At the end of the 19th century, with the advent of the ocean liner, the island's position astride Atlantic shipping lanes made Cape Verde an ideal location for resupplying ships with fuel (imported coal), water and other supplies. Because of its excellent harbour, Mindelo (on the island of São Vicente) became an important commercial centre during the 19th century, mainly because British companies used Cape Verde as a storage depot for coal which was bound for the Americas. The harbour area at Mindelo was developed by British merchants for this purpose. The island was transformed into a coaling and submarine cable station, and there soon became plenty of work available for local labourers. This was the golden period of the city, where it gained the cultural characteristics that made it the current cultural capital of the country.