晚清大规模自建电报前,电报知识在中国的传播并不仅有源自来华西人竭力推介的单一渠道,亦有着源自出洋国人广泛介绍的另一重要路径。然出洋国人对于电报之价值、尤其是电报之于当下中国之价值的认同并非一致,甚至相互(牛氐)牾,此当是传统理念与近代思想在晚清这一社会转型时期交织而演生出的复杂社会面相之重要表征,同时也提示出其后电报在中国发展的艰难命运。但无论如何,近代早期出洋国人对西方电报文明的主流认知与态度还是为中国自建电报提供了必要的思想、舆论准备及理论、智力支持,故其作用与影响当不可忽略。 Before the mass self-built telegrams in the late Qing Dynasty, the spread of telegraphy knowledge in China not only originated from a single channel that Huaxi people tried hard to promote, but also came from another important path broadly introduced by foreigners. However, the foreigners’ recognition of the value of telegraphy, especially the value of telegraphic telegrams to China at present, is not the same or even mutual (cowardice), which is the result of the intertwining of traditional ideas and modern thought during the social transition in the late Qing Dynasty Of the complex characterization of the complex social phase, but also prompted the subsequent development of the telegraph in China’s difficult fate. However, in the early days, the foreigners’ understanding and attitude to the mainstream of Western telegraph civilization in the early modern era provided the necessary ideas, preparation for public opinion and theoretical and intellectual support for China’s self-built telegram, so its role and influence should not be neglected.