1947年3月11日英國駐淡水領事電文

Le̍k-sú-oân
kái keh-sek

延續著數日以來的電文,身在台灣的英國領事G.M. Tingle,於1947年3月11日再向南京的英國大使館提供訊息。以下為中文翻譯與原文(或下載PDF):

英國領事館,
淡水,福爾摩沙,
1947年三月11日。

20號
(專人交送)

長官:
我有榮幸告知閣下,透過基隆河橋樑一端的海軍哨指揮官之協助,今早我已能夠進入台北,他打開了設於城市邊緣的軍隊檢查哨障礙。通往市郊的道路相當安靜且空無平民。大約入城一哩處,有另一個路障與軍哨。再過去一點則可見到一些平民,有大陸中國人與一兩名福爾摩沙人。那時沒有槍火。而昨日還躺在路上的屍體已經被移除了。一名福爾摩沙女性與她的女兒,流著淚從馬偕醫院走到路上。來來往往的巴士上擠滿著將步槍砲口從車窗突出的士兵。士兵們正從一家店裡將米袋搬出載上卡車。路上的店家窗板關著,辦公室也都關閉了,雖然在長官公署附近還有一陣忙亂的活動。除此之外城市已是愕然無聲。

2. 我拜訪了美國領事館且聽聞南京方面未有新消息。我得知了Daw上校Colonel Daw應是指稍早來到台灣的南京美國大使館人員F.G. Daw。已經離開前往南京而有些失望,且由於缺乏聯繫,我錯過了送出電報的天賜良機。不過,我的美國同行告訴我,他已經與Daw上校充分地討論過當前狀況,沒漏掉他與我在上星期的談話中所表達的看法,且他有理由預期閣下將會被告知我們這裡的當務之急。

3. 居住在台北的英國子民限於兩個群體:商人與傳教者。我拜訪了兩方,確定他們都安好,不過Hermanson女士,一位加拿大籍傳道所護士,先前在四周槍火進行當中帶領傷者與其扶持者們進入馬偕醫院,顯然承受了劇烈的壓力。UNRRAUnited Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration;聯合國善後救濟總署。小組的英國成員,以及殼牌石油公司的Orr夫婦,居住在台北與淡水間的丘陵,逃過了這些經歷。

4. 北部的軍事行動──如果它們能夠被這麼稱頌的話──似乎已經結束,而且現在正要進入製造侵害的時期。當局正在追蹤「共產黨人」與「叛亂者」。在淡水已經發生一所中學的校長可能是指淡江中學的校長陳能通。,被士兵帶走後還沒返回,而兩名學生也在學校遭搜索後被帶走。據報在街上有著用刀劍執行的處決,但尚未確認。Hermanson女士今天早上向我報告了首件已知的士兵進入一間房屋的案例。他們將一名正在安靜地讀書的學生抓走,該人目前在醫院有六處受傷。台北所遭受的,恐怕就是中部與南部城市接下來所要遇上的。

長官Ralph S. Stevenso C.M.G.,
大使閣下,
南京。

我有榮幸做,長官,
您最順服、謙卑的
下屬。
G.M.Tingle.

British Consulate,
Tamsui, Formosa,
11th March 1947.

No.20.
(by safe hand).

Sir,
I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that I was able to enter Taipei this morning, with the help of the officer commanding the Navy post at one end of the Keelung river bridge, who overcame the obstruction of the army sentries at the post at the city end. The road through the suburbs was quiet and empty of civilians. Nearly a mile inside there was another barricade and military post. After that a few civilians could be seen, mainland Chinese and one or two Formosans. There was no firing. The bodies which had been lying in the road yesterday had been removed. A Formosan woman and her daughter came down the road from the Mackay Hospital in tears. Buses crammed with soldiers with rifle muzzles projecting from the windows careered up and down. Soldiers were loading rice sacks from a shop onto a lorry. Shops had their shutters up and offices were closed, though there was a flurry of activity around the Governor's Office. The town otherwise was silent and stunned.

2. I called at the U.S.Consulate and heard that there was no news from Nanking. I learnt with disappointment that Colonel Dew had already left for Nanking, and that through lack of liaison I had missed a heaven-sent opportunity of sending off despatches. My American colleague informed me, however, that he had discussed the situation thoroughly with Colonel Dew, not omitting views expressed in conversations which he and I had had last week, and that he had reason to expect that Your Excellency would be informed of our preoccupations here.

3. The British subjects who reside in Taipei are confined to two groups: the commercial and the missionary. I visited both and found them all well, though it was obvious that Miss Hermanson, a Canadian missionary nurse, had been subjected to severe strain shepherding wounded into the Mackay Hospital with firing going on around and at the wounded and their helpers. The British members of the UNRRA group, and Mr. and Mrs. Orr of The Shell Oil Co. live in the hills halfway between Taipei and Tamsui and had escaped these experiences.

4. Military operations in the north – if they can be graced with that name – seem to be ending, and the phase of victimisation is now being entered upon. The administration are on the track of "Communists" and “rebel." Already in Tamsui the principal of the Middle School has been led off by soldiers and has not returned, and two students have been taken away after the school had been searched. Executions with swords in the streets are reported, so far without confirmation. Miss Harmanson reported to me this morning the first known case of soldiers entering a house. They dragged out a student who was quietly reading, and he is now in hospital wounded in six places. It is to be feared that what Taipei has suffered is in store for the cities in the centre and south.

Sir Ralph S. Stevenson C.M.G.,
His Majesty's Ambassador,
Nanking.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient, humble
Servent.
G.M.Tingle.

原文是出自英國國家檔案館的「FO 371/63425」檔案。