246 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



Denmark has forfeited the friendship of England, who 

 must now take action in detaching such of her posses- 

 sions as she thinks proper. Iceland is a part of the archi- 

 pelago known by the ancients as Britannia, and geo- 

 graphically should be a part of the British Empire. It 

 is in the power of the Icelanders to simplify matters by 

 a revolutionary blow, and unanimously hand themselves 

 over to England ; thus avoiding the disagreeable results 

 attending conquest. 1 



The above (draft) letter is accompanied by a Memoran- 

 dum, evidently drawn up for the consideration of the 

 King's ministers, by request or otherwise : 



Sir Joseph relates his former acquaintance with the 

 people of Iceland, and gives an outline of their com- 

 mercial history. The people (he says) are ill-supplied 

 with the'necessaries of life, and would rejoice in a change 

 of masters that promised them any portion of liberty. 

 " The bettermost people shewed a predilection for Eng- 

 land, and privately solicited the writer to propose to his 

 Government to purchase the island from Denmark." 

 They suggested he should buy a farm, as an inducement 

 to promote the business. The conquest of Iceland would 

 be a wise measure, and subject Denmark to the humilia- 

 tion she deserves without diminishing her national re- 

 sources. It would " emancipate the people from an 

 Egyptian bondage." The population would increase 

 under a mild government. There would be no revenue 

 for the present. The people would have to be supplied 

 with vegetable food. The fisheries, the new market for 

 British productions, and the supply of seamen for the 

 British Navy, would be the principal advantages accruing 

 to this country. 



Affairs with Denmark were at a more acute stage in 

 the autumn of 1807. The carrying trade was at the 



1 Banks MSS., Kew. 



