It Is
Not Now A Great Centre; Because Of The Oppression And Usury Which
The Kings Of Ashantee Have Inflicted
On all in their power, and
which have caused Coomassie mainly to attract one form of trade,
viz., slaves; who
Were used in their constant human sacrifices, and
for whom a higher price was procurable here than from the Mohammedan
tribes to the north under French sway. And as for the other trade
stuffs, they have naturally for years drained into the markets of
the French Soudan; instead of through such a country as Ashantee,
into the markets of the English Gold Coast; and so unless we run a
railroad up to encourage the white traders to go inland, and make a
market that will attract these trade routes into Coomassie, we shall
be a few years hence singing out "What's the good of Ashantee?" and
so forth, as is our foolish wont, never realising that the West
Coast is not good unless it is made so by white effort.
The new regime on the Gold Coast is undoubtedly more active than the
old - more alive to the importance of pushing inland and so forth -
and a road is going to be made twenty-five feet wide all the way to
Coomassie, and then beyond it, which is an excellent thing in its
way. But it will not do much for trade, because the pacification of
the country, and the greater security of personal property to the
native, which our rule will afford will aid him in bringing his
goods to the coast, but not so greatly aid our taking our goods
inland, for the carriers will require just as much for carrying
goods along a road, as they do for carrying goods along a bush path,
and rightly too, for it is quite as heavy work for them, and
heavier, as I know from my experience of the governmental road in
Cameroon.
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