【编者按】1933年4月6日～12日，法国政府派出三艘舰船开赴我国南沙群岛，先后入侵了南威岛、安波沙洲、太平岛、北子岛、南子岛、南钥岛、中业岛、鸿庥岛、西月岛（后二岛法军实际未登陆）等九个岛屿，即法方所称的“九小岛”。当时我国海南渔民与法国侵略者进行了巧妙周旋，作了针锋相对的维权斗争，并将取下的法国国旗带回，报告给国民党地方政府，可惜未获得地方政府足够的重视。7月25日，法国政府以南沙九小岛是“无主地”为借口，正式公告占领我南沙群岛的九个岛屿。这就是“法国占领九小岛事件”。法国的侵略行为，激起了中国人民的无比愤慨。

1933年法国著名画报《画刊》刊登了法国随行记者对入侵我国南沙九小岛行动的新闻通讯和摄影照片，题为《法国的新岛屿》。同年8月28日，香港《南华早报》将此文翻译为英文，进行转载。现本人将此文翻译为中文，并配有部分历史照片和地图，以飨读者。

从这篇86年前的法国新闻通讯中可以看出，当年作者的殖民主义思维实为陈腐可笑，但他对我国南沙群岛当时实际情形的详细描述，却提供了南沙群岛自古以来就是中国领土的铁证。正如当时我国政府在对法交涉文件中引用此文内容：“（法方）既称有琼崖的中国人住于该群岛以专渔业，又谓当时岛中住有华人，又谓其地有树叶搭盖之屋，有奉祀神人之像，又谓有琼崖渡来的中国人居住，每年有帆船载食品来岛供华人食用。是九岛者早有华人居住，并非无主之岛，法人已代我证明矣。依照国际公法与惯例，凡新发现之岛屿，其住民系何国民，即证明其主权属于何国，今该群岛中全为华人，其主权应属于我，自无置辩之余地矣！”

现译文如下：

法国的新岛屿。

南中国海上浪漫的斑点。

占领记录。

在法国正式占领南中国海的几个珊瑚岛之后，日本和中国的对立主张造成了一个棘手的局面。在下面这篇原载法国画报《画刊》由法国作者写的文章中，描述了这些岛屿，并简要叙述了一些迄今为止导致法国三色旗在此升起的不相关事件（译者注：以上为《南华早报》的编者按）。

在印度支那和菲律宾之间，有一片高高的珊瑚床，上面点缀着被沙洲所覆盖的礁石。最早的记录显示，1867年，水文测量船“步枪兵”号（译者注：英国海军的蒸汽风帆炮舰）曾访问过该地区的西部，海图上对东部地区有着令人印象深刻的标注：“一个危险的未勘探地区。”

过去有很多船只试图通过这些暗礁区，从法属印度支那直接航行到南洋的新喀里多尼亚（译者注：法国在大洋洲的一个殖民地），不过都触礁失事了。

但另一方面，人们也知道，这些珊瑚礁中的某些岛礁很容易接近，有几个小岛上确实有植被；日本人试图通过一切适当的手段开发表层磷酸盐（译者注：指岛上的鸟粪磷肥矿），却没有成功；来自海南的中国人生活在珊瑚岛礁上，靠捕捉海龟和捕捞海蛞蝓（译者注：一种螺类）等水产为生，以及在小块耕地上种植和收获椰子、香蕉和红薯。

南威岛上的椰树林和海龟壳

众所周知，根据军舰“步枪兵”号上的军官们绘制的非常精确的地图，其中某些暗礁的直径为10英里，它们包围着平静的潟湖；最终成为了水上飞机、潜艇和小船的绝佳避难所。

对一个没有主人的地区，这是一个多么粗心的疏忽！（译者注：当时国际法学界的殖民主义学者认为，仅只有“土著居民”居住的土地属于“无主地”，可以“合法”占领）拥有邻近领土的列强——英格兰、美国、法国、荷兰和日本，都不曾想过要在这里采取宣示主权行为；而试图在磷酸盐矿床上工作的各国私营公司，也不知道找谁处理他们的勘探申请。然而，如果外国势力在中国的这些海域行使监视权，在冲突中就可能危及我国的海上交通安全。

中业岛上的五个居民之一（译者注：此人即海南琼海市潭门镇南截坡村渔民彭正楷）。

法国政府决定采取行动。1930年，炮舰“马里修”号正式占领了风暴岛（译者注：今南威岛）。今年，派遣船只“星盘”号和“警报”号（译者注：“星盘”号原为法国海军武装渔船，后改为水文测量船；“警报”号为反潜炮舰）将法国国旗悬挂在群岛北部的几个小岛上。因此，法国殖民领地的面积增加了100公顷。

