at the Ifie f France— in fending Troops expeditiouf> to India.— Opportunities o f doing
this in Englijb or neutral Ships.-General Advantages— Importance o f the Cape
Rated in comparifon ■with that o f Malta— Views o f the French on India-feen ,n
the Publication o f Anquetil D a p e r ro n— Difadvantages o f .Malta being in the
Hands o f the French— DifficMes that would attend an - Expedition by Sea from
Suez.— I/land o f Perim.— Difficulties that would occur by Land— not infurmount-
able— D.e la Croix's Opinion o f the Cape— Defences o f the Cape— Table Bay and
Site o f the Tovin— Works.— Citadel— Lines— Cray's Battery and Tower— Fort
Knocle-Rog&e Bay, Anflerdam, and Chavmne Batttries-the MouiHi-Camp's
Bay and Batteries-lmportance o f the Lion’ s R um p - ObjeB.ons againfi i t - C h a p man
and Hout Bays— Simon's Bay— Garrifon of the Cape, Strength of— Unpro-
teffed Coaf and Bays— Algoa Bay— Means to be employed by an Enemy fo r d f-
trefimg the Garrifon-talen by a Coup de Main — Garnfon of the Dutch—
Difpofition o f the Hottentot- Co rps -State o f the Batavian Ships o f War ,n the
Eaftern Seas.— Ammunition and Stores at the Cape.
•«TrrHEN the Prince of Orange had departed from Holland,
and the fubfequent affairs of that nation had rendered it
fufficiently obvious that the majority of the inhabitants of the
United Provinces were inclined to adopt the revolutionary principles
of France, it became a meafure of precaution, in our government,
to take immediate poffeffion of the Dutch colonies.
Among thefe the'Cape of Good Hope claimed the earlieft attention,
being confidered as a fettlement of too great importance
to be trufted in the hands of the Dutch colonifts, although
it was well known the principal and greateft number of the military
officers, as well as many of thofe who held civil appointments
there, were ^¿bted to their Prince for the fixations they
enjoyed in that colonial government.
An expedition was accordingly fent out to take poffeffion of
the Cape, not however in a hoftile manner, but to hold it in defence
fence and fecurity For, and in the name of, the Prince of Orange,
who had furnifhed letters dated from London to that effedL
But the mifguided people of the colony, having received only
imperfedl accounts of affairs ifi Holland, and being led to expect
a French force at the Cape; had already embraced the principles
of Jacobinifin; whofe effects were the more to be dreaded
on account of the confummate ignorance of the bulk of the fet-
tlers. Some French emiffaries, thofe affiduous difturbers of the
human race, who, fnake like, have crept into every fociety and
comer of the world, poifoning the fprings of peace and good
order, found little difficulty in urging a people, already fo well
difpofed, to carry their principles into practice. The few officers
of the government who were fuppofed to be attached to the
caufe of the Stadtholder, and friends to the old fyftern, were
completely fubdued ; and the wcaknefs of the governor favoured
the views of the diforderly citizens. They became clamorous
to declare themfelves, by fome public a£t, a free and
independent republic; they prepared to plant the tree of liberty,'
and eftabliffied a convention, whofe firft objedt was to make out
profcribed lifts of thofe who were either to fuffer death by the
new-faftiioned mode of the guillotine, which they had taken
care to provide for the purpofe, or to be baniihed out of the
colony. It is almoft needlefs to ftate that the perfons, fo marked
out to be the vidtims of an unruly rabble, were the only worthy
people in .the fettlement, ami moft of them members of,
government.
The flaves, whofe numbers of grown men, as I have before-
obferved, are about five to one of male whites who have arrived;
• v o l . u . - u a t