"Ramseyer to Basel"

A letter discussing the mission's plans for Asante. Perregaux had been seriously ill in Nkoranza, needed permission to return to Europe for recuperation, and the Nkoranza plan would have to be dropped temporarily. Ramseyer would like, however, to install catechists in Mampong, Agona, Kuwamu, Kwamang, and Dweso (Juaso) and Juaben if Yaw Sarpong returns there. There is a passage about Kumasi itself. Ramseyer remarks that the Government are taking large tracts of land for their own use, will the Kumasis themselves return there? As far as Ramseyer could tell the Kumasi people were living in the neighbouring farming villages and could be expected to drift slowly back. The movement would be accelerated if there was once more a Kumasi chief, and he and his sub-chiefs were settled in the town. However, even though the different states of Asante have received the British flag and made treaties direct with Britain, and even though it is known that the Kumasi king will be king of- Kumasi only, Kumasi will till bear the 'weight' of its reputation as capital and have the additional importance of being the centre of the British administration. Therefore they should take Kumasi as starting point for their mission in Asante in spite of its present small Asante population. In any case it is ringed by about 40 small villages with a population of 800-1000 - Ramseyer himself has seen 20 of them. And the market is still thronged each day by people trading in food. In a postscript Müller comments that little progress has been wade in terms of working among the Asantes resident in Akim and Akwapim. Perregaux correspondence dated March 1896 is printed as follows: Le Missionaire 1896, pp 35-40, letters dated 18th and 28th February 1896. Additional letter from Perregaux see No 136

19.03.1896

19.03.1896

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