ACCRA

This article appears in Volume V01, Page 125 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: A10-ADA

ACCRA , a port on the Gulf of

Guinea

GUINEA

in 50 31' N., o 12' W., since 1876

capital

CAPITAL (i.e. capital stock or fund)
CAPITAL (Lat. caput, head)

of the British Gold

Coast

COAST (from Lat. costa, a rib, side)

colony. Population about 20,000, including some 150 Europeans. Accra is about 8o m. E. of Cape

Coast

COAST (from Lat. costa, a rib, side)

(q.v.), the former

capital

CAPITAL (i.e. capital stock or fund)
CAPITAL (Lat. caput, head)

of the colony. The name is derived from the Fanti word Nkran (an ant), by which designation the tribe inhabiting the surrounding

district

DISTRICT

was formerly known. The town grew up around three forts established in close proximitySt James (British), Crevecceur (Dutch) and Christiansborg (Danish). The last named was ceded to Britain in 185o, Crevecceur not till 1871. Fort St James is now used as a signal station, lighthouse and prison. Accra preserves the distinctions of James Town, Ussher Town and Christiansborg, indicative of its tripartite origin. Ussher Town represents Crevecceur, the fort being renamed after H. T. Ussher,

administrator

ADMINISTRATOR

of the Gold Coast (1867-1872). The sea frontage extends about three miles; there is, however, no harbour, and steamers have to lie about a mile out, goods and passengers being landed in surf boats. The streets formerly consisted largely of mud hovels, but since a

great

GREAT

fire in 1894, which destroyed large parts of James Town and Ussher Town, more substantial. buildings have been erected. Christiansborg, the finest of the three forts, is the official residence of the

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

of the colony. Westwards of the landing-place, where is the customs

house

HOUSE
HOUSE (O. Eng. hiss, a word common to Teutonic languages, cf. Dut. huis, Ger. Haus; in
Gothic
- GOTHIC
it is only found in gudhiss, a temple; it may be ultimately connected with the root of " hide," conceal)

, lies James Town. Beyond the fort are various public buildings leading to Otoo Street, the main thoroughfare, which runs two miles in a straight line to Christiansborg. This street contains a fine stone church built in 1895 for the use of the Anglican community, a branch of the Bank of British West Africa, telegraph offices and the establishments of the principal trading firms. In Victoriaborg, a suburb of Ussher Town, are the residences of the principal officials, and here a racecourse has been laid out. (Accra is almost the only point along the Gold Coast where horses thrive.) Behind the town is rolling grass land, which gives place to the highlands of Aquapim and Akim. At Aburi in the Aquapim hills, 26 m. N. by E. of Accra, are the government sanatorium and botanical gardens.
Accra, the first town in the Gold Coast colony to be raised (July 1, 1896) to the rank of a municipality, is governed by a town council with power to raise and spend money. The council consists in equal proportions of nominated and elected members, no racial distinctions being made. Accra is connected by cable with Europe and

South

SOUTH
SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

Africa, and is the sea terminus of a railway serving the districts N.E., where are flourishing cocoa plantations.

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