Hosea Ballou Morse
Encyclopedia
Hosea Ballou Morse, who published under the name H.B. Morse, was an American who served in the Chinese Imperial Maritime Custom Service
from 1874 to 1908, but is best known for his scholarly publications after his retirement, most prominently The International Relations of the Chinese Empire, a three volume chronicle of the relations of the Qing dynasty with Western countries, and Chronicles of the East India Company.
Morse descended from New England stock although for five generations his family lived in Nova Scotia, where he was born. The family returned to Medford, Massachusetts when Morse was young. He attended Boston Latin School
and graduated from Harvard College
in 1874, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He married Annie Josephine Welsford in London on February 8, 1881. The couple had no children of their own. After Morse's retirement, they lived in Surrey, England, and during World War I he became a British citizen. He was granted an honorary LL.D. from Western Reserve University in 1913 and an Honorary LL.D. from Harvard in his Fiftieth Reunion year, 1924. He died in on February 13, 1934 in Surrey
, England.
under Sir Robert Hart, who had headed the Service since 1860. Morse was at first stationed in Shanghai, where he studied the northern dialect, Mandarin, for an hour each day before breakfast, and then served in Peking. His spoken Chinese became good enough for interpreting day to day business, but he could not read well enough to handle a wide variety of texts. He was posted to Tientsin in in 1877, doing extra duty for the North China Famine of that winter and the following summer. When posted to the London office of the Customs Service, he met Annie Josephine Welsford -- "Nan" -- who had been born in Brooklyn to British parents. They were married in 1881. While in London, Morse also joined the Royal Asiatic Society
and met a number of the leading Orientalists of the time. On the couple's subsequent posting to Tientsin, Nan took an almost instant dislike to China and the Chinese, though it is not clear how this affected her husband's attitudes. Morse was involved under Li Hongzhang
's direction, in the diplomacy surrounding the Sino-French War
of 1885 for which he received the Order of the Double Dragon, third division, second class.
In the following years Morse helped to audit and supervise the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company
, a joint venture between Chinese officials and merchants. He worked with Sheng Xuanhuai
, but ran into trouble negotiating the political currents. Upon his resignation from the company in 1877, he was reassigned to Shanghai, where he supervised the Statistical Department. In the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, he found himself one of some two hundred and fifty members, most of whom worked for the Customs Service, and soon became one of the most productive. He and Nan were sent to Pakhoi (Mandarin: Beihai), on the north coast of the Gulf of Tonkin
, in 1889, and then on a two year leave in the United States. Their next posting was to Tamsui in Taiwan
, where he experienced the First Sino-Japanese War
in 1895. He then served in Pakhoi once more, Youzhou, Hunan, and Hankow. Poor health forced him to take leave from 1900-1903, but he returned to the Customs Service to head the Statistical Service from 1904 to 1908. He retired from the Customs Service in 1908.
, president of Western Reserve University. A long-time smoker, he died of pneumonia in February, 1934.
Morse published his first large work in 1908, the year of his retirement, The Trade and Administration of the Chinese Empire. The first volume of The International Relations of the Chinese Empire came out in 1910 (the third and last volume in 1918). Articles in magazines and journals included "A Short Lived Republic," which recounted his resistance to the 1895 takeover of Taiwan
by Japan and the attempt to establish an independent nation. His novel, In the Days of the Taipings drew on the material in Volume II of International Relations to portray the viewpoints of both foreigners and of the Taiping
leaders who rebelled against the dynasty which Morse had served. His most ambitious project was the massive documentary study of the British East India Company
based on records in London's India Office, Chronicles of the East India Company. He had first contemplated the study in 1919, and was able to carry it out only because the India Office allowed him to remove the record books and ledgers and work on them at home. He scrupulously summarized and edited some two hundred years of trade and commercial relations of the Company, giving historians a lasting documentary.
Western study of China was changing, however. John K. Fairbank
went to Morse for scholarly guidance in 1929 and considered himself a disciple. He wrote that although the older scholar lived through the decades of foreign imperialism and the collapse of the Qing empire, his historical work "avoids the obtrusive chauvinism of the Western treaty port community of that period." He recalled that "to me, as to other beginners, he offered generous encouragement and wise counsel." Fairbank characterized The International Relations of the Chinese Empire as "the most comprehensive history of modern China" in its time, but added that it was "foreign-documented bluebook history," that is, diplomatic history which described foreign wars and treaties -- "what was done in and to China by foreigners." He noted that in the 1930s, a new generation of China specialists (including himself) chose to explore and emphasize the Chinese part of the story and what he called "China's response to the West." That is, the new focus was on China, not the West. Fairbank noted that Morse "records the criticisms.... but gives little indication of the more positive side of the Confucian tradition, including its effort to maintain the ideals of loyalty and public service, and its capacity for reform." Morse, moreover, was isolated from Chinese colleagues because of his wife's strong dislike of them -- by having few Chinese friends, he was "flying on one wing." Morse had neither the documents from the Chinese archives nor the conceptual tools of later scholars. Although he supplied chapter and verse for foreign aggression in China, "imperialism" was not mentioned as such. Nevertheless, even today there is still no other English language survey of China's diplomatic relations in the nineteenth century. International Relations was a sourcebook basic to such Marxist surveys as Hu Sheng's Imperialism and Chinese Politics (1952) and a Chinese translation was published in Beijing in 1957. The recent opening of archives in China has made available Maritime Commission documents which are not available outside that country, and Morse's contributions will be further revised.
