3IO TRAVELS IN 
according to the power who holds it, her projects in this part 
of the world. 
I now proceed to inquire to what extent the Cape of Good 
Hope may be considered as advantageous to the interests of 
the British nation, by furnishing articles of export for gene- 
ral consumption in Europe and the West Indies. Its im- 
portance, in this point of view, vvill readily be decided from 
the statement of a few simple facts collected from the cus- 
tom-house books, together with the supplies that w^ere con- 
sumed by the army, the navy, and the inhabitants during our 
possession. It may be observed, however, that no true 
estimate can be formed from such statement of what the 
colony is capable of producing, cramped as it always has 
been by restrictive regulations, which the indolent disposi- 
tions of the settlers tended but too much to cherish; and, 
therefore, that the following account of colonial produce 
actually consumed and exported, is not to be taken as the 
standard measure of its worth, as a territorial possession, nor 
considered as a-ny comparative quantity of what it might 
supply, when governed by a system of salutary laws, and in- 
fhabited by an industrious and intelhgent race of men. 
The chief articles of colonial growth and produce, con-- 
'sumed upon the spot and exported to the East Indies, 
Europe, and America, may, be comprized under the follow- 
ing heads : 
