Port Elizabeth of Yore: When the Swartkops River almost became a Port

Far be it for me to impugn the motives of the Port Elizabeth Harbour Board for requesting an eminent harbour engineer,  Mr. C.W. Methven, to report on the practicability of building a harbour at the mouth of the Swartkops River. Accordingly I will not speculate as to their rationale but rather assume that the issue regarding silting would forever bedevil the construction of a breakwater at or in close proximity to the existing jetties and landing beaches.

Main picture: 1862 map of the Swartkops River

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