370 TRAVELS IN 
liances with those who are dsiposed to be hostile towards us ; 
and by assisting them with her troops. 
It was in this point of view that the French considered the 
Cape of Good Hope to be more important than the Island of 
Cevlon, the cession of which, 1 have reason to beheve, they 
never meant to dispute vigoi<^?us]y in negociation, being rather 
determined to stand a contest for the restoration of the Cape 
nominally to its ancient possessors. If, however, in order to 
obtain a peace, we were actually reduced to the necessity of 
accepting the alternative of retaining one and giving up the 
other, as may have been the case, it became, no doubt, a very 
serious and interesting consideration, justly to appreciate their 
comparative value and importance. The one rated as yield- 
ing a revenue of nearly a niilHon a year, with a harbour not 
surpassed in the whole world; the key of all India; and a 
place, in the hands of a powerful enemy, from whence all 
India might be assaulted — the other, a barren promontory 
(for such it Avas generally esteemed) at a great distance from 
our Indian territories, alfording little or no revenue, and 
maintained at a considerable expence. 
" If we give up Ceylon," has observed Lord Macartne}-, 
" being situated at the extremity of the peninsula of India, it 
*' would become an immediate and terrific enemy to us in that 
" quarter, as commanding the power of invading from thence 
*' both the coast of Malabar and Coromandel. To a maritime 
" power the excellent harbour of Trincomalee is a jewel of in- 
. " estimable value ; it holds the Bay of Bengal at its mercy, and 
*' atibrds every facility of overawing and controuling the na- 
2 
