COLONY TAKEN BY ENGLISH. 
37 
while the law employed by them was that of 
Holland, founded on the Eoman Dutch Code, 
and which they had patiently to extract from 
the ponderous tomes of Grotius, Voetius, and 
Vander Linden. 
The effect of the first great French revolu- 
tion was felt in the Eastern, as well as the 
Western world, and reached even to the Cape. 
For, in 1795, the British Government resolved 
to take possession of this Colony for the Prince 
of Orange; and, accordingly, an English fleet 
appeared off the Cape at the very moment 
when the inhabitants were about to declare 
themselves (after the manner of the Parisians) 
a free and independent republic. The troops, on 
this occasion, consisted of the 78th regiment, 
some marines, and two battalions of seamen, 
in all amounting to 1600 men. These, landing 
after a few ineffectual attemps to resist them 
on the part of the Dutch, soon forced the out- 
works. At the same time, reinforcements of 
English, under Sir Alured Clark, appearing in 
Table Bay, a capitulation ensued, and, for the 
first time, the Cape became a colony of England. 
It was then retained but seven years ; and by a 
most mistaken policy, it was, at the end of this 
period, injudiciously restored, nominally to the 
Dutch, but, in reality, to the French, who made 
use of the Hollanders as best suited their own 
convenience. 
