南非引起钻石潮的原因是什么？出台《钻石贸易法案》产生了什么不利影响

今天的这段对话，在讨论钻石，

南非引起钻石潮的原因是什么？出台《钻石贸易法案》产生了什么不利影响

来听今天的讲解:

A: Nicole,  look at this !

尼科尔，看看这个！

B: Is that your engagement ring?

是你的订婚戒指吗？

A: Yes, it's a South African diamond.

对，是南非钻戒。

B: I think those are the best in che world, it must have cost your boyfriend an arm and a leg.

我认为这是世界上最好的钻石，一定花了你男朋友很多钱。   

A: You're night! It all started when in 1867 a pretty pebble found near the Orange River, in the wilds of South Afiica, was identified as a 21-carat diamond.

你说得没错！1867年，一颗漂亮的小石头在南非奥兰治河附近的荒野中被发现，后来被鉴定为21克拉的钻石。

B: That's bigger than yours, bur not the biggest. Placer diamonds were found between the Vaal and Orange Rivers later in the year, and in March 1869 an 83-carat diamond tumed up.

那比你的这颗要大，但不是最大的。1867年下半年，在瓦尔河和奥兰治河交界的地方找到了钻石砂矿，1869年3月发现了一颗83克拉的钻石。

A: So that must have been the start of the diamond rush. By the end of 1871 two well-defined areas were recognized as the source areas. or "pipes", for the diamonds. Four pipes were discovered all together at the town of Kiinberley.

所以这一定是引起钻石潮的原因。到1871年末，有两个地区被明确认定为钻石区或管状矿脉：在金伯利城共发现了4个管状矿脉。

B: So many people worked there. In 1872 the pipes were giant open quames worked by 2500 miners and 10, 000 hired laborers neighbours.

所以很多人都到那里工作，1872年各矿脉都成为巨大的露天采掘场，有2500名矿工，还有1万名雇佣工人。

A: That’s huge! But , as they went deeper, the more difficult it got. The number of claim owners in the Kimberley pit dropped dramatically as people bought out their neighbours.

真够大的！可是后来这工作越来越难做了。而且，随着有些人买下他们邻居的土地所有权，金伯利矿坑产权拥有者人数也急剧下降。

B: Yes, but then the Diamond Trade Act allowed the companies to set up  "searching-houses" in a system of routine surveillance, searching, and strippmg by company police.

是这样，而且当时出台的《钻石贸易法案》允许各公司在例行的日常监督体制下设立 “搜身事”，由公司警察对工人进行搜身和脱衣服检查。

A: The companies were forced by strikes to be more lenient to their white worken than to blacks. So. I guess this was the first apartheid.

由于罢工，公司不得不对他们的白人工人比对待黑人工人更宽大些。因此，我想这就是第一次种族隔离的出现，

B: Unfortunately, yes. The methods were successful. however. After De Beers set up its "searching-houses" in March 1883,its diamond production rose significantly, showing that there had been a hemorrhage of diamonds from the workings.

非常遗憾，确实是这样。不过，这种方法的确奏效。1883年3月，德•比尔斯公司设立自己的“搜身室”之后，该公司的钻石产量大大增加，这表明工作过程中一直存在钻石大量流失现象。

A: The De Becn I think my 2lth  birthday present was by De Beers. Lord Rothschild, probably one of the most famous rich men in the world.

德•比尔斯公司？我记得我21岁的生日礼物就是这家公司出产的。是罗恩柴尔德勋爵，他可能是世界上最富有的人之一

B: It probably was. You know who headed De beers?Lord Rothschild, probably one of the most famous rich men in the world.

噢，所以这就是为什么我爸爸经常说：“你以为我是谁，罗恩柴尔德吗？”

A: Oh, so that's why my dad always says. "Who do you think I am, Rorhschild?"

可能是吧。你知道德•比尔斯公司的领导是谁？

B: I'm going ro have their pale pinkish yellow diamond, called "Champagne"  for my engagement ring.

我想买个订婚戒指，就是他们生产的浅粉红色又带点黄色的钻石，叫做“香槟色”。

A: Good choice. After all, a diamond is for ever!

眼光不错。毕竟钻石是恒久不变的嘛。