xviii SIR ERNEST OPPENHEIMER
1934 (7 March) Agreement constituting the Diamond Producers' Association
adhered to by Union Government and Administrator of South West Africa
1936 (20 May) Incorporation of Anglo American Investment Trust
1937 (14 January) Incorporation of West Rand Investment Trust
!937 (19 February) Registration of Western Holdings Limited
1942 (January) Ernest Oppenheimer acquires control of South African Town-
ships from the estate of Sir A. Bailey and so control over Western Holdings
1944 (2 June) Incorporation of Orange Free State Investment Trust
1945 (September) Ernest Oppenheimer acquires control of Messrs. Lewis and
Marks,
which carried with it control of African and European Investment
Company, itself controlling 'Block 7' of critical importance in the
area south of Odendaalsrus
1946 (16 April) Anglo American Corporation announces that Borehole No. 1
on the boundary between the farms Geduld and Friedesheim penetrated the Basal Reef, giving an assay result of 22,967 inch-dwt
1947 (February) Blinkpoort Gold Syndicate announces that Borehole Geduld
No. 2 gave an assay result of 12,528 inch-dwt
1948
Passage of Act No. 35 of 1948
(Atomic Energy Act) creating the Atomic Energy Board
1953 U.K. Parliament enacts Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation
Acts. The Federation comes into being on 3 September 1953
!955 (!5 February) The General Electric Company (U.S.A.) announces the production of synthetic industrial diamonds
1956 De Beers establishes the Adamant Research Laboratory in
Johannesburg for 'intensive' work on diamond synthesis
!957 (25 November) Ernest Oppenheimer dies in his 78th year
1958 (August) De Beers acquires a half-interest in Williamson Diamonds
Limited
1959 (January) First agreement between the Diamond Corporation and the
Soviet Government for the sale of all diamonds from Russian production through the central selling organization
1959
(17 November) De Beers announces the successful production of synthetic
industrial diamonds at the Adamant Laboratory
