清同治七年(1868年),海关总税务司曾计划在东沙岛建灯塔,后英国人通过各种方式多次提议东沙岛建灯塔之事,但清政府因主权问题拒绝其介入。迨至民国初年,在全国海岸巡防处筹设的情况下,东沙观象台得以建成并投入使用,成为中国沿海气象台自主建设的嚆矢。但因经费不足,东沙观象台、灯塔作用的发挥受到一定程度的影响,这既反映出当时中国政府对海洋经略投入的不足,又折射出其海洋意识的薄弱。 In the seventh year of the Tongzhi rule (1868), the General Taxation Department of the Customs and Excise Department had planned to build a lighthouse in Dongsha Island. Afterwards, the British people proposed the beacon building on Dongsha Island several times in various ways. However, the Qing government refused to intervene because of the sovereignty issue.迨 In the early years of the Republic of China, with the establishment of the National Coast Guard, the Tungsha Observatory was completed and put into operation, becoming the target of independent construction of China’s Coastal Meteorological Observatory. However, due to lack of funds, the role of beacon in Dongsha Observatory was affected to a certain extent. This not only reflected the inadequacy of Chinese government’s input into ocean economy at the time, but also reflected the weakness of its maritime awareness.