296 TRAVELS IN 
llcult matter for the colonists to cut off, at any time, those 
let'reshments, without which the ships of their East India 
Company would be unable to proceed on their voyage to 
India. 
Tlie Dutch settlers seemed to be fully aware of the advant- 
age which their situation gave them in this respect in making 
their late weak attempt at independence, which, though then 
unsuccessful, they may again feel themselves inclined to re- 
new, if tlieir old masters should be allowed to retain the 
colony under the same regulations and restrictions as hereto- 
fore. The present weakness and the exhausted finances of 
the Batavian Republic will scarcely be able to support even 
the same degree of authority over its subjects here as be- 
fore the capture ; and the Asiatic Council, on finding them- 
selves no longer capable of holding the government of the 
Cape, as a conveniency to their trade, might, probably, be 
the less scrupulous in rendering it a mischievous agent against 
us. Indeed, exclusive of any vindictive motives, they might, 
])erhaps, be tempted by the brilliant idea of establishing a 
free mart of import and export at the extremity of Africa ; 
which, like another Tyre or Alexandria, should concentrate in 
itself the resources and supplies of every other region of the 
globe. 
If, indeed, at the late negociations at Amiens, the Cape of 
Good Hope had been declared a free port, as is said to have 
been proposed, though the result would certainly have proved 
extremely profitable to speculators and the inferior nations of 
Europe trading to the East, yet such a measure would as 
