Now, for some strange reason, many people believe that Manila hemp is a hemp plant. But Manila hemp is not really hemp.

如今，因为某种奇怪的原因，很多人认为马尼拉麻是一种麻类植物。但是马尼拉麻并不是麻类植物。

On the other hand, plant products like Manila hemp, you can drag through the ocean for weeks on end.

但是，像马尼拉麻这样的植物产品，你可以连续好几个礼拜拖着它们穿过海洋。

Today we'll continue talking about useful fibers, and we'll begin with a fiber that's commonly known as “Manila hemp.”

今天我们继续讨论有用纤维，我们将从大家熟知的“马尼拉麻”开始。

Now, as fibers go, Manila hemp fibers are very long. They can easily be several feet in length and they're also very strong, very flexible.

现在，说到纤维，马尼拉麻纤维很长。它们很容易达到几英尺长，同时很结实，韧性也很好。

The “Manila” part of the name makes sense, because Manila hemp is produced chiefly in the Philippine Islands and, of course, the capital city of the Philippines is Manila.

这名字中的“马尼拉”倒是说得过去，因为马尼拉麻主要产于菲律宾群岛，当然，菲律宾的首都是马尼拉。

And this combination of characteristics—long, strong, flexible, resistant to salt water—makes Manila hemp a great material for ropes, especially for ropes that are gonna be used on ocean-going ships.

正是这些长、结实、柔韧、抗咸水特征的组合让马尼拉麻成为绝好的绳索材料，特别是用在远洋船只上的绳索。

In fact, by the early 1940's, even though steel cables were available, most ships in the United States Navy were not moored with steel cables; they were moored with Manila hemp ropes.

事实上，在20 世纪40 年代初期，尽管钢丝绳能买到，但是大多数的美国海军船停泊时用的不是钢丝绳；这些船用的是马尼拉麻绳。