New York City which has taken a very liberal and, I think, far-sighted view of the policy which the United States ought to adopt in China. I shall greatly appreciate any help that you can give Mr. Sheean in his task of trying to get a right idea about what is actually going on in China.

Yours sincerely,

Roger S. Greene

Director

Dr. V. K. Ting

26 丁文江致步达生信(1932- 04- 18)

April 18, 1932

Dear Dr. Black:

Have only just received your letter. As far as I can see everything is O.K. Fu telephoned me up a few moments ago and expressed satisfaction.

Yours,

V.K. Ting

27 丁文江致顾临信(1934- 04- 17)

The National Geological Survey of China

9, Ping Ma Ssu, West City, Peiping, China

17 April 1934

My dear Mr. Greene:

I am in receipt of your letter of today and have read through Stevenson’s letter.

I happen to be quite familiar with Morant’s work and rate him highly. But as far as I know he is more of an anthropologist pure and simple, i.e., he is more familiar with living races than anything else. I doubt very much if he has much knowledge of pre-history, let alone Cenozoic geology. It is true that Black applied Morant’s method, but then Black’s interpretation and point of view are much wider than Morant’s (as far as I can judge). Personally I would prefer a man more familiar with pre-history (if not geology also). I doubt if a pure biometrician would suit our purpose. On the other hand if we want to turn our institute (or laboratory) into an anthropological one, Morant would probably do very well.

Yours sincerely,

V. K. Ting

P. S. Why not ask E. Smith’s opinion about Morant？

致 谢 2013年11月访问美国,承蒙美国自然史博物馆(纽约)、洛克菲勒基金会档案馆、美国辛辛那提大学档案馆Kevin Grace先生的帮助,谨致谢忱。

V. K. Ting’s Correspondence (1919-1934) in American Collection

HAN Qi

(InstitutefortheHistoryofNaturalSciences,CAS,Beijing100190,China)

V. K. Ting (1887-1936) was a famous scientific leader and geologist in the early years of the Republic of China. This paper describes 27 newly found letters to and from him in Ame-rican collection. These include his correspondence with H. F. Osborn (1857-1935), president of American Museum of Natural History, R. C. Andrews (1884-1960), W. Granger (1872-1941), G. B. Barbour (1890-1977), G. E. Vincent (1864-1941), R. S. Greene (1881-1947) and D. Black (1884-1934). Based on these letters, it analyzes the important roles V. K. Ting played in searching for the support in getting books and funding for the Geological Survey of China.

V. K. Ting, American Central Asiatic Expeditions, H. F. Osborn, R. C. Andrews, geology, paleontology

N092∶K826.1

A

1000- 0224(2017)01- 0112- 23

2017- 01- 23 作者简介：韩琦,1963年生,浙江嵊州人,特聘研究员,博士生导师,主要研究明清科学史,中西科学、文化交流史和清末民初科学史。 基金项目：中国科学院重点部署项目“地质学在中国的本土化研究”(项目编号：KZZD- EW- TZ- 01)