Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/661

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6:^^

It may be faid, that the trade carried on there by Suez ftnd the Ifthtnus would not be of any advantage to the India Company, but rather a detriment to it. Such was the an- fwerlgot from Lord North upon my firft interview with his Lordfliip after my return, and upon which I fhall not pretend to decide. But this I fhall fubmit to the public, whether, when a great object, fuch as that was, is unex- peftedly in the power of an individual, he is not obli- ged, as a good citizen, to avail himfelf of the occafion. that offers, and leave it to that part of the public concerned, to determine whether they can make it of fervice to them, or not.

I HAVE read, either in Abbe Prevot or M. de Maillet, (the reader will affift me, as neither of thefe books are in my hands at prefent) that the French, in the beginning of this century, offered a Very large fum of money to the govern- ment of Cairo, to be allowed to fend only an advice-boat to Suez, to carry and bring back their difpatches from their fettlements in India, but they were conftantly refufed ; both the India Company and Britifli Government are, by my means, now in poffcffion of that privilege, and I am in- formed it has already been of ufe, both in public and pri- vate difpatches.

I MUST further be permitted to fay, that, independent of tliefe particulars, it feemed very ftrange that, confidering the immenfe empire which belonged to Britain in the Eaft Indies, the Company and their fervants fhould be, to a man, fo perfectly ignorant of the Red Sea and ports in it, and fo in- different as to the means of being better informed ; a fea

Vol, IV. 4 L which