In 1888 Cecil Rhodes got the backings of Lord Nathan Mayer Rothschild a very wealthy and influential family at the time, for an idea he had to monopolize the newly growing diamond industry. This backing and the merger with Barney Banarto saw the creation of the De Beer Consolidated Mines, a merger that saw them becoming South Africa leaders in the production of diamond mining.
http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Very-Unique-Opportunity-to-Steal-the-Diamonds-on-the-Land&id=6094808 - Mar 20, 2011
