背景
1905
正文
漢文 訓讀 體
二十閲月の征戦已に往時と過ぎ、我が連合艦隊は今や其の隊務を結了して茲に解散する事となれり。 然れども我等海軍軍人の責務は決して之が為めに軽減せるものにあらず。此の戦役の収果を永遠に全くし、 尚益々国運の隆昌を扶持せんには、時の平戦を問はず、先づ外衝に立つべき海軍が常に其の武力を海洋に保全し、一朝緩急に応ずるの覚悟あるを要す。
而して武力なるものは艦船兵器等のみにあらずして、之を活用する無形の実力にあり。 百発百中の一砲能く百発一中の敵砲百門に対抗し得るを覚らば、我等軍人は主として武力を形而上に求めざるべからず。 近く我が海軍の勝利を得たる所以も、至尊の霊徳に頼る所多しと雖も、抑亦平素の練磨其の因を成し、 果を戦役に結びたるものして、若し既往を以て将来を推すときは、征戦息むと雖も安じて休憩す可らざるものあるを覚ゆ。
惟ふに武人の一生は連綿不断の戦争にして、時の平戦に由り其の責務に軽重あるの理無し。事有れば武力を発揮し、 事無ければ之を修養し、終始一貫其の本分を尽さんのみ。過去の一年有半、彼の風濤と戦ひ、寒暑に抗し、屡頑敵と対して生死の間に出入せしこと固より容易の業ならざりしも、観ずれば是れ亦長期の一大演習にして、 之に参加し幾多啓発するを得たる武人の幸福比するに物無し、豈之を征戦の労苦とするに足らんや。苟も武人にして治平に偸安せんか、兵備の外観巍然たるも宛も沙上の楼閣の如く暴風一過忽ち崩倒するに至らん、洵に戒むべきなり。
昔者神功皇后三韓を征服し給ひし以来、韓国は四百余年間我が統理の下にありしも、一たび海軍の廃頽するや忽ち之を失ひ、 又近世に入り徳川幕府治平に狃れて兵備を懈れば、挙国米艦数隻の応対に苦み、露艦亦千島樺太を覦覬するも之と抗争すること能はざるに至れり。 翻て之を西史に見るに、十九世紀の初めに当り、
蓋し此の如き古今東西の殷鑑は為政の然らしむるものありしと雖も、主として武人が治に居て乱を忘れざると否とに基ける自然の結果たらざるは無し。
我等戦後の軍人は深く此等の實例に鑒み、既有の練磨に加ふるに戦役の実験を以てし、更に将来の進歩を図りて時勢の発展に後れざるを期せざる可らず。 若し夫れ常に、聖諭を奉體して孜々奮励し、実力の満を持して放つべき時節を待たば、庶幾くば以て永遠に護国の大任を全うすることを得ん。
神明は唯平素の鍛練に力め、戦はずして既に勝てる者に勝利の栄冠を授くると同時に、一勝に満足して治平に安ずる者より直に之を褫ふ。
古人曰く: 勝て兜の緒を締めよと。
明治38年12月21日 連合艦隊司令長官 東郷平八郎[1]
英語
(
“The war of twenty months’ duration is now a thing of the past, and our United Squadron, having completed its function, is to be herewith dispersed. But our duties as naval men are not at all lightened for that reason. To preserve in perpetuity the fruits of this war; to promote to an ever greater height of prosperity the fortunes of the country, the navy, which, irrespective of peace or war, has to stand between the Empire and shock from abroad, must always maintain its strength at sea and must be prepared to meet emergency.
This strength does not consist solely in ships and armament; it consist also in immaterial ability to utilize such agents. When we understand that one gun which scores a hundred per cent. of hits is a match for a hundred of the enemy’s guns each of which scores only one per cent. it becomes evident that we sailors must have recourse before everything to the strength which is over and above externals. The triumphs recently won by our Navy are largely to be attributed to the habitual training which enable us to garner the fruits of the fighting.
If then we infer the future from the past, we recognize that though war may ceases we can not abandon ourselves to ease and rest. A soldier’s whole life is one continuous and unseasing battle, and there is no reason why his responsibilities should vary with the state of the times. In days of crisis he has to display his strength; in days of peace to accumulate it, thus perpetually and uniquely discharging his duties to the full. It was no light task that during the past year and a half we fought with wind and waves, encountered heat and cold, and kept the sea while frequently engaging a stubborn enemy in a death or life struggle; yet, when we reflect, this is seen to have been only one in a long series of general maneuvers, wherein we had the happiness to make some discoveries; happiness which throws into comparative insignificance the hardships of war.
