Even though  the British colonial rule, in the strict sense, was not established until after the Berlin Conference of 1884 - 1885, British power and jurisdiction in the Gold Coast began to take firm roots from the beginning of the 19th century when George Maclean laid the foundations for expansion of British influence. In 1830 Maclean arrived in Cape Coast and his instructions were explicit. He was not to interfere in the affairs of the states of the Gold Coast;  he was  only to ensure

that British interests were adequately protected. Maclean was, however, a practical man who realised that British trade and missionary activities would only thrive in an atmostphere of peace and order. Thus contrary to his remit he actually engaged the British, Fante and Asante in engendering harmonious relations that won him the admiration and confidence of all and ensured that trade between the coast and the interior flourished. Maclean’s term of office ended in 1843 and in that year he became the Judicial Assessor of British Forts on the coast until he died in 1847.

Commander Hill, who was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Forts and Castles in the Gold Coast, succeded Maclean. He recognised that the success of his predecessor derived in part from the harmonious relations that he established in the Gold Coast; he therefore proceeded to formalize the relations in a short document of three paragraphs signed initially by seven coastal chiefs on 6th March 1844 and subsequently by ten other chiefs. The document, which has be come to be known as the Bond of 1844, represented the first major imperial assault on the rights and powers of Gold Coasters to administer their own affairs. It outlawed certain customary practices and provided that criminal cases were to be tried by British officials in conjunction with the chiefs.