SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
281 
their own, from trading to it ; and, in fhort, to allow them no 
other commerce than the purchafe of provifions in exchange for 
bills or hard money. It will always be at their difcretion to 
admit or to fend away all foreign adventurers. By the exifting 
laws of the colony, no perfon can refide there, but by fpecial 
licence ; and the Governor is authorized to fend away whomfo- 
ever he may be inclined to confider as an improper perfon to 
remain in the fettlement. 
If the experiment fhould fucceed, the obvious refult would 
be an exclufive trade to India and China vefted in the Englifh 
Eaft India Company. The commerce carried on by the Ame-» 
ricans, their only dangerous rivals at prefent, would be diverted 
into another channel, or, at all events, would fuffer a confider- 
able reduction. Should the Dutch ever rife again as an inde- 
pendent nation, they would find it expedient to court the 
friendfhip and alliance of Great Britain in the EaPc ; and, in the 
prefent low ftate of their finances, would be well fatisfied with 
the exclufive privilege of the fpice-trade, and with any portion 
of the carrying-trade that Great Britain might think proper to 
alTign to them. Any encroachment on the part of this nation 
might eafily be checked by a refufal of the ufual accommoda- 
tions at the Cape, without which their trade and navigation to 
the Eaftern Seas muft totally be fuperfeded. If, at a peace, 
they are to become a dependency of France, diredly or indi- 
redly, the Cape in our hands will always enable us to cramp 
their commerce to the eaftward. As to France, having neither 
credit nor capital, without flupping and without manufactures, 
VOL. II. o o itg 
