"Ramseyer to Basel"

Outlines the political situation in reply to a letter from Basel concerned about the security of resources invested in Kumasi missionary buildings. He does not think Samory is a danger because he does not believe Samory wants to attack the English, and they in their turn are garrisoning into the interior, and appear to intend to protect and forward trade (he cites the telegraph to Kintampo, and the new stationing of garrisons at Yegyi and Daboya). As for the population of Kumasi, they will return when there is less fear of Samory (he reports one huge panic even in the Christian and Kwahu quarters stirred up apparently by the calling out of the Hausas on a mobilisation exercise). Also at the moment there are insistent calls for labour for building and load-carrying by the chiefs in Kumasi, and it is easier to escape these if one is outside the town. Nevertheless, when they hold street preaching outside the house of the Kumasi head-chief Buabasa they usually have a good number of Kumasi as hearers, which indicates that there are a fair number of such people living among the ruins of Bantama and Kumasi.

15.10.1897

15.10.1897

Text