法国海军“警报”号反潜炮舰

1933年法国政府宣布占领的南沙九小岛，红框为实际登陆，紫框为未登陆

4月6日，这两艘通报舰与印度支那海洋研究所的考察船“德拉内桑”号一起访问了风暴岛。居住在这里的三个中国人（译者注：按法国官方记录，当时南威岛上有四个中国居民）竖起了法国国旗。他们小小的领地似乎繁荣昌盛，椰树林繁茂，海龟也很丰富。

法国考察船“德拉内桑”号

第二天，“星盘”号占领了安波沙洲，一个由沙子和珊瑚组成的小岛，它就像一枚拜占庭金币镶嵌在蔚蓝色的盾牌上。成千上万只疯狂的白胸海鸟在岛上孵卵，它们的幼鸟长满着厚厚的绒毛，蜷缩在亲鸟的翅膀下。

沿着礁盘航行——这些礁盘类似于奇妙的调色板，上面呈现出棱柱形的从靛蓝到明黄不等的色彩。我们的船只往东北驶向堤闸滩（一个巨大的翡翠色潟湖）（译者注：今郑和群礁），并锚定在一个长着很多椰树的小岛——伊图阿巴岛的前面（译者注：今太平岛）。

岛上现在荒无人烟，但留下了两种居民的痕迹：水泥矿井、一座铁桥的残骸、堤岸上生锈的铁路、一堆废弃的磷酸盐矿物——都是1925年开始经营的那个日本企业的见证（译者注：实际是1921~1929年间日本拉萨岛磷矿株式会社在此非法采矿，该公司现为日本RASA工业株式会社）。接着发现了一个用树枝叶搭建的小屋，一片井然有序的土豆田，一个小庙（神龛），内有作为供品的一个茶壶、一个装有竹签的求签筒和中国渔民家庭供奉的灶王爷神像。小屋门上挂着一块木板，上面写着中国文字，粗略翻译如下：

“余乃船主德茂（译者注：此人即海南琼海潭门镇草塘村渔民黄德茂），于三月十五日（译者注：公历4月9日，而法军于10日登岛）带粮来此，但不见一人，余现将米留下放在石下藏着，余今去矣。”这真是一出孤独的神秘剧！

留言板固定在太平岛上一个废弃小屋的门上。

通报舰在洛伊塔岛、帝都岛和双子岛（译者注：今南钥岛、中业岛和南子岛、北子岛）这几个北部岛屿上悬挂法国国旗。所有这些岛屿的形状都很相似：都是从浅海中露出的环形基座，白色的珊瑚；在清澈的海水中，奇妙的鱼儿畅游嬉戏——有黑白条纹的圆形扁平鱼，以及鲶鱼；一座海拔3米高的隆起小岛，覆盖着难以穿越的红树林灌木丛，上面耸立着许多乔木。

水手们乘着捕鲸小艇靠近礁盘的边缘，下船后在齐腰深的海水中步行，穿过珊瑚带。

在旗杆脚下，竖立了一块纪念石，并在其下埋有一份备忘录（译者注：即装有宣示主权的法文文书的玻璃瓶），上面标有宣布占领该群岛的信息。接着举行占领仪式，一个军号手吹响了荣誉典礼上的乐曲《To The Colors》，两名海军陆战队员行持枪礼。

伊图阿巴岛和洛伊塔岛荒废了，但是在帝都岛和双子岛上住着许多中国人（译者注：中业岛上有5人，南子岛上有7人），他们都来自海南。每年都有中国帆船向他们提供补给，带走海龟肉和干海蛞蝓肉。他们似乎对自己在被季风袭击的小领地上的命运感到满足。（全文完）

译者后记：法国军舰离开后，南威岛上的我国渔民当晚即将法国旗杆砍倒；登上太平岛的我国渔民趁天黑把岛上的法国国旗拉下，砍倒旗杆，拉到船上做船桅用；中业岛上的海南文昌东郊渔民王安庆、王安荣挖出了埋藏的装有法文文书的玻璃瓶，几天后来岛的文昌龙楼渔民郑兰锭愤然把法国国旗扯下以示抗议；南子岛上的海南文昌渔民符国和、石玉礁、林青、潭门渔民柯家裕等人扯下法国国旗，并砍断旗杆。渔民返回文昌后，有人将带回法国国旗的消息报告给海南岛儋县县长陈家炳（黄埔一期生）。

附英文原文：

FRANCE'S NEW ISLANDS.

ROMANTIC SPECKS IN THE SOUTHERN CHINA SEA.