Chinese Maritime Customs Service
The Chinese Maritime Customs Service was a Chinese governmental tax collection agency and information service from its founding in 1854 until its bifurcation in 1949 into services operating in the Republic of China on Taiwan, and in the People's Republic of China...
from 1874 to 1908, but is best known for his scholarly publications after his retirement, most prominently The International Relations of the Chinese Empire, a three volume chronicle of the relations of the Qing dynasty with Western countries, and Chronicles of the East India Company.
Morse descended from New England stock although for five generations his family lived in Nova Scotia, where he was born. The family returned to Medford, Massachusetts when Morse was young. He attended Boston Latin School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
and graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1874, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He married Annie Josephine Welsford in London on February 8, 1881. The couple had no children of their own. After Morse's retirement, they lived in Surrey, England, and during World War I he became a British citizen. He was granted an honorary LL.D. from Western Reserve University in 1913 and an Honorary LL.D. from Harvard in his Fiftieth Reunion year, 1924. He died in on February 13, 1934 in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England.
Maritime Customs Service
In his senior year of college,Morse and three of his Harvard classmates were recruited to join the Imperial Maritime Custom ServiceChinese Maritime Customs Service
The Chinese Maritime Customs Service was a Chinese governmental tax collection agency and information service from its founding in 1854 until its bifurcation in 1949 into services operating in the Republic of China on Taiwan, and in the People's Republic of China...
under Sir Robert Hart, who had headed the Service since 1860. Morse was at first stationed in Shanghai, where he studied the northern dialect, Mandarin, for an hour each day before breakfast, and then served in Peking. His spoken Chinese became good enough for interpreting day to day business, but he could not read well enough to handle a wide variety of texts. He was posted to Tientsin in in 1877, doing extra duty for the North China Famine of that winter and the following summer. When posted to the London office of the Customs Service, he met Annie Josephine Welsford -- "Nan" -- who had been born in Brooklyn to British parents. They were married in 1881. While in London, Morse also joined the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
and met a number of the leading Orientalists of the time. On the couple's subsequent posting to Tientsin, Nan took an almost instant dislike to China and the Chinese, though it is not clear how this affected her husband's attitudes. Morse was involved under Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
's direction, in the diplomacy surrounding the Sino-French War
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
of 1885 for which he received the Order of the Double Dragon, third division, second class.
In the following years Morse helped to audit and supervise the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company
China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company
China Merchants Group is a state owned corporation of People's Republic of China. It is the major share holder of China Merchants Holdings as well as China Merchants Bank...
, a joint venture between Chinese officials and merchants. He worked with Sheng Xuanhuai
Sheng Xuanhuai
Sheng Xuanhuai , November 4, 1844—April 27, 1916, 盛宣懷) was the Minister of Transportation during the Qing Dynasty. He is also known as Sheng Gongbao ....
, but ran into trouble negotiating the political currents. Upon his resignation from the company in 1877, he was reassigned to Shanghai, where he supervised the Statistical Department. In the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, he found himself one of some two hundred and fifty members, most of whom worked for the Customs Service, and soon became one of the most productive. He and Nan were sent to Pakhoi (Mandarin: Beihai), on the north coast of the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
, in 1889, and then on a two year leave in the United States. Their next posting was to Tamsui in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, where he experienced the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
in 1895. He then served in Pakhoi once more, Youzhou, Hunan, and Hankow. Poor health forced him to take leave from 1900-1903, but he returned to the Customs Service to head the Statistical Service from 1904 to 1908. He retired from the Customs Service in 1908.
Second career: Morse the scholar and his role in the study of China
Upon his retirement in 1908, rather than return to New England, which his wife disliked almost as much as China, the couple took up residence in Surrey, England. In 1909 he turned down feelers from the American government to become Ambassador to China. During the First World War, he became a British citizen (as he had been born). He traveled frequently to the United States, and kept up relations with his Harvard classmates, including Charles Franklin ThwingCharles Franklin Thwing
Charles Franklin Thwing was an American clergyman and educator.-Birth:He was born in New Sharon, Maine on November 9, 1853. He graduated from Harvard University in 1876, and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1879. He then served as a pastor in churches in Cambridge, Massachusetts and...
