262 ^ TRAVELS IN 
holds the Cape ; and the large island of Madagascar may be 
approached in ten or twelve days, those of France and Bour- 
bon in much less than a month, the Red Sea in five or six 
weeks, and the coasts of Malabar and Coromandel in seven 
or eight weeks. These passages will certainly depend much 
on the season of the year in which they are made ; but when 
this is properly chosen, the different places may be arrived at 
within the periods here mentioned. The only effectual block- 
ade of the Isles of France and Bourbon can be kept up from 
the Cape ; it is in vain to attempt it from India Avithout 
a, much greater force than it would be prudent to keep there 
for that purpose. In fact, this advance post, in its relation to 
our Eastern dominions, may be considered in the same light as 
Barbadoes is to Jamaica and the rest of the West India islands 
— a point from whence they can at all times receive a speedy 
reinforcement ; and with this additional advantage, that it ex- 
cludes the enemy from entering the Eastern Seas with any 
considerable force. 
If, at any time, troops should be wanted in the West In- 
dies, the homeward-bound East Indiamen might be employed 
to transport them thither from the Cape without retarding 
their passage more than sixteen or eighteen days, as the com- 
mon practice of crossing the line is now as far to the west- 
ward as 26° west longitude. Detachments of the Hottentot 
corps would be well calculated for service in the West India 
islands. Should, at any future period, the French resume 
their projects on India by the Red Sea (which the}"^ will cer- 
tainly not fail to do whenever an opportunity presents itself), 
in three months from the time it was first known in England, 
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