Topic: GW - August 1914
Due to the large agricultural base of South Australia and the scattered localities, the only practical method of connecting these disparate regions with Adelaide was with coastal shipping. Rail was being expanded but for cost and bulk movement, it could not compete with shipping. Consequently rail was employed to move commodities from the hinterlands to a shipping outlet rather than a communications connection with Adelaide.
The largest coastal service in South Australia was run by the Adelaide Steamship Company. Below is their shipping schedule and prices.
Adelaide Steamship Company Shipping Schedule for the third quarter of 1914
Adelaide Advertiser, Monday, 3 August 1914, p. 1.
The most notable item in the advertisement is the extensive reach of the coastal ships. The major ports in the state received regular coverage for both freight and passage. Even minor settlements like Port Victoria, Hughes, Louth and North Shields are included in the shipping schedule. In addition, the Adelaide Steamship Company offered transhipment to a variety of locations indicating the nature of coastal trading and the movement of the commodities.
Citation: South Australian Coastal Shipping, August 1914