Coastal shipping and the early development of the southern Cape.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Aanvanklik kon die ekonomiese potensiaal van die streek oos van die Hottentots-Hollandberge (die destydse distrikte Graaff-Reinet en Swellendam) nie ontgin word nie as gevolg van die afwesigheid van plaaslike markte en die afstand van Kaapstad af. Om die probleem te oorbrug, het die Nederlandse Oos-lndiese Kompanjie in 1786 hawegeriewe by Mosselbaai en twee jaar later by Plettenbergbaai geskep. Dit het egter weinig tot die ekonomiese ontwikkeling van die Suid-Kaap bygedra, veral omdat inwoners onverskillig teenoor so 'n projek gestaan het en nie tot die uitgawes daaraan verbonde wou bydra nie. Na 1795 het ‘n paar individue in samewerking met die Britse owerheid begin om kusvaart tussen Kaapstad en die ooskus te bevorder. Dit het die inwoners en hulpbronne van die Kaapse suid-ooskus met die Kaapstadse mark verbind, vervoerkoste aansienlik verminder en terselfdertyd winsgrense verhoog.

• Summary: The economic development of the region east of the Hottentots-Holland Mountains (at that time the districts of Graaff-Reinet and Swellendam) could not be explored at first, because of the lack of local markets and the distance to Cape Town. To solve the problem the Dutch East India Company established harbour facilities at Mossel Bay in 1786 and two years later at Plettenberg Bay. This, however, did little if anything for the economic development of the southern Cape, mainly because residents were indifferent and not prepared to shoulder the costs involved in coastal shipping. After 1795 a few individuals, in partnership with the British authorities, took the initiative in promoting coastal shipping between Cape Town and the east coast, thereby linking the inhabitants and resources of that region to the Cape market. This reduced transport costs considerably, while also increasing the margins of profit.