SOUTHERN AFRICA. 193 
tluis imported amounted to 103,426/. 18s. 3d. Upon which, 
supposing the whole sent out by government, which I under- 
stand was not exactly the case, though nearly so, the profits 
must have been 15,514/. at home, besides an additional profit 
of 710/. 135. 3d. arising from a small quantity of specie 
bought in the Cape. As government, however, did not send 
out a sufficient supply from home, the Paymaster was some- 
times under the necessity of purchasing hard money at a 
higher rate than five shillings the dollar, and consequently 
suffered a loss, as this was the invariable rate at which it was 
issued to the troops. About four thousand pounds of copper 
money were sent out, in penny pieces, which were circulated 
at twopence, from which there was consequently anothei: 
profit derived of 4000/. This was done by the advice of the 
police magistrates, who were confident that unless this no- 
minal and current value should be put upon it, the foreigners 
trading to India would carry it as well as the silver out of 
the colony. 
Shortly after the capture of the Cape, General Craig, find- 
ing it impossible to raise, upon bills, a sufficient sum of 
paper currency to defray the cxtraordinaries of the arm}', 
was reduced to the bold measure of stamping a new paper 
issue, on the credit of the British government, to the amount 
of fifty thousand pounds ; a sum that was never redeemed 
from circulation, nor brought to any account, until the 
final restoration of the colony. So that the interest of this 
sum for seven years produced a further saving to government 
of 17,500/. 
VOL. II. 
C C 
