344 
TRAVELS IN 
But if the geographical pofition of the Cape gives It the pre- 
eminence, as a great naval and military ftation, as the barrier 
and mafter-key of our Indian pofleflions, it ftill derives other 
advantages from this very circumftance, which, though they are 
to be confidered as of a fubordinate nature, are highly deferving 
of notice : thefe are the turn it is capable of giving to the com- 
merce of India and China j and the encouragement and pro- 
tedlion it might afford to the Southern Whale Fifhery ; but as 
thefe confiderations are too important to be flightly pafTed over, 
it may be proper to referve the obfervations that occur on them 
for a fubfequent chapter ; and, in the mean time, proceed to. 
point out the difadvantages that may refult to Britain, and par- 
ticularly to the Eaft India Company, from the Cape being placed 
in the pofTeffion of the Dutch, or, which muft be confidered as 
the fame thing, of the French, the former being fo much re- 
duced and degraded by the latter, that they no longer are, and 
in all probability never can revive as, a feparate and an inde- 
pendent nation. 
"We have already feea the vaft advantages that Great Britain, 
derived to her trade and poITeflions in India, during the late war, 
by holding this barrier in her own hands ; let us now confider 
what our fituation is, in thefe refpe(Sts, in the prefent ftate of 
things. The Cape of Good Hope is in the poffeflion of an 
enemy ; Rio de la Plata belongs to Spain, who, when fhe has 
been plundered of all fhe can give, will, moft probably, be 
forced into ads of hoftility againft us ; and the Ifles of France 
and Bourbon now derive their ufual fupplies from the Cape, for 
the 
