l82 
TRAVELS IN 
Without the leaft inconveaience to their commercial concerns, 
thefe fliips might tranfport from. England to the Cape a conftant 
fucceffion of raw recruits to be formed there into complete fol- 
diers, from whence they might take on board as many of the 
latter as fliould be wanted to reinforce their vaft armaments in 
India. 
In a word, the advantages that England would acquire by re- 
taining pofieffion of this grand out-work of all Afia cannot fuf- , 
ficiently be appreciated. Nor are thefe advantages to be con- 
fidered as exclufively confined to England. Other nations 
trading to the eaft would fhare the benefit arifing from the Cape 
as a Britifli colony. During the late war, the Danes, the Swedes, 
the Hamburghers, and the Americans, were allowed to re- 
frefh, and derived every advantage on the fame terms as the 
Englifh. The only diftindion was an additional duty of five 
per cent, on goods brought in foreign bottoms. In all other 
refpeds the trade of the Cape was open to them in the fame 
manner as to Britifli fubjeds. There was no monopoly granted 
to individuals for ferving foreign fhipping with provifions and 
refrefhments as was the cafe under the Dutch government ; 
when it is well known they were obliged to pay at leaft double 
the price of the market for every article brought on board. 
"Were France in pofTeffion of the Cape there is reafon to fuppofe 
that, according to the commercial fyftem which her prefent 
government was endeavouring to eftablifh, the reftridions flie 
would impofe at this important ftation would amount to a total 
exclufion of foreign (hipping. 
To 
