234 
TRAVELS IN 
prefent war, from the French or Dutch retainuig poffefiion o£ 
the Gape. 
If, in the firft place, the advantages refulting from the pof- 
feflion of this fettlement were confined to the furnifhing of re- 
frefliments for the fhipping of the Eaft India Company, either 
on their outward or their homeward-bound voyage, I am willing 
to fuppofe the importance of them, however, great,, might be- 
confidered as inadequate to counterbalance the expence of keep- 
ing up the necefTary eftablifhment, although I have fhewn that, 
under a prudent adminiftration of the revenues, this expence 
would be reduced to a mere trifle. The diredlors, indeed, thought 
they had fufficiently proved, by the meafures they adopted with 
regard to the Cape, that it was by no means neceffary for their 
trade as a place of refrefliment. The diredors, however, hap- 
pened to be miftaken ; for they foon difcovered that, although 
Englifli feamen could bear the run between England and India>. 
the native blacks, which they are under the neceffity of employ- 
ing, in time of war, could not do it ; and it is to be apprehended 
they will but too foon difcover that unfeafoned troops, fent di- 
red:ly from England, are no more able to bear an uninterrupted 
voyage, than the Lafcars. It will remain, therefore, for the 
directors to find out fome other place, in lieu of the Cape, fince 
their exclufion from it, a circumftance which, indeed, their con- 
duct feemed to invite. 
But, as I have already obferved, all maritime affairs are pe*- 
culiarly liable to cafualties, and, on this confideration, one would 
be 
