在東印度公司來華貿易的一百多年歷史裡，斯當東(George Thomas Staunton, 1781-1859)可說是其中一位最重要、且影響最大的人。1792-93年，他以侍童身份，參加由東印度公司出資、馬戛爾尼爵士所率領的使團，第一次來到中國，在旅途上開始學習中文。1798年4月，他因為其中文能力而獲聘為東印度公司初級書記，並開始擔任翻譯工作，1804年底擢升為貨監；1806年擔任特選委員會的秘書，1808年正式獲委任為中文譯員。1814年9月最後一次來到中國，1816年1月開始接任東印度公司在中國的組織架構中最高級位置：特選委員會主席，且以副使的身份跟隨阿美士德使團到北京。1817年6月回到英國去，也再沒有回到中國。可以肯定，斯當東不單是東印度公司在華貿易史上的關鍵人物，實際上在中英近代交往史上也有其舉足輕重的位置。正由於他的重要性，有關斯當東的研究為數不少，但討論他跟東印度公司在廣州體制下所面對的翻譯問題的研究並不多見，這大概是因為斯當東正式擔任公司的譯員的日子很短有關。然而，斯當東前後在中國住上共七、八年的日子裡，他的活動往往跟翻譯有關，實在很有深入處理的必要。本文除嘗試探研斯當東為東印度公司提供的翻譯服務以及所引起的相關問題外，更會重點討論一次由斯當東代表東印度公司出席、與廣州主要官員召開的會議。這會議在1814年底舉行，儘管會議影響深遠，但卻一直沒有受到重視。其實，這次會議還間接地觸及到一個近代中英外交翻譯史上一個很重要且敏感的課題：中英文書往來應使用那種語言？

George Thomas Staunton (1781-1859) was no doubt one of the most prominent and influential figures in the history of China trade of the British East India Company. He first came to China in 1792-93, as the page to Lord Macartney in his official mission to the Qing court. After acquiring some Chinese during the trip, he served as an interpreter when the Embassy arrived Beijing. In 1798, he joined EIC as a junior clerk. In 1808, he was officially appointed as interpreter/translator of the Company, although he had been doing its job since his first arrival. In 1816, he became the Supercargo, the highest position of the Company in Canton. He acted as the Deputy Ambassador in the Amherst Mission in 1816, before he finally returned to England for good in June 1817. Because of the various important roles played by him during his years in China, Staunton has frequently been a subject of investigation by Chinese and Western historians. But little attention has so far been paid to the impact made by his translation activities. The present paper looks into the role played by Staunton in different capacities, paying special attention to the contributions he made to the EIC because of his high proficiency in Chinese. The paper also discusses in details a meeting held in 1814 in Canton and attended by Staunton on behalf of the EIC to settle some critical issues in Sino-British trade with the Chinese officials, one of which being the language for communication between the Company and the Chinese authorities.