IN WESTERN AFRICA. 229 is more than probable that colonial produce will be imported to Europe at little, more than half the expense of importing it from the West Indies : thus Great Britain may be driven out ofthe market for colonial produce, except for what may be sufficient for her own domestic supply.

This has been a favourite scheme of the French, who have now begun to taste the fruits of it: they have had it in view and in operation ever since *ive gave them possession of Senegal.

It was the system of her late Emperor, Bonaparte, suggested to him by the arch and brilliant genius of Talleyrand, to indemnify the loss of St. Domingo.

Moreover, the French, who are cultivating the territory of Senegal with indefatigable industry, will be, in a few years, not only able to supply the continental markets of Europe with colonial produce, but they will become masters of North Africa, establish another Ceuta at the African promontory of the Cape de Verd, and, in the event of a war, annoy incalculably our East-India trade, and enhance the price of East -India produce in the British dominions ; whilst they will, by the aid of the Americans, who will be always ready to assist them, form a depot for East-India goods at the Cape de Verd, and from thence introduce them into Africa and France, to the almost total exclusion ofGreat Britain. If we are to prevent these events from taking place, we must adopt different m easures from what we have adopted ; we must Q 3