THE IMPACT OF THE EXPATRIATE SHIPPING LINES ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH WEST AFRICA.

The establishment of regular steamship services between Europe-particularly the Great Britain and the British territories in West Africa was of fundamental significance to the growth of trade and thus to economic development. A further, subsequent, consequence was that the interest and investment engendered by the activities of the shipping companies played a vital part in ensuring that these areas on the Coast were ultimately retained as viable colonies within the British Empire. It is the aim of this paper to describe the organization and history of these lines from 1852 when the African Steam Ship Co. was founded until 1914 when the West African Lines shipping conference was ended by the outbreak of the first World War. It is then intended to analyze the economic impact of these regular services on the development of British West Africa. Europe first came into contact with West Africa as a result of the voyages of Portugal in the middle of the fifteenth century. The prime objective of these explorations was to find a new route to India and the East but a small trade gradually evolved along the West African coastline. This activity assumed a new vitality with the discovery of what became known as the "Gold Coast," and in 1482 a fort was established on the site of what is now Elmina, Ghana.