If men calling themselves sailors grasp at the pleasure of peace, they will learn the lesson that however fine in appearance their engines of war, these, like a house built on the sand, will fall at the first approach of the storm. From the day when in ancient times we conquered Korea, that country remained for over 400 years under our control, to be lost immediately as soon as our navy declined. Again when under the sway of the Tokugawa in modern days our armaments were neglected, the coming of a few American ships threw us into distress, and we were unable to offer any resistance to attempts against the Kuriles and Saghalien.
On the other hand, if we turn to the annals of the Occident, we see that at the beginning of the 19th century the British Navy which won the battles of the Nile and of Trafalgar, not only made England as secure as a great mountain but also by thenceforth carefully maintaining its strength and keeping it on a level with the world’s progress, has throughout the long interval between that era and the present day safe-guarded the country’s interests and promoted its fortunes.
For such lessons, whether ancient or modern, Occidental or Oriental, though to some extent they are the outcome of political happenings, must be regarded as in the main the natural result of whether the soldier remembers war in the day of peace. We naval men who have survived the war must take these examples deeply to heart, and adding to the training which we have already received our actual experiences in the war, must plan future developments and seek not to fall behind the progress of the time.
If, keeping the instructions of our Sovereign ever graven on our hearts, we serve earnestly and diligently, and putting forth our full strength, await what the hour may bring forth, we shall then have discharged our great duty of perpetually guarding our country. Heaven gives the crown of victory to those only who by habitual preparation win without fighting, and at the same time forthwith deprives of that crown those who, content with one success, give themselves up to the ease of peace. The ancients well said:
“Tighten your helmet strings in the hour of victory.”
(Dated) 21st December, 1905. TOGO HEIHACHIRO.
中國語 飜譯
二十月余征战已作为往事而过去，如今我联合舰队的使命已经完成，由此解散。但是我们海军军人的责任和义务却绝不会因此而减轻的！
为了保护这次战争的胜利果实到永远，更为了带给国家一个繁荣昌盛的未来，不论是战是和，我们必须守卫在帝国与外来冲击的一线。海军常以其武力保全海洋，一定要有面对突来外敌的觉悟。
然而所谓武力者，不仅仅在于军舰与装备的强大与否，更在于将这些武器运用得娴熟无形的实力。要知道百发百中的一门炮可以对抗百发一中的敌炮百门，我们便不得不求武力于形而上了。
近期（日俄）战争中，我们之所以能在海军方面取得完全胜利，不仅有赖于皇上至尊灵徳的庇佑，更也是我们平日加紧的操练成就了胜利的原因，才得能在战争中解出完美硕果。所以如果以此战继往开来，就可以知道尽管战争虽然暂歇，我们却不能放纵于轻松了。想来武人的一生本就是应对连绵不断的战争，其身上的责任和义务从不会因一时的停战，而有分轻重的道理。有事， 就发挥武力；无事，则提高武力。不过是始终一贯地尽其本分而已。过去的一年半时间里，像与风涛搏斗、忍寒抗暑地战斗和训练，屡屡和顽敌死战而出入生死之间，这些本来就不是容易轻松的任务；而今回顾起来，这只是总战略里的一次演习而已，我们于此获得的启发带来的快乐，战争的一点劳苦难道足以超过它的意义吗？如果自称军人却只愿享受和平时的愉悦，那么不论军队战斗力外表如何强毅，也不过像沙上之楼阁，风暴一来只会轰然倒塌。
往昔，神功皇后征服三韩以来，四百多年间韩国曾在我国统治下，可海军一时废弛衰弱，这些就一朝皆失。时间回到近世，又有德川幕府，自持国内太平，导致武备松懈，美国仅几艘战舰便让举国上下苦于应对，这时俄国也窥伺千岛群岛和桦太岛（库页岛），我方竟至于无法和俄舰抗争的地步。
当我们回顾西洋的历史，可以看到19世纪初英国海军通过在尼罗河河口海战与特拉法加海战中获得的胜利不但使得国家安全稳如泰山，在此之后还能保持实力，随着世界的进步而提升，至今还能够永拥护其国家利益并扩张势力。大概无论古代今世、不分西洋东洋的一些历史殷鉴，尽管有在於政治作为的正确，结果自然都无不主要取决于武人是否有居安思危的操持。我们这些幸存的军人应牢记战例，并在既有的训练中加入战时将获得的经验来实践运用，更为此可以顾盼将来迎来进步，不可以不期求不落後於时势的发展。
那些平时遵照圣谕，孜孜奋励、保持饱满的实力、时刻备战时一站雄姿的人、就差不多可以永全护国的大任了。神明，仅向那些在平常就勤加训练，不战而胜的人同时授予胜利的桂冠，对于那些满足於一时的胜利，安于太平的人，将立即予以剥夺。 古人云：胜者尤须系盔之绪。
明治三十八年十二月二十一日
联合舰队司令 东乡平八郎
韓國語 飜譯
20
이
그러나
1905