fituation in which, for the two lad months, they had been
placed, in confequence of the order from England countermanding
the reftoration of the fettlement, was highly honourable to
their feelings as men and officers. Few places, I believe, have
been ceded by one power to another with more regularity and
lefs commotion, than what happened at the reftoration of the
Cape of Good Hope,, by General Dundas on the part of his
Majefty’s Government to the reprefentatives o f the Batavian Republic.
C H A P . IIR
Importance of the Cape of Good Hope confidered as a Military
Station.
Views o f the Britijh Government in taking Poffejfwn o f the Cape— State o f that. Colony—
Arrival o f the Britijh Forces— Behaviour o f the Inhabitants— Capture o f the
Settlement—general Opinion o f its Importance— Plans fo r its Government.— Lord
Macartney appointed Governor.— Refolution o f the Minifer Conduit o f the prcfent
D ir c ffm o f the E a f India Company-compared with that ofthofe in the American
Wor.—Gonfequences o f our Failure in the Expedition againft the Cape at that Time.
— Co rf derations propofed in a Treaty with Holland in 1 78 7— Opinion o f Lord M acartney—
Holland not defirous to have the Cape.— Order of the E a f India Company
prohibiting their Ships to touch at the Cape—countermanded with regard to Ships
navigated by Lafcars— Condition o f two Regiments brought to the Cape infuch Ships.
— Defgn o f the following Part of this Work— Meaning o f the' Term Military
Station.— Soldiers, what.— Importance of forming Men previous to Embarkation.
— Inconveniences attending a Sea Voyage.— India notfavourable forforming Recruits
into Soldiers— A middle Station defirable.— Cape o f Good Hope, great Advantages
o f in this ReJpeA— peJffes all the Requiftes defred by the E a f India Company as a
DepSt.— Healthine/s of Climate, various Proofs of—feafons the Confitulion fo r
India— remarkable lnfance o f in upwards o f two ihotfand Men fent to India— another
in twelve hundred to the Red Sea.— Difficulties fa r ted againfl this Expedition.
— Importance o f the Gape on Account of thefmall Expence ffubffting Troops there—
Value o f the Ration here and elfeanhere.— .Price o f Provifions— o f Wine. Profits
derived by the Government at the Cape from Bills on his M a je ffs Paymaflers—
from Specie imported—from Copper Money—from iffiing new Paper Money.— E x penditure
in the military Department— a mere Trifle compared with the Importance o f
the Station— capable o f being borne in PeqcO'outof the colonial Revenues.— Importance
o f the Cape on account o f its local Pofilton— itiflanced id detecting the Views ofTippoo
at