RECORD OF OCCUPATION.

A piquant situation has been created by rival Japanese and Chinese claims following on the formal occupation by France of the Coral Islands in the South China Sea.In the following article by a French writer,in L'Illustration,a description is given of the Islands together with a brief account of some hitherto unrelated events leading up to hoisting of the French tricolor.

Between Indo-China and the Philippines strstches an area of high coral beds dotted with reefs,capped by islets of sand.The earliest records show that in 1867,the hydrographical survey vessel Rifleman had visited the western part of the area,and marine maps have this impressive reference to the eastern area:"A dangerous unexplored region."

A great many ships in the past attempted the direct route,from French Indo-China to New Caledonia in the South Seas,through these reefs and were wrecked.

But it is also known on the other hand,that certain of these reefs are easy of access, that several islets do have vegetation;that the Japanese have attempted,by all-adequate means but without success,the exploitation of a superficial bed of phosphates;and that Chinese from Hainan lived on the cayes,subsisting on turtle-fishing,the catching of sea slugs,etc.,as well as on the products of a small domain on which are planted coconut trees, bananas and sweet potatoss.

Coconut Palms and Turtle Shell on Tempest Islet.

It is also known, following the map prepared with remarkable exactitude by the officers of the Rifleman,that certain of these reefs are ten miles across,and that they enclose lagoons of calm water;excellent refuge eventually for seaplanes,submarines and small craft.

What a careless negligence of a region without an owner!None of the Powers owning neighbouring territories England,the United States, France,Holland and Japan—had thought of making the act of sovereignty,and the private companies attempting to work the phosphate beds knew not where to address their search claims.It would appear,however,that exercise by a foreign power of the right of surveillance on these seas of China could be dangerous in a conflict to the security of our sea communications.

One of the five inhabitants of Thi Tu islet.

The French Government decided to act.In 1930,the gunboat Maliceuse officially took possession of the Ile de la Tempete(Tempest Island).This year the despatch vessels Astrolabe and Alerte hoisted the French flag on the islets to the north of the Archipelago.The Colonial Territory of France thus found itself increased—by 100 hectares.

On April 6 last these two despatch boats together with the Indo-China oceanographic survey vessel Laneasan visited Tempest Island. The three Chinese who inhabited it had hoisted the French flag.Their little territory appeared to be prosperous their coconut trees in a flourishing condition and their turtles abundant.

On the following day the Astrolabe took possession of Caye d'Amboyne,an islet of sand and coral poised like a gold Byzantine coin on a shield of azure.Thousands of crazy white-breasted seabirds brood on it;their young, covered with a thick down,nestling in the palm of the hand.

Keeping along the reefs—which resemble a marvellous palette on which are displayed prismatic colours,ranging from indigo blue to a clear yellow,the vessels coursed to the north-east towards Tizzard Bank,(a vast emerald lagoon),and anchored before an islet from which rose many coconut trees—Itu Aba.

The island was deserted now,but its two occupants had left traces behind;cemented pits,the remains of an iron bridge,a rusted railway on an embankment, a heap of abandoned phosphates:all witness to a Japanese enterprise dating back to 1925.Next were discovered a cabin constructed of leaves,a field of potatoes in good order,a small shrine with a votive teapot,jars with chop-sticks, and household gods of Chinese fishermen.In the hut a board was hung up covered with characters, a rough translation of which would have read as follows:

“I,Ti Mung,junkmaster,came here during the full moon of March with provisions, but I found no one.I have left the rice under the shelter of the stones, and I am leaving."Mysterious drama of the solitude!

Message board fixed to the door of an abandored hut on Itu Aba.

The despatch vessels hoisted the French flag on the northern Islands:Loaita,Thi Tu,and the Two Islands.All these islands are similar in formation:with a reel base,cropping up from a shallow sea, and white coral,where, in the clear water,wonderful fishes play—bivalves, circular flat fish, streaked with black and white,catfishes—an islet rising to a height of three metres,covered with impenetrable mangrove thickets over which tower a number of trees.

Approaching in whale boats to the edge of the reefs,the sailors disembarked,and crossed over to the coral belt in water up to their waist.

At the foot of the flag pole, a memorial stone was erected and under it was buried a memorandum bearing a declaration of the taking over of the Islands.A bugle sounded the "Colours" while two Marines presented arms.

Itu Aba and Loaita were deserted,but on Thi Tu and the Two Islands live a number of Chinese,all of whom have come from Hainan.Junks provision them every year and take away turtle flesh and dried sea-slugs.They appear to be contented with their lot on the little territory beaten by the monsoons.

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