清政府著赫德傳諭琅威理迅即來華詔書
English: Although the Qing Government was capable of making and importing ships, the training of senior naval officers required a great deal of time and effort. Therefore, recruiting professionals from abroad and sending soldiers to study overseas became a contingency strategy for the Qing Court. Because the former could show immediate results, therefore, the Qing Court commenced the hiring of Western naval professionals. Captain William Metcalfe Lang (1843–1906) served in the Royal Navy after graduating from the Royal Naval College in 1859. He was the Vice Admiral in 1899, and passed away in 1906 at the age of 63. During his 40+ years of military service, he shared a very close relationship with the Qing Navy. In 1879, the British-made ships Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta which were purchased by the Northern Naval Squadron arrived Tianjin. Meanwhile, Li Hongzhang began recruiting Western professionals, and later, under the recommendation of Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Zeng Jize and British Admiral Coote, came upon William Metcalfe Lang who was leading the four aforementioned ships to Taku. After watching Lang's command of the army, Li made the decision to hire Lang. Finally, on Nov. 15, 1882, Lang officially signed the contract with the Qing Government and became the Brevet Rank of Vice Admiral and the Chief Inspector of the Northern Naval Squadron, earning a salary of 600 taels of kuping silver. However, in March 1884, that is, before Sino-French War, the British provisions which prohibited its statesmen from fighting for the other countries resulted in a recall from the Navy Department, forcing Lang to resign his post and return to his country. After the experience from the Sino-French war, the Qing Government placed an even greater emphasis in terms of its coastal defense, and attempted to hire more British professional to train its naval forces. Custom Service Inspector-General Robert Hart vigorously engaged in the promotion of this resolution. Finally, on Dec. 1, 1885, Lang again left from UK and arrived China in the spring of the following year. Lang arrived at a time when Prince Chun was about to begin his patrol of inspection, and Lang used the next three months to train his troops, making them well-coached and formidable. The Qing Court generously rewarded the admiral, and granted him the second-rank star medal. However, on Mar. 6, 1890, Lang became involved in a heated dispute with naval right wing General-in-Chief Liu Buchan over the unauthorized change of naval flags. It eventually led to Lang's resignation in a fury and ultimately resulted in all the English statesmen leaving the Chinese navy. The Sino-Japanese War erupted in Aug. of Guangxu's 20th year of reign (1894). Because of the utter defeat in the land wars, it led to the Northern Naval Squadron being almost completely wiped out. After the war, the Qing Court once again asked for Lang to offer his assistance to train the navy, and ordered Hart to issue a decree requesting Lang's immediate arrival to China to assume his post as well as asking him to bring along high-quality crew members. This exhibition item was the last decree sent requesting Lang's acceptance as a trainer. Unfortunately, the request was later declined by the British Foreign Office. (By Zhou Wei-Qiang) 中文: 清末發展海軍，船艦尚可自造外購，但海軍高級軍官的人才培育卻需要時間養成。因此，聘請洋教習或是派遣學生出洋，成為清廷的應急之策，尤其前者可收立即之效，因此清廷即著手邀聘海軍洋教習。 琅威理（Captain William Metcalfe Lang, 1843-1906），1859年自皇家海軍學校畢業，並進入大英帝國海軍服役，1899年官拜海軍中將（Vice Admiral），至1906年去世，享年六十三歲。在他長達四十餘年的服役生涯中，有相當的時間與大清海軍密切相關。光緒五年（1879），北洋所購買的英艦龍驤、虎威、飛霆、策電等四艦抵達天津。同時，李鴻章展開聘僱洋教習的工作。其後在駐英公使曾紀澤和英國水師提督古德（Admiral Coote）的推薦下，又逢琅威理率領四艘蚊船抵達大沽，李鴻章於驗收時觀看琅氏操練後，遂決議延聘。琅氏終於在光緒八年九月二十二日（1882.11.05）簽約，成為北洋海軍副提督銜（The Brevet Rank of Vice Admiral）北洋海軍總查（The Chief-Inspector of the Northern Naval Squadron），薪俸庫平銀六百兩。但在光緒十年（1884）三月，即中法戰爭之前，以英國臣民不得為他國作戰規定，海軍部特意將之召回，因此琅威理辭職而去。 中法戰後，清廷對於海防更加重視，擬續聘英人為海軍教習，總海關稅務司赫德也積極的推動此事，終在光緒十一年（1885）十月二十五日（1885.12.01）琅氏由英國啟程，次年春抵達中國。抵華後，正逢醇親王巡視海軍前夕，琅氏以三個月的時間訓練，使北洋海軍整齊可觀，清廷加恩賞給提督銜，並頒發二等寶星勳章。但光緒十六年（1890）二月十六日（1890.03.06），琅威理為了艦隊升提督旗事與北洋海軍右翼總兵劉步蟾衝突，憤而辭去職位，並導致了英人全面撤出中國海軍的局面。 光緒二十年（1894）八月，中日戰爭爆發，由於陸路戰事的失利，使得北洋艦隊幾乎全軍覆沒。戰後，清廷仍盼琅威理協助訓練海軍，命赫德傳諭琅威理迅即來華，以備任使，並選募洋員，酌帶前來，本件即為此最後一次邀請琅氏擔任教習的諭旨，但此舉最後未獲英國外交部同意。（周維強）