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Sekondi

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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a port on the Gold Coast in 4° 57' N., I° 42' W., and 167 m. by rail S. by W. of Kumasi. Pop. (1908) about 5000, of whom some 200 were whites. ISekondi is one of the old trading stations on the Guinea coast, and Fort Orange was built here by the Dutch about 1640, the English later on building another fort near by. In 1694 the Dutch fort was plundered by the Ahanta, who in 1698 burnt the English fort. It was not rebuilt, and it was not until 1872 that the place became definitely British. The town was of comparatively little importance until it was chosen as the sea terminus of the railway serving the gold-mining districts and Ashanti. The railway reached the Tarkwa goldfields in 1901 and the Obuassi mines in 1902. From that date Sekondi became the chief port of the Gold Coast colony, gold, rubber and timber being the principal exports. In 1908 the total trade of the port was £2,1 21,420. There is no sheltered harbour, but at the landing place are piers provided with cranes. Landing is effected in lighters, ships anchoring in the roadstead half a mile from the shore. The public buildings include Fort Orange, a church, court-house, government offices and hospital. The mean temperature is about 79° F.; the rainfall about 40 in. a year. The climate is unhealthy for Europeans, but by the reclamation of the neighbouring lagoons its sanitary condition has been improved. Sekondi is governed by a municipality, created in 1905. It is in telegraphic communication with Europe by submarine cable, and is served by British, German and Belgian lines of steamers.