蘇格蘭vs英格蘭 尼斯湖水怪爭奪戰

Of all the tales about the Loch Ness Monster, it must be one of the most unlikely – an English plot to kidnap the beast and display its carcass in London. But back in the 1930s the Scots feared that such a thing was all too possible, according to newly revealed papers, and fought to ensure she stayed north of the border. The Scottish Office opened a file on Nessie in December 1933 after being bombarded with inquiries following sightings that year.

在所有關於尼斯湖水怪的故事中，這恐怕是最荒誕的一個了：英格蘭計劃劫持尼斯湖水怪並在倫敦展出它的遺骸。但據最新公佈的資料顯示，在20世紀30年代，蘇格蘭人對此深信不疑，並努力爭取水怪繼續留在蘇格蘭。蘇格蘭當局公佈了一份1933年12月的尼斯湖水怪文件。同年發現水怪後，人們不斷要求進行調查。

And similar files have also been found at the Natural History Museum in London, with the contents describing Scotland’s fears that Nessie should not be allowed to find its last resting place in England after a bounty was placed on the monster’s head.

在位於倫敦的國家歷史博物館裏也發現了類似的文獻記載，描述了蘇格蘭人得知對水怪的懸賞後，擔心它的屍體會被帶到英格蘭。

The documents also reveal that many years later Prince Philip even suggested calling in the Royal Navy to search for the creature. By 1934 both the Natural History Museum in London and the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh wanted Nessie.

文件還披露多年後有人建議菲利浦親王召集皇家海軍尋找水怪。截至1934年位於倫敦的國家歷史博物館和位於愛丁堡的蘇格蘭皇家博物館都想得到尼斯湖水怪。

But while Scotland hoped that the bounty hunters could be kept at bay long enough to get new laws passed to protect her, London preferred her shot on sight. In March 1934 an unnamed official at the National History Museum made no bones about how he thought bounty hunters should deal with the creature.

雖然蘇格蘭方面希望在保護水怪的相關法律通過之前賞金獵人們不要找到水怪，但倫敦方面卻想盡快親眼看到水怪被射殺的場面。1934年3月一位不願透露姓名的國家歷史博物館官員大談特談了他對獵人們應該如何處置水怪的想法。

The files show he said: ‘Should you ever come within range of the “monster” I hope you will not be deterred by any humanitarian considerations from shooting him on the spot and sending the carcass to us in cold storage, carriage forward. Short of this, a flipper, a jaw or a tooth would be very welcome.

根據文獻記載他當時說：“如果你發現了水怪，我希望你不要被任何人道主義思想影響而放棄射殺水怪，完成射殺後請把冷藏中的水怪屍體運給我們，運費將由我們支付。如果沒有水怪屍體，水怪的鰭、頜或牙齒我們也很感興趣。

According to more documents found in Edinburgh, pressure was already growing for a special Act of Parliament to prevent Nessie being killed or captured. The campaign was led by Inverness MP Murdoch MacDonald, who assured the Scottish Secretary Sir Godfrey Collins the creature was no myth.

隨後人們在愛丁堡發現了大量的相關文獻報道，文獻顯示當時越來越多的媒體開始呼籲議會推出特別法案保護水怪免於捉捕和射殺。該項倡議活動由因弗內斯議員默多克•麥克唐納領導，他曾向蘇格蘭事務大臣柯林斯爵士保證水怪並非是傳言中傷人的怪物。

Evidence of its presence can be taken as undoubted. Far too many people have seen something abnormal to question its existence,’ he wrote. He demanded a Bill be put before Parliament to protect the creature, but Sir Godfrey advised there was ‘no law for the protection of monsters.

水怪存在的證據毋庸置疑，有太多的人目睹了證明水怪存在的異常現象，默多克這樣寫道。默多克要求在議會明確保護水怪前應先推出相關法案，但柯林斯爵士卻表示至今爲止還沒有爲保護怪物制定過相關法律。

The Royal Scottish Museum wrote to Sir Godfrey staking Edinburgh’s claim to the carcass. ‘The museum urges strongly that the RSM have the reversionary rights to the “monster” if and when its corpse should become available,’ the letter said.

蘇格蘭皇家博物館還特地給柯林斯爵士寫了信強調蘇格蘭對水怪遺骸的所有權。如果射殺成功蘇格蘭皇家博物館對水怪的屍體擁有保管權。

Natural History Museum files from the 1960s also state that when approached by a Tory MP, David James, who was ‘obsessed’ with Nessie, Prince Philip encouraged him to contact the Royal Navy for assistance.

國家歷史博物館裏記錄於20世紀60年代的文獻顯示當接觸沉迷於尼斯湖水怪的保守黨大衛•詹姆斯時，菲利浦親王鼓勵他要多接觸皇家海軍以獲取皇家海軍的幫助。

The revelations are made by author David Clarke in his book Britain’s X-traordinary Files. He said: ‘During the 1930s … Nessie had become a Scottish icon, a symbol of national identity. There was genuine outrage at the possibility that the corpse of the monster might be taken for display in London.

大衛•克拉克在其新書《英國特別檔案》中記錄了蘇格蘭人對水怪所有權的重視。他說：“20世紀30年代尼斯湖水怪已經成爲蘇格蘭的標誌是國家身份的象徵。人們對可能在倫敦展出水怪屍體表示極大的憤慨。