港口城市天津,作为京都的门户,在设防军队中,水师的建立十分重要。清代水师在天津的建立,始于雍正四年(1762),在大沽建满洲水师营。设都统一员,协领6员,兵员3000名。据《雍正朝满文朱批奏折全译》记载: 雍正七年(1729),水师营分为左右2营,满洲兵丁减至2000名,战船32只,大炮48门,斗头炮6门。该年四月八日,“初次入海口做水上临战演习” 。水师营还用银行存款利息,在新城开设店铺11处。
        乾隆三十二年(1767),裁撤满洲水师营,改设大沽游击公署。嘉庆二十二年(1817),恢复水师营建制。道光六年(1826),以水师营“岁糜帑金,无俾使用” ,又将水师营裁撤。
        鸦片战争后,帝国主义屡犯大沽口,为了加强首都北京的军事防务,清政府决定在港口城市天津,“先于北洋创办水师一军” 。清光绪元年(1875),清廷委派李鸿章督办北洋水师。光绪五年 (1879),李鸿章在紫竹林设北洋水师营务处,办理海军事务。以道员马建忠负责“稽核功过,监视操练” ; 并在天津设立海防支应局,负责海军奉饷及各厂坞经费。
        光绪十年 (1884),北洋水师已经初具规模,拥有军舰14艘,分别泊驻大沽、旅顺、营口、烟台,管辖奉天(辽宁)、直隶 (河北) 、山东海面。同年十月十一日,李鸿章带北洋水师提督丁汝昌、海关道兼北洋行营翼长周馥,在大沽口查看验收购自德国的 “定远” 、“镇远” 、“济远”3艘铁甲舰。光绪十四年(1888),北洋海军舰队正式成军,衙门设在威海卫,隶属驻津总衙门的北洋大臣李鸿章统辖。同年三月,北洋海军舰船由管带官邓世昌统率,自厦门驶抵大沽口,李鸿章出海察看。
        光绪十六年(1890)五月七日,李鸿章在水师营务处臬司周馥、道员罗丰禄、海关道刘汝翼陪同下,查验福州造船厂制造的 “平远” 号兵船,后交水师提督丁汝昌统率。转年四月十六日,在北洋海军建军3周年之际,李鸿章在周馥、刘汝翼陪同下,对北洋海军进行了第一次校阅视察,历时18天,五月三日返抵大沽。
        光绪二十年 (1894),中日甲午海战中,北洋海军全军覆没。

        

·北洋海军章程总目

        Tianjin,sitting by the seaside,is the door leading tothe capital Beijing. It`s important to build a strongnavy here to defend threats from the sea. The Qinggovernment started building navy in Tianjin from 1762(the fourth year of Emperor Yongzheng) in Dagu. Onesupervisor was appointed,assisted by six officials andallocated with 3000 soldiers. According to the recordsof memorials to Emperor Yongzheng,in 1729 (the7th year of Emperor Yongzheng),the navy camp wasdevided into the left camp and the right camp,while atthe same time,soldiers of Man nationality were reducedto 2000 men. The camp was disposed with 32 warships,48 cannons and 6 Doutou cannons. On August 8th ofthe same year,"the navy first sailed in the sea and wasdrilled for war". The navy camp also took advantage ofthe interest of the deposits in the banks and opened 11stores in Xin city.
        In 1767 (the 32nd year of Emperor Qianlong),thenavy was removed and the Dagu Warfare GovernmentOffice was set up instead. In 1817 (the 22nd year ofEmperor Jiaqing),the navy was resumed. In 1817 (the6th year of Emperor Daoguang),the navy was onceagain removed for the reason of "wasting money anduseless".
        After the opium war,Dagukou was frequentlyattacked by the invaders. To strengthen the defense of itscapital,the Qing Government decided to build BeiyangNavy in Tianjin. In 1875 (the first year of EmperorGuangxu period),Li Hongzhang was appointed to takecharge of the issue. In 1879,Li set up a preparatorybarrack at Zizhulin to deal with navy affairs. MagistrateMa Jianzhong was asked to organize training issues. Acoast defense sub-bureau was also set up in Tianjin fornavy expenditure and cost of the docks.
        In 1884,Beiyang Navy had taken shape,owning 14warships stationed in ports like Dagu,Lvshun,Yingkouand Yantai to safeguard maritime space of Fengtian(Liaoning),Zhili (Hebei) and Shangdong provinces. OnOctober 11,Li,accompanied by Ding Ruchang,Prefectof the Beiyang Navy,and Zhou Fu,head of the TianjinCustoms and field headquarter,checked and acceptedthree imported armour warships from Germany,whosenames were "Dingyuan","Zhenyuan" and "Jiyuan"respectively. In 1888,the Beiyang Navy built its fleetand headquartered in Weihaiwei under the leadershipof Beiyang Grand Minister Li Hongzhang. In March,Captain Deng Shichang commanded the Northern Fleetsailing from Xiamen to the Dagu Emplacement. Deng`sfleet was received by Governor-General Li Hongzhangon the sea.
        On May 7,1890,Li inspected the warship"Pingyuan" manufactured by the Fuzhou Shipyard. Thewarship was later commanded by navy prefect DingRuchang. On April 16,1891,Li,accompanied by ZhouFu and Liu Ruyi,launched an 18-day inspection tourto the Beiyang Navy for the first time to mark the thirdanniversary of its founding.
        In 1894,the Beiyang Navy was overwhelminglydefeated by the Japanese navy during the China-JapanWar of 1894-95.

        

·北洋舰队 “靖远” 号铁甲舰