SOUTHERN AFRICA. 203 
fhare of the plunder. As Malta was the ftep that led them to 
Egypt, fo would Egypt be to Syria, and Syria to the pofleflion 
of India ; to the plunder of that wealth which, in their opinion, 
is the great fupport of Britain. Thus would the fcourge of 
their inordinate ambition be felt from the Nile to the Ganges, 
and from thence, in all probability, to the Yellow Sea. And by 
adverting to the geographical pofition of the fouthern extremity 
cf Africa, In relation to other countries, and to the advantages 
it commands as a military flation, we fhall perceive with what 
eafe might all the ports of South America be made fubfervient 
to their ambitious views, and how fpeedily that great continent 
from the ifthmus of Darien to Terra del Fuego would fall into 
their infatlable grafp. The accoraplifliraent of thefe objects, 
chimerical as they may appear, are prevented only by the 
tranfcendant and invincible flrength of the Britilh navy. 
As it muft therefore obvioufly be the interefl: of the whole 
world that the reftlefs and aggrandizing fpirit of France fhould 
effedlually be counteraded, and as the Cape of Good Hope and 
Malta in her poflcfFion would forward her views at univerfal 
dominion, there can be no reafonable objedions made on the 
part of the other powers of Europe againft thefe two grand 
points of fecurity being left, at a general peace, in the hands of 
England, or, at all events, to be proteded by Englifli garrifons, 
as fome guarantee againft the defigns of the general enemy of 
-the human race. 
As the importance of every military ftation muft depend, in 
a confiderable degree, on the fufficiency of the works that either 
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