Il8 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAH. 



" flop and take in refrcfhments. It affords, 

 *^ alfo, the powerful means of proteding 

 *' our commerce, and of defending us m 

 " India. So many advantages united, might 

 ** \tell perfuade fome that this colony, of 

 " all our eftablifhments beyond fea, U that 

 ** which ought mo ft to intereft govertiment ; 



but on fucceHively examining the Ifle of 

 " France, under every view in which it 

 " appears fo important, we fliall find, that 

 ** it is everywhere in that Hate of imper- 

 " feiflion which would oblige us to doubt 

 " of its utility » were it confined to what it 

 *' caa be by iifelf and its prefent dependen- 

 ** cies. The Ifle of France, indeed, confi- 

 *' dered under the firft view, and as a me- 



dium of exchange, which is undoubtedly 

 ** themoftinterefting^has fcarcely any thing 

 ** to give either to Afia or to Europe*. Be- 



** fides, 



* The introduction of fpkcrles^ by the indefiUi- 



gable 



