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The following is a description given in the late 19th century: seen from the harbor, Tamatave does have a good smiling aspect. Most
houses or huts are hidden by trees and sand dunes. The fort, housed in a small forest and at a certain distance from the shore,
only leaves visible a mast, which when seen at a closer distance, hoisted a large white banner, with the Queen’s name written in red
letters. ... Between the fort and the sea can be seen a dense forest of various trees, but mainly of badamiers. Since the last joint
attack by the French and the English in 1845, the Hovas deemed it cautious to shelter their fort. Today it is a real thicket with a very
pretty appearance, which contrasts with the dryness of the neighboring lands; it is very hard to get in there (Lacaze, 1881: 28- 29)
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.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the French continued to harass the British-held Kingdom of Madagascar. Several small forts
were built by the Malagasy people around Tamatave. The two most famous of these are Pointe Tanio, still a property of the Malagasy
army today, and Fort Farafaty, the scene of a memorable battle between the French and the Malagasy. Tamatave was bombed again
several times, including in 1845 and 1885. It ended up being included in the general colonization of Madagascar in 1896.
The economic role of Tamatave on the political chessboard of the Kingdom of Madagascar became so dominant that Queen
Ranavalona II put it on the same rank as Ambohimanga, the sacred hill, home of the Merina monarchy. At that time most foreign trade
passed through Tamatave. Queen Ranavalona II did not only enjoy the tax revenues generated by her customs service, but did not
want to interrupt the reception, for her own account, of small items from the west which she loved.
Total control of Madagascar by France encouraged many Reunion colonists to open trading posts in the Tamatave region. Others
engaged in the plantation of cash crops. Their influence was very important in the choice of the first infrastructures to be built in
Madagascar. They managed to impose the decision to build the Antananarivo-East Coast (TCE) railway line, despite the rugged
terrain and the substantial cost of building port facilities. Their goal was then to increase the volume of trade between Reunion and
Madagascar to make maximum profits.
The port became the cornerstone of every major industrial project in Madagascar. Ambatovy followed suit by deciding to establish
itself in Tamatave.
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Lacaze, (M., le Dr), Voyage à Madagascar. Histoire-Population-Mœurs, Paris, Berger Levrault, 1881, 166 p.
