tfU , this RefpeB— poffiffis a llih f Reqw fifs A¡fired by the E o jl India-Company tts a
'Depot.— Heahhinefs e f Climate, various Proofs of—fia fon sth e ConJHtUfioss fo r
India remarkable bijlm ce o f in upwards o f two thoufand Men jm t to India—'-another
in twelve hundred to the Red Sea— Difficulties Jlarted againfi this Expedition.
— Importance o f the Cape on account o f the fm a ll Expence o f {ubfftittg Troops there.
Value o f the Ration here and elfewhtre— Price e f Provifons— <f W ine.— Profits
derived by the Government at the Cape from B ills on his M ajefy’s Paymafers—
from Specie imported—from Copper Money—from iffumgmw Paper Money— E x penditure
in the military D ep a rtm en ts mere Trifle compared with the Importance o f
the Station— capable f being home in Peace out o f the .colonial Revenues— Importance
ef the Cape on account o f its local P o flisn -in jla n ced in detecting the Views tfftfip oo
a t the Ifle o f France— infending Troops expeditioujly to India— Opportunities o f doing
this in Engliffi or neutral Ships— General Advantages— Importance a f fheCape
fa te d in comparifon with that o f M alta— Views of-the French on. M o - f e m in
the Publication o f Anquetil Duperron.— Difodvaniages t f M alta being in the
Hands o f the French Difficulties that would attend an Expedition by Sea from
s uez, I f and o f Perim.— Difficulties that would occur by Land— not infurmountable—
De la Croix's Opinion <f the Cape— Defences o f the Cape— Table Bay and
Site o f the Town—.Works— Citadel— Lines— Cra ifs Battery and Tower-Fort
Knocke— Rogge Bay, Amferdam, a n f Ckavonne Batteries— the Mmille— Camp.s
Bay and Batteries^— Importance o f the Lion's Rump— Objections againfi it— Chap.
man and Hoift Bays,— SimoPs Bay— Garrifon o f the Cape, Strength of— Unprotected
Qoqfi and %ys.— Algoa Bay— Means to be employed by an Enemy fo r dif-
ircffing the Garrifon— taken by a Coup de Main.— Garrtfon o f the Dutch—
Difpofition o f the Hottentot Corps— State o f the Batavian Ships o f War in the
Eafern Seas— Ammunition and Stores at the Cape. - Page 143
c II A P. IV.
Importance of the Cape of Good Hope, cpnfidered as a Naval
Station,
Comparative fm a ll Space occupied by the B r itiß Ifla n d s-th eir W e iß t among Rations
accountedfir-Com m .fC,ethe S eu rç eo fP r itifi Wealth— Precarioufnefs ofthemere
Carrying -
Carrying-trade.— Colonies improve Navigation.— CharaBer of French Seamen - o f
Dutch Seamen.-—Treatment on board their own Ships.—-Mortality.— The Cape ne-
cejjary to the Dutch Trade to India—an intermediate Port defir able to other Nations
, — leafi fo to .England— Reafons o f it.—rlncidents to which maritime Tranfactions are
■ liable male friendly Ports always deftrable.— Convenience o f the Cape,— Portuguese
' the fir ß l(fit ors— then the Engli/h and Dutch - taken Poffeffion o f by the latter— extend
their Territory beyond the original Intention— Impediments thrown by the Company
- Willingnefs to part with it.— Advantages as a Naval Stationy not confined to
the Supply o f Refrefhments — Refort fo r Ships in Difir efs— the Count fis o f Sutherland
Indiaman.— Cape proper fo r ajfembling Convoys— Provfions to be procured.—
Importance as commanding the Entrance o f the Indian Seas.— files o f France and
Pouf bon dependent on the Cape.— France unable to dfiurb India without a Fleet.—
Trade o f India fubjeft to the Mafiers o f the Cape— Heahhinefs o f the Climate fo r
Seamen. — Moderate Expence o f fufiifiing a Fleet— Sailors' Ration offrejh Provtfions
— Brandy cheaper than Wefi India Rum— Confumption o f colonial Produce by the
Fleet— about one fourth o f the ufual Expence— Wear and Tear o f the Ships confiderable.
— Importance o f the geographical Pofitioii o f the Cape— commanding a fpeedy In ter -
courfe with mofi Parts of the World. ~ Difadvantages to Britain in the Hands o f an
Enemy.— Three Points o f Annoyance to 'our Trade - comparative Danger o f the
outward and homeward bound Pajfages— that o f pa/fingthe Straits o f Sunda— o f
Manilla— o f L'Aguillas Bank—o f Saint Helena.— lnfificacy o f Convoys.— Difference
o f Circumfiances between this and the American War.— Prefent Aim o f France.— *
The comparative Eftimote o f the Cape and Ceylon.— French jealous o f our Commerce.
— Neceffity o f re-pojfeffing the Cape or defiroying the Enemy's Shipping there. — Bays o f
the Cape— Table Bay-—Robben filand—Lofs, o f the Sceptre—Simon's Bay— Saldanha
Bay— Objections to it— obviated.— Saint Helena Bay. — Conclufion. Page 2 2 1
C H A P . V.
Importance of the Cape of -Good Hope, confidered in a commercial
Point of View, and as a Dépôt for the Southern
Whale Fiihery.
Intention of the United States in forming the Settlement.— Commerce difcouragci._
Pjfiug Projperity o f the Colony checked.— Con/equences o f iis becoming a Free Port.
vo l . II. a -A m e r i