2 - ‘Getting Too Great A Grip’: European Shipping Lines and British West African Lighterage Services in the 1930s
Corresponding Author(s) : Ayodeji Olukoju
Afrika Zamani,
No. 9-10 (2002): Afrika Zamani: An Annual Journal of African History
Abstract
With only one natural seaport on the West African coastline, shipping in the region during the colonial period was dependent upon the use of lighters to feed ocean-going vessels. However, lighterage services were monopolised by the leading expatriate shipping lines which constituted the West African shipping Conference or cartel. This essay examines the reaction of the British government when an American tramp shipper challenged the cartel on the issue of shipping charges in British West Africa and triggered the West African lighterage servi- ces controversy of the 1930s.
The paper exposes the discriminatory practices of the lighterage companies which tried to forestall potential competition on the US/West Africa shipping route. The cartel, by cleverly tying its interests with those of the United Kingdom and mobilising support in the Colonial Office and the Board of Trade, proved too entrenched to be dislodged. In its analysis of the debate among leading officials in the Colonial Office, the essay sheds light on the cleavage between the protectionnists and free traders, the ramifications of business/ government, metropolitan/colonial relations, and on the leverage of shipping in the imperial economic system. It was a system clearly controlled by the imperatives of the paramountcy of British over foreign, and of metropolitan over colonial, interests.
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- Adebayo, A. G., 1992, ‘The Production and Export of Hides and Skins in Colo- nial Northern Nigeria, 1900-1945’, Journal of African History, 33, 2: 273-300.
- Davies, P. N., 1973, The Trade Makers: Elder Dempster in West Africa, 1852- 1972, London.
- Davies, P. N., 1977, ‘The impact of the expatriate shipping lines on the economic development of British West Africa’, Business History, XIX: 3-17.
- Hilling, D. & B.S. Hoyle (eds.), 1970, Seaports and Development in Africa, London.
- Leubuscher, Charlotte, 1963, The West African Shipping Trade, 1909-1959, Leiden.
- Njoku, O. N., 1979, ‘Evolution of Produce Inspection in Nigeria up to 1936’,
- ODU: A Journal of West African Studies, 19: 43-57, [new series].
- Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘The Development of the Port of Lagos, c.1892-1946’, Jour- nal of Transport History, Third Series, 13, 1: 59-78
- Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘Background to the Establishment of the Nigerian Ports Authority: The Politics of Port Administration in Nigeria, c.1920-1954’, International Journal of Maritime History, IV, 2: 159.
- Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘Elder Dempster and the Shipping Trade of Nigeria During the First World War’, Journal of African History, vol. 33, 2: 255-271.
- Olukoju, A., 1994, ‘The Making of an ‘Expensive Port’: Shipping Lines, Government and Port Tariffs in Lagos, 1917-1949’, International Journal of Maritime History, VI, 1: 141-159.
- Olukoju, A., 1995, ‘Anatomy of Business–Government Relations: Fiscal Policy and Mercantile Pressure Group Activity in Nigeria, 1916-1933’, African Studies Review, 38, 1: 23-50.
- Olukoju, A., 1996, ‘Playing the Second Fiddle: The Development of Port Harcourt and Its Role in the Nigerian Economy, 1917-1950’, International Jour- nal of Maritime History, VIII, 1 : 105-131.
- Olukoju, A., 1997, ‘Nigeria’s Colonial Government, Commercial Banks, and the Currency Crisis of 1916-20’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 30, 2: 277-298.
- Olukoju, A., 1998, ‘Government, The Business Community, and Quality Control Schemes in the Agricultural Export Trade of Nigeria, 1889-1929’, African Economic History, 26, 99-118.
- Olukoju, A., 1999, ‘“Helping our own Shipping’’: Official Passages to Nigeria, 1914-45’, The Journal of Transport History, Third Series, vol. 20, 1: 30-45.
- Olukoju, A., 1999, ‘Slamming the ‘Open Door’: British Protectionist Fiscal Policy in Inter-War Nigeria’, Itinerario: European Journal of Overseas History, XXIII, 2: 13-28.
