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The Port of Calcutta in the Imperial Network of South and South-East Asia, 1870s–1950s

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Abstract

In this chapter, I examine the development of the port facilities in Calcutta from the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Against the general political and economic backdrop of the times, I focus on two important aspects of the port’s enterprise. Firstly, the role of warehouses in facilitating the trading activities of the port, the negotiations that took place among the various actors in constructing these places, and the problems faced in maintaining them. And, secondly, the crucial part played by the transport system in aiding the movement of goods to and from the port area. Both enterprises reveal how territory became contested, how various interest groups operated, and how political-economic considerations shaped the space of the city along the river front.

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Sengupta, K.M. (2018). The Port of Calcutta in the Imperial Network of South and South-East Asia, 1870s–1950s. In: Neilson, B., Rossiter, N., Samaddar, R. (eds) Logistical Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8333-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8333-4_2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-8332-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-8333-4

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