ijd - tB.AVELS IN 
regulations fliat were calculated to promote the profperity of 
the Golony, fecure the interefts of the Eaft India Company, and 
extend the commerce and navigation of Britain, Its import- 
ance, indeed, was deemed of fuch magnitude, that it was a re- 
folution of the minifter from which he never meant to recede, 
That no foreign power, diredly or indireSly, fhould obtain 
" poiTeffion of the Cape of Good Hope, for, that it was the 
" pfjyficcil guarantee of the Brittjfj territories in India." Its po- 
litical importance could be doubted by none j its commercial ad- 
vantages were believed by all. 
Yet, after every precaution that had been employed for fe- 
curing the privileges, increafmg the conveniency, and promoting 
the interefts, of the Eaft India Company in this fettlement, it 
would feem that an inclination prevailed in fome of its diredors 
to difparage or undervalue it. What their motives could have 
been, which led to fuch an opinion, I do not pretend to deter- 
mine ; nor is there any reafon to fuppofe that a body of men, 
who have always been remarkable for ading upon the broad 
bafis of national profperity, would, in the prefent inftance, de- 
viate from their ufual line of condud, and bend to the Influ- 
ence of any little jealoufy about patronage or prerogative, when 
the welfare of the public was fo nearly concerned. The opi- 
nions of men, it is true, when grounded on moral events, are 
fugitive, and yield to circumftances : it were difficult, however, 
to aftign any event or circumftance that could have operated fo 
as to produce any reafonable grounds for a change in the opi- 
BiOQ of the diredors of the Eaft India Company, in the courfe 
of 