- Olukoju, A., 2001, ‘Tropical Terminus: The Distress and Disposal of the American Schooner, Allanwilde, in Lagos, 1920-22’, Lagos Historical Review, 1: 114- 126.
- Olukoju, A., 2002, ‘Buy British, Sell Foreign’: External Trade Control Policies in Nigeria During World War II and Its Aftermath, 1939-50’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 35, 2 & 3: 363-384.
- Sherwood, M., 1997, ‘Elder Dempster and West Africa, c.1891-1940: The Genesis of Underdevelopment?’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 30, 2: 253-276.
References
Adebayo, A. G., 1992, ‘The Production and Export of Hides and Skins in Colo- nial Northern Nigeria, 1900-1945’, Journal of African History, 33, 2: 273-300.
Davies, P. N., 1973, The Trade Makers: Elder Dempster in West Africa, 1852- 1972, London.
Davies, P. N., 1977, ‘The impact of the expatriate shipping lines on the economic development of British West Africa’, Business History, XIX: 3-17.
Hilling, D. & B.S. Hoyle (eds.), 1970, Seaports and Development in Africa, London.
Leubuscher, Charlotte, 1963, The West African Shipping Trade, 1909-1959, Leiden.
Njoku, O. N., 1979, ‘Evolution of Produce Inspection in Nigeria up to 1936’,
ODU: A Journal of West African Studies, 19: 43-57, [new series].
Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘The Development of the Port of Lagos, c.1892-1946’, Jour- nal of Transport History, Third Series, 13, 1: 59-78
Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘Background to the Establishment of the Nigerian Ports Authority: The Politics of Port Administration in Nigeria, c.1920-1954’, International Journal of Maritime History, IV, 2: 159.
Olukoju, A., 1992, ‘Elder Dempster and the Shipping Trade of Nigeria During the First World War’, Journal of African History, vol. 33, 2: 255-271.
Olukoju, A., 1994, ‘The Making of an ‘Expensive Port’: Shipping Lines, Government and Port Tariffs in Lagos, 1917-1949’, International Journal of Maritime History, VI, 1: 141-159.
Olukoju, A., 1995, ‘Anatomy of Business–Government Relations: Fiscal Policy and Mercantile Pressure Group Activity in Nigeria, 1916-1933’, African Studies Review, 38, 1: 23-50.
Olukoju, A., 1996, ‘Playing the Second Fiddle: The Development of Port Harcourt and Its Role in the Nigerian Economy, 1917-1950’, International Jour- nal of Maritime History, VIII, 1 : 105-131.
Olukoju, A., 1997, ‘Nigeria’s Colonial Government, Commercial Banks, and the Currency Crisis of 1916-20’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 30, 2: 277-298.
Olukoju, A., 1998, ‘Government, The Business Community, and Quality Control Schemes in the Agricultural Export Trade of Nigeria, 1889-1929’, African Economic History, 26, 99-118.
Olukoju, A., 1999, ‘“Helping our own Shipping’’: Official Passages to Nigeria, 1914-45’, The Journal of Transport History, Third Series, vol. 20, 1: 30-45.
Olukoju, A., 1999, ‘Slamming the ‘Open Door’: British Protectionist Fiscal Policy in Inter-War Nigeria’, Itinerario: European Journal of Overseas History, XXIII, 2: 13-28.
Olukoju, A., 2001, ‘Tropical Terminus: The Distress and Disposal of the American Schooner, Allanwilde, in Lagos, 1920-22’, Lagos Historical Review, 1: 114- 126.
Olukoju, A., 2002, ‘Buy British, Sell Foreign’: External Trade Control Policies in Nigeria During World War II and Its Aftermath, 1939-50’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 35, 2 & 3: 363-384.
Sherwood, M., 1997, ‘Elder Dempster and West Africa, c.1891-1940: The Genesis of Underdevelopment?’, International Journal of African Historical Studies, 30, 2: 253-276.