SOUTHERN AFRICA. 267 
that every impediment fhould be thrown in the way of its be- 
coming a flourifhing fettlement. The petty traffic they referved 
for themfelves, or allowed their fervants to carry on, at this 
place, confifted in an exchange of colonial produce for the ma- 
nufadlures of Europe and India. And this traffic was not only 
a monopoly in the hands of the Company or fome of its fer- 
vants, but a fixed price or what is ufually called a maximum was 
impofed both on imports and exports. Other regulations, that 
were adopted for the government of the colony, were little cal- 
culated to promote its profperlty ; and, although many of thefe 
were altered and modified from time to tim.e, on the reprefenta- 
tions and remonftrances of that part of the inhabitants, not en- 
gaged in the fervice of the Company, yet few of them were 
productive of public benefit. The influence of the Company's 
fervants was always fufficient to counteract the operation of any 
meafure that promifed to be more advantageous to the general 
interefts of the colony, than to the individual benefit of thofc ^ 
entrufted with the government. 
There cannot be a ftronger proof of this being the cafe than 
the general profperity that prevailed under the Britlfh Govern- 
ment ; when, in the courfe of fix years, with the adminiftration 
of the fame political fyftem referved to them by the capitula- 
tion, except in fo far as regarded the abolifhment of monopolies, 
which were nearly done away, the public revenues were more 
than doubled, without an additional tax or increafe of rents ; 
and property in the town was alfo raifed to nearly the double of 
its former value. 
M M 2 
The 
