192 ' TRAVELS IN 
of hazarding much by faying that it admits not of a corapavlfon 
with that of India and China, though, perhaps, too valuable to 
be altogether relinquifhed. In this refpe£t the value of Malta 
is certainly lefs important than that of the Cape of Good Hope. 
But the fecond point is of a more ferious nature. Some, how- 
ever, are of opinion, that although the fubjugation of Egypt 
may at any time be accompliflied by the French, through Malta, 
yet, in fuch an event, we have every reafon to expcd: that the 
vigilance and adlivity of a Britifh fleet, and the valour of Bri- 
t-ifh foldiers, would always enable us to difpute with them the 
paffage of Syria, That, admitting even they fhould fucceed in 
collecting at Suez an army equal to their wifhes, the difficulties 
of tranfporting this army to India would be almoft infurmount- 
able. If it be meant by thofe who fupport this opinion that 
the attempt, is to be made by fea, whilft the Cape remained in, 
our pofleffion, I have little hefitation in agreeing with them 
that it would certainly fail. During the laft war, when their 
troops had marched to Suez, they had not a fmgle fhip in the 
Red Sea that dared to carry the French flag, nor, with the Cape 
and Ceylon in our hands, could they at any future period have 
a fleet of any defcription without our permiffion. 
' But we will even allow them to have alTembled at Suez a 
fleet of their own fhips, or of the country coafters, fufficient to 
take on board their armament deft:ined for the Malabar coaft. 
The next queftion is, where, or in what manner, are they to 
vi(3:ual and to provifion fuch a fleet for a month or five weeks 
pafTage, and efpecially in the fupply of the indifpenfable article 
of water ? The fountains of Mofes, it is true, furuifh a fupply 
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