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X.

CHA P. couraging them to practise agriculture, all the tropical, and many other productions, might in time have rendered DeDELAGOA. lagoa almost as commodious a place of refreshment as the Cape, and, in some cases, preferable.

The colony thrives.

Kaunitz dif.

322. But the Imperialists remained only three years in poffeffion of this promifing colony. Colonel Bolts, after fucceeding in every part of his miffion, returned to Europe, where he found that the Empress Queen had died three months before his arrival; and, with her, vanished all his But, Prince hopes of fupport or juftice. Prince Kaunitz, the minifter, on a protest from the court of Lisbon, had difavowed the guefe break fettlement; and, in confequence, a fhip of war, with 300 troops and two field-pieces, was fent from Goa to Delagoa, where the Imperialists were treated in the fame manner as we have seen the Dutch were, by the pirates, in 1727, their ships, effects, and men having been seized and carried off.

avowing it,

the Portu

it up.

323. Thus were the extensive views of this able, enterterprising and public spirited man, frustrated, by the very court, for whom he acted, while he had the full powers of the Empress Queen in his pocket; and, at the hazard of his own life and fortune, was bona fide labouring to promote the Austrian East India trade-a trade which his indefatitrian Eaft In- gable and well directed exertions had fo compleatly re-eftablished, that we have fince feen eight and twenty India fhips affembled at Oftend, exclusive of those at Leghorn and Trieste.

Col. Bolts the restorer of the Auf

dia trade.

Claims of Spain and

Portugal ridiculous.

324. The cause of Prince Kaunitz's difavowal of this colony, never transpired. But all Europe is acquainted with the claims advanced by the courts of Portugal and Spain, on fimilar occafions. The argument of the former is short and fimple. The natives of the country are infidels: a fubject

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DELAGOA

a fubject of the crown of Portugal was the first chriftian CHA P. who fet foot in that country: ERGO that country belongs to the chriftian crown of Portugal." The logic of the court of Spain, in the affair of Nootka Sound, was equally laconic and conclusive." Some Spaniards are settled at California, and on the neighbouring parts of America: ERGO the whole northwest coast of America belongs to Spain." Our potent cafuifts never once hint at the original inhabitants. These are savages and infidels, whose claims merit no attention from chriftians.

bufe of com

merce exem

325. But the Spaniards and Portuguese are not the only Flagrant aEuropeans who have hitherto difregarded fuch primitive pretenfions, as will appear from the following particulars, plified. which very strongly exemplify the abufe of commerce, one material part of my subject. In the year 1672, Charles II. was graciously pleased to give and grant, unto the Royal African Company of England, "all and fingular the lands, countries, havens, roads, rivers and other places in Africa, from Sallee, in South Barbary, to the Cape of Good Hope, for and during the term of one thousand years; with the fole, entire and only trade and traffic" (N. B. in the perfons of the inhabitants)" into and from the faid countries and places." May it not be doubted, whether Swift himself, that great master of irony, ever penned any thing so confummately ridiculous, to fay nothing of it's other qualities?— But Charles gave and granted to himself a participation of the above extraordinary privileges; for he and his brother, afterwards James II. were fubfcribers to this fame company, and were both largely concerned in the flave-trade. Some other monarchs, however, were far from favouring that traffic; for Louis XI. of France, and the renowned Elizabeth of England, made no fecret of their utter abhorrence of the

CHAP. flave-trade. But this was not Charles's only trade; for Sir.

DELAGOA.

66

X. T. Modiford, then Governor of Jamaica, having, by his fole authority, declared war against the Spaniards, his mas ter not only approved of these predatory hoftilities; but, in 1668, sent the governor an inftruction, empowering him to nominate partners, to participate with His Majesty in the captures,' they finding victuals, wear and tear." Charles was several years actually engaged in this privateering, or rather bucaneering, trade*.-He and his immediate fucceffor appear, indeed, to have been par nobile fratrum, and to have left the British nation fufficient reason to remember them, and the day when an over-ruling Providence was pleased to remove their family from the throne, and to bless the nation with a constitution which has had confiderable influence on the arbitrary governments of Europe, and the radical principles of which, it is to be hoped, they will all gradually adopt, as far as their various circumftances will permit.

Col. Bolts confulted about a Swedish co

lony.

326. The late Gustavus III. of Sweden, who appeared to favour commerce more than agriculture, having heard of the abilities of Colonel Bolts, in colonial affairs, and his great knowledge of mercantile geography, prevailed on him (through his Ambassador at Paris, Baron Stael von Holstein) to go to Sweden, in order to confult with him about eftablishing a settlement for the convenience of the Swedish East Indian ships. But, when the Colonel arrived at Stockholm, he found the King fo deeply involved in the late unfortunate war with Ruffia, that he could attend to no other

* See Poftlethwayt's Di&t. Art. Eng. Afr. Co.-Long's Hift. of Jamaica, Vol. 1. p. 626, compared with Vol. II. p. 140.-Edwards's Ditto Vol. II. p. 35, 36.Hill's Nav. Hift.-Labat Nouv. Relat. de l'Afrique.

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DELAGOA.

business. After a long and fruitless attendance, the Colonel CHA P. returned to Paris, having received, by His Majefty's order, about £500 fter. a fum which, though perhaps as much as an almost exhaufted treasury could well afford, was, however, very inadequate to the expenfe he incurred in collecting materials, not to mention the time and labour which the formation of eftimates, and the arrangement of an extenfive scheme, must have coft him. But though this plan be intimately connected with my fubject, and may one day be carried into execution, I do not think myself at liberty to detail it's particulars, without the Colonel's exprefs concur

rence.

NEW PLAN

FOR

EXPLORING AFRICA

327. I have juft been informed that the gentlemen of the African affociation of London, perfevering in their defign of exploring the interior parts of that continent, which reflects fo much honour on this age and nation, have equipped two veffels, for a new expedition, which now wait for convoy; and that they are to be generoufly affifted, by the British government, with the fum of £6000 fterling. The perfons appointed to carry this plan into execution, are a Mr. Park, who is a good natural historian, and a Mr. Willis, on whom His Majefty, on this occafion, has been pleased to confer the rank of conful. Both the gentlemen have the character of being uncommonly well qualified for such an undertaking ; and they are to be attended by a captain, 60 foldiers, and proper affistants, of every description. Taking for granted,

that

X.

CHA P. that Goree has been abandoned by the French, they are first to proceed thither, where they will find a town ready built, and fitted for every purpose of health and accomodation, in a hot climate. From this first station, I understand, they propofe to fail for Fatatenda, on the River Gambia, beyond which veffels of any confiderable burden cannot conveniently proceed. From Fatatenda, it is faid, Mr. Park takes his departure for Bambouk, whence he is to convey back intelligence of his arrival to Mr. Willis, who will then follow him thither. Both gentlemen having arrived at Bambouk, Mr. Willis will remain there, to preferve a communi cation with the fhips, while Mr. Park will endeavour to penetrate to the River Niger, or to the city of Tombuctoo. I have been told farther, that the chiefs of the country are to be engaged to affift in the undertaking; but, with a precaution which, I believe, has never before been taken: they are to receive no previous douceurs, and no rewards whatever, till they shall produce certificates, or other proofs, that they have actually performed their engagements; and then they will be paid the rewards ftipulated, on board the veffels, or at the places where the goods are fecured.-If this be the plan, and I have reason to believe that the above arè the principal heads of it, I must say that it appears to me, to be better laid, and consequently, to be more likely to fucceed, than any one of the kind that has yet come within my knowledge.

END OF THE FIRST PART.

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