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A group of merchants and bankers,including William Paterson,
一批商人與銀行家 包括威廉·帕特森
the Scottish founder of the Bank of England,
英格蘭銀行的蘇格蘭創始人
had the idea of creating a Scottish trading post
提出了在巴拿馬的達連灣
on the Isthmus of Darien in Panama.
建立一個貿易站的創想
At first sight, the idea sounds like the purest lunacy,
乍一看 這完全是天馬行空的創想
but look at the map of world trade and it becomes visionary.
而研究一下地圖就會發現這真是遠見卓識
A major obstacle to east-west trade was the long, dangerous,and ruinously expensive journey round Cape Horn.
東西方貿易的主要障礙 在于經由好望角的航運路線 不僅道阻且長 也出奇昂貴
A trade route that cut through Panama was an obvious boon.
若能取道巴拿馬 則是眾望所歸
At Darien,the distance between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was only 40 miles.
在達連灣 太平洋和大西洋之間 僅有40英里的距離
Goods could be carried across the narrow strip of land to waiting merchant ships.
在這個狹長地帶 人們將貨物轉運上整裝待發的商船
The trading economy of the world would be revolutionised and Scotland would run it.
世界貿易經濟體系將發生翻天覆地的變化 而蘇格蘭將引領這場變革
The Darien scheme instantly captured the imagination of the Scottish people.
達連計劃很快成為 蘇格蘭人民寄托夢想的地方
Men and women from all walks of life and from all over Scotland
蘇格蘭各地各階層的人們
queued up to invest in the venture.
爭相投資這項冒險事業
When the first fleet sailed from the Firth of Forth in July 1698, flying the Saltire
1698年7月第一艘商船于佛斯灣起航 船上飄揚著圣安德魯十字旗
and the extraordinary company flag of Indians, llamas,
以及偉大的東印度公司專屬的旗幟
towered elephants and the beaming rising sun.
上面繪有無峰駝 大象和絢爛的朝陽
