were no buyers. The limited amount, for which the Government
was authorized to draw on the Afiatic Council of the Batavian
Republic, had long been expended; and the arrears of
pay and allowances, ftill due to the garrifon, inflamed it to
mutiny. The great depreciation of the paper currency held out
no encouragement for the Government to try its credit by extending
the capital already in circulation. All hard money had
totally difappeared, except Englifh copper penny pieces, to the
amount of about four thoufand pounds. The addition of a
French garrifon, under the prefent circumftances, would, in all
probability, haften the deftruaion of the colony, in fo far as
regarded a fupply of foreign articles in exchange for colonial
produce. For, it is not to be fuppofed, after their treatment of
the Dutch at home, they would be inclined to ihew more con-
fideiation for their colonies.
As a dependency on the Crown of Great Britain, in the natural
courfe of things, it became a flouriflung fettlement j but
the commercial advantages derived to Britain, in confequence
ofthe pofleflionof it, are not of that magnitude as, confidered
in this point o f view only, to make the retention of it a Jme
qua non to a treaty of peace; not even when carried to the
higheft poflible degree of which they are fufceptible. Taken in
this point of view only, England might very well difpenfe with
the poflefiion of the Cape.
It now remains to confider, in the laft place, the important
advantages that might refult to England, by eftablifhing at the
Cape a kind of central depot for the Southern Whale Fiihery.
r It
It is an univerfally acknowledged truth that, with the promotion
of navigation, are promoted the ftrength and fecurity of
the Britiih empire ; that the fea is one great fource of its wealth
and power ; and that its very exiftence, as an independent nation,
is owing to the preponderancy of its navy ; yet, it would
feem that the advantages offered by .this element have hitherto
been employed only in a very partial manner. Surrounded as
we. are, on all fides by the fea, every fquare mile of which is,
perhaps, not much lefs valuable than a fquare mile of land in
its produce of food for the fuftenance of man, how long have
we allowed another nation to reap the benefit of this wealthy
mine, and to fupport from it, almoft exclufively, a population
which,: in proportion to its territory, was double to that of our
own ; a nation which, by this very fource of induft/y and
wealth, was once enabled to difpute with us the fovereignty of
the feas ? A nation of fifhermen neceffarily implies a nation of
feamen, a race of bold and hardy warriors.' The navy of England
has defervedly been long regarded as the great bulwark of
the empire, whilft the mod certain fource of fupplying that
riavy with the bell feamen has been unaccountably negledted.
Our colonies and our commerce have been hitherto confidered
as the great nurfery of our feamen, but in times like the prefent,
when civilized fociety is convulfed in every part of the world,
our colonies may fail and our commerce may be checked. From
what fource, then, is our navy to be manned ?. The glorious
feats that have been performed in our ihips of. war, from the
firft-rate down to the pinnace, were not by men taken from thè
plough. Courage alone is not fufficient for the accomplifhment
of fuch a&icn? ; there muft be aitivity, Ikill, and. management,
v o l . ii. s s fuch