Savoirs ENS

Leonce Verny (1837-1908)

vendredi 23 octobre 2015

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Descriptif

Conférence de Judit Erika Magyar professeur invitée par le labex TransferS et l’AOROC. A cette occasion elle a donné trois conférences sur le thème Modern Japanese History: Maritime networks and pacifist movements.

Troisième partie: Leonce Verny (1837-1908)

Leonce Verny was appointed as chief administrator and constructor of the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in 1865 after spending time in China as an engineer of ships. Verny’s importance did not only lie in the construction of naval vessels but also in diplomatic efforts that culminated in the First French Military Mission to Japan and several cooperative projects with China. He was one of increasing number of oyatoi gaikokujin, foreigners employed by the Tokugawa government in the final days of the era. Although Japan built ships in Saga during the Edo period, Western style structures did not catch on until after the arrival of Commodore Perry and the end of sakoku (meaning “closed country”, indicating the 250 years of voluntary international seclusion in Japan). Verny’s role in the Boshin War and as a trainer of the Japanese in naval tactics calls for further research which the current presentation will outline in relative details.