第三章竞拍北极地区.PDF

In Which The Arctic Regions Are Sold 竞拍北极地区 At Auction To The Highest Bidder 第三章 竞拍北极地区 Chapter 3 In Which The Arctic Regions Are Sold At Auction To The Highest Bidder 拍卖北极的这一天终于到来，所有人都将目光 投向了巴尔的摩拍卖大厅。这里不仅仅汇聚了各国 代表，还汇集了各地关注事态进展的民众。他们甚 至为哪一个国家会获得北极的所有权而投下赌注， 其中以支持英国与支持美国为两个主流。与其他国 家不同，美国所派的代表是一位看似粗俗但又十分 沉着冷静的鳕鱼商人威廉·福斯特，这也大大出乎 了各国的意料。随着拍卖员的一声令下竞拍开始 了，以每平方海里十美分起拍，但是这一价钱很快 成为历史。丹麦、荷兰、瑞典-挪威、俄罗斯的代 表在一轮轮的竞价中将价格抬升到每平方海里八十美分。接下来的时间属 于英国和美国的角逐，双方代表以一种镇静而简短的声音不断刷新着价格 的记录。当威廉·福斯特报出二百美分的价格时，久悬的拍卖槌终于敲响 了，伴随着这一敲击声，美国获得了对北极地区的最终所有权。在拍卖大 厅中一边是欧洲各国代表及其支持者沮丧的沉默，一边是美国作为胜利者 喧嚣的狂欢，共同构成了具有强烈对比的画面。第二天威廉·福斯特在签 署申报文件时，人们惊奇地发现——北极的真实购买者原来是巴比肯 公司。 25 Topsy 北冰洋的幻想 Turvy 竞拍 26 In Which The Arctic Regions Are Sold 竞拍北极地区 At Auction To The Highest Bidder W hy was this sale on the 3rd of December going to be held in the regular auction hall, where usually only such objects as furniture, utensils, tools, instruments, etc., or art pieces, pictures, medals, and antique objects were sold? Why, so long as it was a piece of realty, was it not sold before a referee or a court of justice appointed for such sales? And why was the aid of a public auctioneer necessary when a part of our globe was going to be sold? How could this piece of the world be compared with any movable object when it was the most fixed thing on the face of the earth? Really, this seemed to be quite illogical, but it was not so, since the who