“ fidize all the powers of Europe againft us, and your monopoly
“ of the Indian trade has put you in poffeffion of a fund of in-
“ exhauftible wealth!”
As the French, in all human probability, will -very foon be
deprived of all their colonies in the weft, they will be more
anxious to increafe their eftabliihments in the eaft j and however
limited might have been the extent of their views oil the
memorable expedition to Egypt, there cannot now be a difference
of opinion on the fubjedt. India is, undoubtedly, their ob-
je a , and to gain that objed they will leave no meafures untried,
nor regard the facrifice of thoufands. They have now, indeed,
ftronger motives than ever for attempting the deftrudion of our
power in the eaft. Driven from the moft valuable of their Weft
India fettlements, by a condud of which the confequences
might eafily have been forefeen, and in a fairway oflofing the
reft, they will feek for reparation in Egypt and in India. If,
however, England can fucceed in keeping them out of the
Eaftern Seas, the feeble remains of their maritime ftrength muft
fpeedily be extinguiihed; for without colonies they can have
little or no foreign trade, and confequently no feamen. To
effed this defireable end, it will be indifpenfably neceffary
for England to regain poffeffton of the Gape of Good Hope,
which, with Malta and Ceylon, are the beft guarantees for the
tranquillity of our Indian trade and fettlements, and without
which their fecurity muft always be confidered as precarious.
It is almoft fuperfluous to obferve how much every nation of
Europe is interefted, that the power of the Britifh empire
ih o u ld ,
ihould,^ at this moment, be upheld by every poffible fecurity that
may enable her to refift the overwhelming and infatiable ambition
of France. Do the other powers vainly hope to meet a better
fate under her triumphant arms than Holland, Hanover, or Switzerland
have experienced, where, before the palfyiiig arm of
French tyranny had deftròyed their health and vigour, the people
were profperous, happy, and free? Would Denmark or
Sweden, Pruffia or the principalities of Germany, be treated
with more confideration than the Italian provinces have been ?
Will Spain and Portugal increafe their influence, wealth, and
commerce by being degraded into tributary provinces of France,
and do they promife themfelves a better fecurity of their
colonies by the humiliating alliance ? Nothing, Purely, but the
moft morbid apathy could prevent thefe and the reft of Europe
from rifing in a rnafs to wipe off the difgrace that has already
fallen on fome, and momentarily threatens the reft. How is it
poffible that thofe powers, who yet have the means of refcuing
Europe from univerfal mifery, can remain inadrive, and infen-
fible of their own impending danger ? A little ifland, animated
with a great foulj is their only fecurity, and if that ihould fail, the
tyrant’s fell grafp will foon reach them all. The fyftem, deeply
rooted in the mind of the Confular Government, appears to be
that of univerfal and arbitrary dominion— to reduce all Europe
into gallic provinces as Afia fell under the yoke of Róme.
Nor would the dreadful effetts of French aggrandizement be
confined to Europe, were they not completely checked by the
maritime power of Great Britain.’ Afia, Africa,"and SoUtli
America would foon be overrun with Frenchmen. No one cari
v o i , . l i . - D d doubt,