SOUTHERN AFRICA. 269 
just the means of giving a feeble protection to her territorial 
possessions in that quarter of the globe. Armies were not 
raised, nor fleets equipped, with that facility under the mo- 
narchy, as under republican tyranny, or consular despotism. 
Mr. Delacroix took great pains to impress on the mind of 
Lord Malmesbury the accession of strength that France had 
acquired by her republican forn^, of government. " Nous ne 
" sommes plus dans la decrepitude de la France mo- 
" narchiqiie, mais dans toute la force d'une republique ado- 
lescente." 
"What imperial France may be able to atchieve, a little time 
will probably determine. Not having, however, at present 
any possessions in India to protect, her grand object will 
probably be, in co-operation with the Dutch, to endeavour 
to hold in their hands, by rendering it impregnable, this out- 
M'ork and barrier of all India; and having once effected this, 
she will fmd little difficulty in assembling, at her own islands 
of France and Bourbon, a sufficient number of troops and 
transports to disturb the peace of our Indian settlements. 
Her aim will not be that of fighting our fleets of war, nor of 
making a direct attack on our Eastern possessions, but to 
abet and assist the native powers against us, with a view 
rather of destroying our empire in India, than any hope she 
can possibly form of establishing one of her own. Without 
funds and without credit she e^m have little prospect of 
amassing wealth by fair trade and honest industry; and will 
therefore attempt, by every means she can think of employ- 
ing, to effect the ruin of ours ; by disturbing the peace of our 
settlements through her intriguing agents; by forming al- 
