THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6:^^ 



It may be faid, that the trade carried on there by Suez 

 ftnd the Ifthtnus would not be of any advantage to the India 

 Company, but rather a detriment to it. Such was the an- 

 fwerlgot from Lord North upon my firft interview with 

 his Lordfliip after my return, and upon which I fhall not 

 pretend to decide. But this I fhall fubmit to the public, 

 whether, when a great object, fuch as that was, is unex- 

 peftedly in the power of an individual, he is not obli- 

 ged, as a good citizen, to avail himfelf of the occafion. 

 that offers, and leave it to that part of the public concerned, 

 to determine whether they can make it of fervice to them, 

 or not. 



I HAVE read, either in Abbe Prevot or M. de Maillet, (the 

 reader will affift me, as neither of thefe books are in my 

 hands at prefent) that the French, in the beginning of this 

 century, offered a Very large fum of money to the govern- 

 ment of Cairo, to be allowed to fend only an advice-boat to 

 Suez, to carry and bring back their difpatches from their 

 fettlements in India, but they were conftantly refufed ; both 

 the India Company and Britifli Government are, by my 

 means, now in poffcffion of that privilege, and I am in- 

 formed it has already been of ufe, both in public and pri- 

 vate difpatches. 



I MUST further be permitted to fay, that, independent of 

 tliefe particulars, it feemed very ftrange that, confidering 

 the immenfe empire which belonged to Britain in the Eaft 

 Indies, the Company and their fervants fhould be, to a man, 

 fo perfectly ignorant of the Red Sea and ports in it, and fo in- 

 different as to the means of being better informed ; a fea 



Vol, IV. 4 L which 



