SOUTHERN AFRICA. 163 
" found to accommodate itfelf moft eafily to the different varia- 
tions of climate — that the officers of the police fliould be 
^' empowered to transfer to the depot all fuch helplefs and in- 
" digent youths as might be found guilty of mifdemeanors and 
" irregularities approaching to crimes — that the faid officers of 
*' police and others fhould be authorized to engage deftitute and 
*' helplefs young men in a fervice, where they would have a 
" comfortable fubfiftence, and an honourable employment — 
" that the young men fo procured fhould be retained in Great 
" Britain, at the depot, for a certain time, in order to be in- 
" ftruded in fuch branches of education as would qualify for 
" the duty of a non-commiffioned officer, and in thofe military 
exercifes which form them for immediate fervica in the regi- 
" ments in India." 
Now of all the places on the furface of the globe, for the 
eftablifliment of fuch a depot, the Cape of Good Hope is pre- 
eminently diftinguifhed. In the firft place, there would be no 
difficulty in conveying them thither. In every month of the 
year, the outward bound fliips of the Company, private traders, 
or whalers, fail from England, and the fewer that each fhin 
carried, the greater the probability would be that none of them 
fhould die on the pafTage. And there is, perhaps, no place on 
the face of the earth in every refpedl fo fuitable as the Cape 
for forming them into foldiers. It pofleffes, among other ad- 
vantages, three that are invaluable ; healthinefs of climate, 
cheapnefs of fubfiftence, and a favourable fuuation for fpeedy 
intercourfe with moft parts of the world, and particularly with 
India. I ihall make a few remarks on each of thefe points. 
Y 2 With 
