Explaining ship traffic fluctuations in the early Cape settlement: 1652–1793

Willem Boshoff and Johan Fourie

No 01/2008, Working Papers from Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics

Abstract: The only reliable estimate of the number of ships that arrived in the Cape Colony was published by Beyers in 1929. Unfortunately, this data series has a number of restrictions. It only accounts for the number of ships arriving at the Cape during the period 1700–1793. It also does not distinguish between the types of ships used or compensate for the length of their stay. Using a new electronic data source detailing every ship that anchored in Table Bay during the existence of the Dutch East India Company, this paper provides new insights into the pattern of ship traffic fluctuations in the early Cape Colony. Historical evidence from this period supports the empirical results. While many gaps still remain, the new empirical evidence can be used in future research on this neglected period of South Africa’s economic history.

Keywords: Cape Colony; Data; Economic History; Dutch East India Company; Ships; Cliometrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E32 N17 N77 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-his
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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