C o n c l u s i o n .
Having now taken a view of the importance and value of
Cape of Good Hope, as a military and naval Ration, as a feat
of commerce, as a central dépôt for the Southern Whale Filhery,
and as a territorial poffeffion, I fhall only add, by way of con-
olufian, that under the prefent implacable dilpofition of Francè
towards this country, and the infatiable ambition of its Government,
Great Britain never can relinquiih the poffeffion of
this colony, for any length of time, without fcrioufly endangering
the fafety of her Indian trade and the exiftence of her empire
in the Fail: ; both of which were effectually fecured, at
leaft from external attaefc, by the occupation of this important
outwork.
The facility it affords, at aH times, of throwing into India a
fpeedy reinforcement of well feafoned troops, which never can be
fupplied effedtually from England how much fo ever they may
be required, muft always ftamp an indelible value on the Cape.
How defireable would it be, at the prefent mômentous crifis, to
have the ufual garrifon there of 5000 effective men, to reinforce
our fmall bus aCtive army in India, in Read of fending troops from
England, of whom, judging from paR experience, two-thirds of
thofe who may furvive the voyage, will be totally unfit, on their
arrival there, for any kind of fervice. It is to be hoped then,
that the Direâors of the EaR India Company are, at length
become fenfible of their error with regard to this important colony
and, having feen it, that fuch meafures have been fug-
gefled and folicited by them as may again put us in poffeffion
of that advance poR, by which their political and commercial
intcrejls in the Eajl Indies will be fecured and promoted, and
without which thofe interefis will conRantly be expofed to dangers
that may not only threaten but finally terminate in a totaL
fubverfion :— Et vitam impenderé vero.