The South African Shipping Question 1886-1914

In this wonderfully well researched and scholarly work Dr Solomon has traced the course of a controversy which stretched over a period of nearly thirty years and which not only involved shippers, shipowners, merchants and governments but had an impact in all four of the colonies which became the Union of South Africa, both before and after Union and in England itself.

With the sure and skillful touch of the trained historian he unravels for us a  fascinating account of the clashes of conflicting interests, the complicated negotiations, the plots and counterplots and the roles played by various governments at a time when shipping was England's business and the movement of goods to and from her ports, at reasonable cost, was of vital interest to her colonies, especially South Africa.

Many well-known figures played their parts in this struggle and Dr Solomon not only recounts what they did but also speculates in a most interesting way as to the reasons for their actions. His 'educated guesses' reveal a wealth of back-ground knowledge gleaned from the immense volume of sources he studied and must be regarded as more than conjecture.

Dr Solomon has in this work filled a gap in our history and done it brilliantly.

Hardback with dustcover over original navy blue boards with gilt blocking to spine titles. Frontis. xix plus 301 pages text with supporting illustrations. Very clean copy.