(KARACHI HARBOUR) WALKER, James Kurrachee Harbour, in Scinde. Report of James Walker. 8th September, 1856. Westminster, Vacher 1856
8vo. 24pp, 1 folding litho plan, hand coloured. Orig. printed wrappers. The development of Karachi harbour was hampered by the sand bar at its mouth. Although a short groyne had been constructed in 1854, this report represents the first step in what was to be the transformation of Karachi into a major port. Although Walker had never visited the site, he was able to draw on his considerable experience as a marine engineer, notably at Belfast, Great Yarmouth, Glasgow and Newhaven, to recommend the building of groynes on either side of the harbour mouth to throw off the cross tide and allow the tidal current to drive the bar into deep water. Although nothing immediately came of Walker’s report, his firm, Walker, Burges & Cooper were eventually to carry out the improvement works, which were largely based on his recommendations, though with some modifications. This is one of the earliest reports by a British engineer on a foreign project.
£150
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