ACCRA  , a

port on the Gulf of Guinea in 50 31' N., o° 12' W., since 1876 capital of the British Gold Coast colony . Population about 20,000, including some 150 Europeans . Accra is about 8o m . E. of Cape Coast (q.v.), the former capital of the colony . The name is derived from the Fanti word Nkran (an ant), by which designation the tribe inhabiting the surrounding district was formerly known . The town grew up around three forts established in close proximity—St 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 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 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 of the colony . Westwards of the landing-place, where is the customs house, 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 Africa, and is the sea terminus of a railway serving the districts N.E., where are flourishing cocoa plantations .