204 TRAVELS IN 
are already conftru^ted for its defence againft internal or exter- 
nal attack, or on the local advantages it pofTelTes of being ren- 
dered defencible, it may be expeded I fhould here fay fome- 
thing on this fubje£t. Being no profeffional man, I am aware, 
in doing this, of the rifle I run of laying myfelf open to the 
cenfure of fome who are fo, particularly as I have heard fo many 
and fuch contrary opinions advanced as to the beft means of 
attacking and of defending the Cape of Good Hope. The little 
I have to offer on the fubjedl will be chiefly defcriptive ; and as 
to the defence of the place my ideas will be grounded on the 
opinion of thofe whofe fkill in their profeffions, and whofe found 
judgment in the ordinary affairs of life, joined to their local 
knowledge, entitle fuch opinion to fome degree of confideration. 
It may be obferved, however, that there are not, perhaps, two 
oflScers who perfectly agree on this fubje(3:. 
By the defence of the Cape of Good Hope, is meant only 
that of the peninfular promontory, containing the two bays 
which are the ufual refort of (hipping, and on the northern part 
of which the town is fituated. And for the better illuftration of 
what follows, I have added a military map of the faid penin- 
fula, the outline of which was taken, I believe, fome years ago 
by a French engineer, was afterwards filled up by different 
officers in the Dutch fcrvice, and was examined, correded, and 
verified with great care and accuracy, by Captain (now Lieute- 
tenant-Colonel) Bridges of the Brltifh engineers, under whofe 
diredions feveral new and important works were conftruded by 
order of Sir James Craig. For the fake of conveniency, I found 
it neceffary to reduce the fcale to half the fize of the original 
3 drawing, 
