SOUTHERN AFRICA. 237 
One single ship of war, the Bato of 6"8 guns, remained in 
Table Bay, preparing to follow two others of the same class, 
the Pluto and the Kortenaar, to Batavia. She has since been 
condemned as totally unfit for service. None of these three 
ships had any of their lower-deck guns on board, and were 
only half manned ; being intended, though under the com- 
mand of an Admiral, to take on board, and carry to Europe, 
cargoes of coffee. Three frigates had sailed a few months 
before for the same purpose, under the command of Com- 
modore Melisse, and two others formed part of Rear-Admiral 
Dekker's squadron ; so that the Dutch had, at that time, in 
the Eastern Seas, three ships of the line and five fine frigates, 
which, however, were in no condition to add much lustre to 
the Batavian flag. 
The ammunition and stores that were found at the capture, 
together with those that were given over by the British Go- 
vernment, at the surrender, to the amount of about twenty 
thousand pounds value, will serve for many years, not only 
as a supply of the garrison, but also of the Isles of France and 
Bourbon. The great barrack, situated between the town and 
the castle, was put into thorough repair, and fitted up with 
bedding and other necessaries for the reception of two thou- 
sand men ; and the citadel, capable of containing one thousand 
men, with lodgings for the officers, was intended to be put 
into the same condition. 
Recent accounts mention the deplorable state of the colony 
under its new government. The revenues are so reduced as 
to be totally inadequate to meet the cxpences of the garrison, 
2 
