SOUTHERN AFRICA. 167 
" improving the advantages of feafoning and preparing our 
" troops at the Cape," obferves Lord Macartney in his letter to 
Lord Melville on the importance of the Cape, dated April the 
25th, 1 80 1, "I had it in my povv^er, almofl at a moment's no- 
" tice, to fend to Madras, under the command of Major-Gene- 
" ral Baird, about two thoufand effedive men in the higheft 
" health, vigour, and difclpline, who eminently contributed to 
" the capture of Seringapatam, and the total fubverfion of the 
" power of TIpp'oo." 
It did not feem, however, to have made any fuch impreflion 
on the Eaft India Company ; at leaft their condud and opinions 
indicated no change in confequence of it. Nor could their in- 
flexible indifference be roufed by the multiplied inftances which 
clearly demonftrated the importance of having a fuitable ftation 
for the feafoning and training of young troops to a6l, on any- 
emergency and at a fhort notice, in their fervice, and for the 
protedion of their vaft poITeflions in India. Had not the in- 
flance above recited been confidered as fuffieient to ftamp its 
value, the reinforcement of troops that was fent from the Cape, 
to accompany the expedition of Sir Home Popham to the Red 
Sea, one might have thought would have forced a full convidion 
of the importance of fuch a flation. On this occafion were em- 
barked, at almoft a moment's warning, twelve hundred effediva 
men, compofed of detachments of artillery, cavalry, and in- 
fantry, who all arrived to a man, at Coffir, a port in the Red 
Sea, from whence they were found capable of immediately fuf- 
taining long and fatiguing marches, notwithftanding the heat 
of the climate, the heavinefs of the ground, and the fcarcity of 
water. 