, president of Western Reserve University. A long-time smoker, he died of pneumonia in February, 1934.
Morse published his first large work in 1908, the year of his retirement, The Trade and Administration of the Chinese Empire. The first volume of The International Relations of the Chinese Empire came out in 1910 (the third and last volume in 1918). Articles in magazines and journals included "A Short Lived Republic," which recounted his resistance to the 1895 takeover of Taiwan
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
by Japan and the attempt to establish an independent nation. His novel, In the Days of the Taipings drew on the material in Volume II of International Relations to portray the viewpoints of both foreigners and of the Taiping
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
leaders who rebelled against the dynasty which Morse had served. His most ambitious project was the massive documentary study of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
based on records in London's India Office, Chronicles of the East India Company. He had first contemplated the study in 1919, and was able to carry it out only because the India Office allowed him to remove the record books and ledgers and work on them at home. He scrupulously summarized and edited some two hundred years of trade and commercial relations of the Company, giving historians a lasting documentary.
Western study of China was changing, however. John K. Fairbank
John K. Fairbank
John King Fairbank , was a prominent American academic and historian of China.-Education and early career:...
went to Morse for scholarly guidance in 1929 and considered himself a disciple. He wrote that although the older scholar lived through the decades of foreign imperialism and the collapse of the Qing empire, his historical work "avoids the obtrusive chauvinism of the Western treaty port community of that period." He recalled that "to me, as to other beginners, he offered generous encouragement and wise counsel." Fairbank characterized The International Relations of the Chinese Empire as "the most comprehensive history of modern China" in its time, but added that it was "foreign-documented bluebook history," that is, diplomatic history which described foreign wars and treaties -- "what was done in and to China by foreigners." He noted that in the 1930s, a new generation of China specialists (including himself) chose to explore and emphasize the Chinese part of the story and what he called "China's response to the West." That is, the new focus was on China, not the West. Fairbank noted that Morse "records the criticisms.... but gives little indication of the more positive side of the Confucian tradition, including its effort to maintain the ideals of loyalty and public service, and its capacity for reform." Morse, moreover, was isolated from Chinese colleagues because of his wife's strong dislike of them -- by having few Chinese friends, he was "flying on one wing." Morse had neither the documents from the Chinese archives nor the conceptual tools of later scholars. Although he supplied chapter and verse for foreign aggression in China, "imperialism" was not mentioned as such. Nevertheless, even today there is still no other English language survey of China's diplomatic relations in the nineteenth century. International Relations was a sourcebook basic to such Marxist surveys as Hu Sheng's Imperialism and Chinese Politics (1952) and a Chinese translation was published in Beijing in 1957. The recent opening of archives in China has made available Maritime Commission documents which are not available outside that country, and Morse's contributions will be further revised.
Major Works
- --, Currency in China. Shanghai,: Kelly & Walsh, 1906.
- --, The Gilds of China. London, New York: Longmans, Green.
- --, The International Relations of the Chinese Empire. London, New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1910-. 3 v.
- --, The Trade and Administration of China. London, New York: Longmans, Green, 1910; Rev., 1913.
- --, . The Trade and Administration of China. Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh; London, New York etc.: Longmans, Green, 3d rev., 1921
- --, The Chronicles of the East India Company, Trading to China 1635-1834. Oxford: The Clarendon press, 1926- 1929. 5 v.
- --, In the Days of the Taipings, Being the Recollections of Ting Kienchang. Salem, Mass: The Essex Institute, 1927. A novel.
- --, and Harley Farnsworth MacNair, Far Eastern International Relations. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1931. Rpr. Russell & Russell, 1967
- --, The Gilds of China. London, New York: Longmans, Green, 2d, 1932.
- --, , Huiwen Zhang tr.,. Zhonghua Di Guo Dui Wai Guan Xi Shi. Beijing: Sheng huo, du shu Xin hua, 1957. Translation of International Relations.
- --, , Harley Farnsworth MacNair (Zengyi Yao, tr.) Yuan Dong Guo Ji Guan Xi Shi. Shanghai: Shanghai shu dian chu ban she, 1998. ISBN 7806224122.
External Links
- C. A. V. Bowra, "Hosea Ballou Morse," Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.2 (1934): 425-430. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25200935
- Richard J. Smith, ‘Morse, Hosea Ballou (1855–1934)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press, 2004 http://www.oxforddnb.com.turing.library.northwestern.edu/view/article/54361 (accessed September 23, 2011).